research comprehensively reflected perspectives across the sector, and in acknowledgement of the The report focused on the perspectives of influence of the CIMF industry, a representative individuals working in the breastfeeding sector. [...] The interviewees emphasised how the influence of the CIMF industry creates significant barriers to breastfeeding initiation and duration, which was evidenced by the literature.vii At the time of primary fieldwork (July-August 2023), the political and media focus was on formula pricing and issues with food security for formula feeding mothers. [...] Figure 1 below visualises the complexity of the landscape for breastfeeding and the interconnected factors that act as barriers to the initiation and continuation of breastfeeding. [...] 9 Impact on Urban Health Research Goals The aim of this research was to report on breastfeeding policy and practice issues from the perspective of those working in and around breastfeeding and to highlight the barriers that contribute to breastfeeding initiation and continuation. [...] The programme’s principles are rooted in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Sustainable Development Goals, both of which highlight the universality of children’s rights.
- Pages
- 88
- Published in
- United Kingdom
Table of Contents
- In this report 2
- Foreword 4
- Impact on Urban Health 5
- Contributors 5
- Bremner Co 5
- About 5
- Introduction 6
- Executive Summary 8
- Research Goals 10
- Methodology 10
- Research Limitations 10
- Structure of Analysis 11
- Background 12
- There are several important initiatives in the breastfeeding space 15
- National and local policy 16
- Theme 1 16
- 1.1 An absence of strategic breastfeeding policy and leadership 16
- 1.2 A myriad of disparate policies that concern breastfeeding 17
- 1.3 UK governments underperformance against breastfeeding metrics 19
- 1.4 Scotlands national policy and practice leadership 20
- 1.5 The current political agenda policy vs politics 21
- 1.6 How useful is government data on breastfeeding 21
- 1.7 Local policy challenges for breastfeeding programmes and services 22
- 1.8 Southwark A Case Study 27
- 2.1 A universal support network in crisis 28
- Infrastructure and support 28
- Theme 2 28
- 2.2 The impact of insufficient healthcare professional training 29
- 2.3 An underfunded and exhausted charity and community support sector 30
- 2.3.1 Insufficient funding for charity and community support sector support 30
- 2.3.2 A patchwork of access to support 31
- Culture and the media agenda 33
- Theme 3 33
- 3.1 Breastfeeding is weird 33
- 3.2 The influence of familial norms friends and the home 33
- 3.3 Breastfeeding in public 34
- 3.4 Societal and maternal education about breastfeeding 35
- 3.5 Formula Feeding Culture 36
- The authors have interpreted the two notions of breast is best and fed is best as follows 37
- 3.6 The media agenda on breastfeeding 39
- 3.6.1 Breastfeeding lived experience 41
- 3.6.2 Breastfeeding benefits 41
- 3.6.3 Breast is best 41
- 3.6.4 Celebrity and social media 42
- 3.6.5 Formula Feeding 42
- 3.6.6 Barriers to breastfeeding initiation and duration 42
- 3.6.7 CIMF 43
- 3.6.8 The visual portrayal of breastfeeding 43
- Consideration of demographic characteristics 44
- Theme 4 44
- 4.1 How race influences access to support 44
- 4.2 How socio-economic status influences access to support 45
- 4.3 Breastfeeding support for food insecure mothers 45
- 4.4 The breastfeeding experiences of mothers with disabilities 46
- 4.5 Services for people like me 46
- Places of work or study 47
- Theme 5 47
- 6.1 The workplace 47
- 6.2 Places of study 49
- 7.1 CIMF marketing and legislation 50
- Theme 6 50
- 7.2 Information provision for formula- feeding mothers 54
- 7.3 Access to formula for food- insecure mothers 55
- 7.4 Formula pricing 59
- Tower Hamlets 62
- Recommendations from the breastfeeding sector 63
- Policy and leadership 63
- Funding place-based interventions 64
- Funding information provision Funding place-based interventions 65
- Conclusion 66
- Stakeholder interviews 67
- Desk research 67
- Media and visual content analysis 67
- Stakeholder engagement 67
- Appendix 1 Research methodology in detail 67
- Appendix 2 Full WBTI report card 68
- References 69
- Photo credits 87
