Breastfeeding reality for mums in deprived areas
I’VE heard it, you’ve heard it: when it comes to feeding a baby, breast is best.
While we can all agree that a fed baby is a happy baby regardless of whether it’s from a breast or a bottle, research has shown time and time again that breast milk contains many brilliant components that simply cannot be replicated in formula milk – including the ACE2 protein which helps protect babies against Covid-19 infections.
In Wales, more than 50% of women say they intend to breastfeed, but in reality, just 1% of them actually go on to breastfeed their child exclusively for six months.
A Public Health Report in 2019 revealed that in areas of deprivation, this figure is even lower, exacerbating health inequalities. To get a better sense of the situation, we spoke to three women from deprived areas to share their experiences of giving their baby the boob.
Katie Green is a 38-year-old mum from St Julian’s, Newport, who runs the breastfeeding-friendly clothing business B Free. Katie comes from a “generally working-class background” and was the first in her family to breastfeed.
She pointed out that one difficulty many mothers face with breastfeeding is that they rarely, if ever, witness another woman breastfeeding – particularly in deprived areas.
She said: “It’s a shame that the rate of breastfeeding is so low, and I think a lot of it comes down to support, particularly if you didn’t grow up seeing people breastfeed. With that being said, as much as I can see the reasons behind why some women don’t want to breastfeed, I do think that a lot of the time it comes down to the individual. I didn’t have anybody in my family that breastfed, but I still chose to.”
One factor closely linked to low breastfeeding rates is oversexualisation of the female breast.
Katie said: “The issue we have is that the boob has become really over-sexualised, particularly in the younger generation. When you do breastfeed, people often ask, ‘when are you doing to stop?’. It’s a shame it’s more socially acceptable to feed your baby milk from a cow than from a human.”
Many women have been left feeling too uncomfortable to feed in public, which more often than not puts them off breastfeeding altogether.
Chanice Edwards is a 26-year-old woman from Newport who chose not to breastfeed her daughter, stating she would feel “very embarrassed” to feed in public – particularly in deprived areas where breastfeeding is often unheard of.
She said: “Shortly after I gave birth, the hospital staff did try to push for me to breastfeed, but in terms of family and friends, I have no support or encouragement to do so. It’s really just not something we see around here.
“A big part of the reason I didn’t want to breastfeed is because I would feel very embarrassed to feed in public. I feel like other people would be offended if they saw me feeding. It’s almost like people are made to feel ashamed of doing it.”
While breastfeeding might look like rainbows and sunshine on the television, in reality it isn’t always easy, and for some women, it can be painful.
Katie said: “Breastfeeding can be so painful. Going about life can also be hard because it’s all mum when you breastfeed, unless you express it into a bottle. Cluster feeding is also hard as you can find yourself feeding for 24 hours a day, and nobody really talks about that.”
Reflecting on her experience, Sophie Roberts, a 23-year-old breastfeeding mum from Mayhill, Swansea, said: “Both my breastfeeding journeys have been positive, but I have struggled at times with cluster feeding. It does get easier, though, with the right support.”
Mayhill is from a historically disadvantaged area in Swansea, and while Sophie has since moved to Cwmavon, she said she never really saw other women breastfeeding around her while growing up. Despite this, she had huge amount of support from friends and family to “give it a try”.
She said: “They made me feel comfortable when it came to feeding and never judged my decision.
“The hospital was also supportive when I told them I wanted to breastfeed, and both boys were placed immediately on my chest after giving birth and my oldest latched straight away.
“My youngest struggled a little bit and the midwife helped to latch him correctly. The midwives always came around to check that the latch was good and I was comfortable.”
She added: “I have noticed that if someone knows about breastfeeding, knows the benefits and sees others doing it, they may be more likely to try themselves. However, if they see people bottle-feeding then they are more likely to follow that path. Some people just don’t know what to expect.”
As the owner of B Free, Katie has established a breastfeeding community of more than 10,000 mums who openly share their experiences and is currently working towards becoming a breastfeeding counsellor.
She said: “In our group, we’ve all
It’s a shame it’s more socially acceptable to feed your baby milk from a cow than from a human Katie Green
discussed how, when you’ve given birth, there is such an emphasis on breastfeeding and that breast is best.
“When you’re in hospital, there’s almost a disappointment if you formula-feed, but the minute you get home, there’s nothing.
“There’s no more support, you’re left on your own. It can be isolating to breastfeed if you don’t have that support or understanding from family or friends who haven’t breastfed.”
Katie and Sophie both said that their breastfeeding journeys have been positive, life-affirming experiences that have improved their connection with their babies.
Sophie said: “The best part for me is when they are feeding and they look up at you like you are their world. It helped me bond with the boys too. I would encourage others to, even if it was just for a day or a week, just to get that experience.
“Baby would also benefit from it, especially if people are worried about Covid or winter viruses, as breastfeeding will increase baby’s antibodies.”
Katie said: “One of the best parts of breastfeeding is that you don’t have to pay for formula, and you don’t have to get out of bed in the middle of the night to prepare a bottle, or worry about the temperature. To be able to nourish your baby with your breast milk is amazing thing and it really helps connection.”
Public Health Wales encourages expectant mothers to breastfeed when they can as part of the five-year plan to improve breastfeeding rates in Wales.
Dr Julie Bishop, director of health improvement at Public Health Wales, said: “Public Health Wales is working with Welsh Government and other partners to increase levels of breastfeeding across Wales, as it is acknowledged as giving the best start in life.
“While rates are lower than we would like across Wales as a whole, we also know that there are specific groups of the population where rates of breastfeeding are particularly low, including in more disadvantaged communities.
“There are many reasons for low breastfeeding rates in these groups, and there are no simple answers. Low rates over many years has meant that there is no longer a breastfeeding culture in some communities and community knowledge and skills have been lost.
“We remain committed to working with others to implement the All Wales Breastfeeding Plan to ensure that more babies in Wales benefit from the unique benefit that breast milk provides.”