Lincolnshire launches new strategy to boost breastfeeding rates and community support
Plans aim to normalise breastfeeding in the community and respect individual needs
Lincolnshire is taking a bold step to address low breastfeeding rates within the county through the launch of the Lincolnshire Breastfeeding and Infant Feeding Strategy. The 6 year plan is aimed at enhancing community health and support for parents.
The initiative, developed by the Best Start Family Hubs, Children's Health team, NHS, and local community groups, focuses on creating seamless infant feeding journeys and offering the right support at the right time.
Lynn Wilkinson is the Lead Nurse for Children's Health Service across Lincolnshire says the strategy is making sure families have got access to the right support. She says: "It's about respecting everybody's individual needs.
"It's not about forcing people into breast feeding but about choice and making sure that people are supported and have the right information available".
Lynn continued to say: "Breastfeeding can be challenging for some people so it's making sure we have accessible support in place".
Julie Cantwell, specialist health visitor for infant feeding, shared insights into the strategic collaboration: “We work really closely with the midwifery service and other partners... to improve breastfeeding rates for those that choose to breastfeed.”
With breastfeeding rates in the county amongst the lowest in the country, the strategy outlines strong partnerships among midwifery, neonatal services and children's centres.
Five key priorities drive the strategy's agenda, focusing on better support, reducing inequalities, and improving accessibility, according to Lynn Wilkinson, lead nurse for Children's Health Service: “It's a whole Lincolnshire strategy for everybody.”
Julie Cantwell highlighted challenges and ongoing support: “Breastfeeding can be challenging for some people. We’ve got increased training offers to get information out there and we're engaging with parents about what they would like.”
The strategy acknowledges the role of businesses in creating welcoming public breastfeeding environments and underscores benefits like reducing health risks and supporting child growth and brain development.
Lynn said: "We need to make breastfeeding normalised within the community so people feel supported and confident when they're out and about.
"We've had a lot of feedback from women saying they don't feel supported breastfeeding in public, so we're tying to target local businesses to change attitudes".
By fostering a community-wide approach, Lincolnshire aims to positively impact long-term child health outcomes, providing informative resources and community backing to empower families on their breastfeeding journeys.