Local support to build on breastfeeding progress

NHS Fife and Fife Health and Social Care Partnership are working together to ensure strong local support for breastfeeding mums.

Figures show the number of babies exclusively breastfed at six to eight weeks old has steadily increased in Fife and is now at 33.7%.

Fife is also seeing a continued reduction in breastfeeding inequalities, with younger mothers and those from more deprived areas starting to breastfeed and breastfeeding for longer.

NHS Fife and Fife Health and Social Care Partnership teams from Maternity, Neonatal and Community Children’s Services have all achieved the prestigious Baby Friendly Gold Award from UNICEF.

The UNICEF Baby Friendly Gold Award is the highest level of accreditation and recognises the gold-standard level knowledge and commitment of all staff in promoting breastfeeding and bringing mothers and babies closer through a positive feeding experience.

Practical help from these services to local families includes:

• Joint work between maternity services and the Breastfeeding Support Team to offer tailored help during pregnancy.
• Local peer support with seven breastfeeding support groups now operating across Fife, the newest launched in Levenmouth.
• Practical phone support from Breastfeeding Support Teams to families in the first days after leaving hospital to provide reassurance, practical tips and rapid escalation where needed.

Next steps include a test of change project in Levenmouth.

Olivia Robertson, Senior Manager Community Children’s Services & Primary Care Portfolio, explained: “We are looking to build on the successful work so far by giving focus to supporting breastfeeding at six to eight weeks in areas of higher deprivation in Fife.

“Starting in Levenmouth, we want to work to reduce the breastfeeding drop off rate with a dedicated project that reflects community needs.

“We hope the learning from that will help inform our approach across other areas of Fife.”