Support for mums ‘patchy’

MUMS who choose to breastfeed their newborn babies are not getting enough support from the NHS, a Cardiff University study has revealed.

Researchers obtained data from almost every NHS organisation in the UK that provides maternity services and found that peer support was only available in 56% of trust or health board areas.

They also found variation in what was provided in different parts of the country and this was often related to financial constraints within organisations.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) recommends the provision of peer support as part of the strategy to increase breastfeeding rates. But the UK has one of the lowest rates of breastfeeding in the whole of Europe, latest figures show.

Dr Aimee Grant, from Cardiff University’s Centre for Trials Research, said: “Contrary to national guidance, we found that coverage both across the country and within regions was variable.

“In addition, around one-third of the health professionals we surveyed felt that breastfeeding peer support services were not well integrated with other NHS services.”

Peer support can be offered by local breastfeeding groups, midwives, health visitors or by volunteers.

The data was not broken down by different areas of the UK.