Breastfeeding Conference

Tuesday 1st October 2013Summary of the Day

Breastfeeding Conference SummaryThe purpose of the conference:

•Look at what the evidence is telling us• Share good practice

•Talk about the environment for Breastfeeding•Talk Co-create a vision for breastfeeding in Suffolk

The Breastfeeding conference was facilitated by Dr. Amanda Jones, Lead Consultant for Health Improvement and Heath Protection in Suffolk.

Lynda Bradford, Head of Health Improvement in Suffolk and Michael Hattrell, Breastfeeding Commissioner co-facilitated and oversaw the day

There were five expert speakers in the morning who discussed current breastfeeding practice in Suffolk across the

county:

• Linda Page, Infant feeding Coordinator, Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust

• Tania Browes, Midwifery Manager, Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust

• Colleen Greenwood, Infant Feeding Coordinator, West Suffolk NHS foundation Trust

• Anita Farrant, Children and Young People Integrated Service Manager

• Margaret Baluta, Breastfeeding Team Lead, East Coast Community Healthcare

• Dr. Amanda Jones presented a vision for breastfeeding in Suffolk

• Mr. Ashish Minocha, Consultant Paediatric and Neonatal Surgeon at Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital and David Edwards, Specialist Registrar at Public Health Suffolk discussed Restrictive Lingual Frenulum (commonly

known as tongue tie)

• Lynda Bradford gave an overview of breastfeeding resources available to General Practice

• Councillor Alan Murray, Suffolk County Council Cabinet Member for Health and Social closed the conference

85 people attended the event including Health Visitors, Midwives, Peer Mentors, Breastfeeding Team Staff,

Children’s Centre Staff, Councillors and Local Government and NHS

commissioners.

Breastfeeding Conference Workshop Summary:Let’s do it! What can each of us do to improve breastfeeding in our locality?

The discussion in the morning workshop was about what we can do to improve breastfeeding in our localities. The session was primarily attended by

providers. Key themes came out throughout these discussions:

Strong Antenatal Message is Key• Pre birth breastfeeding support groups needed across

all localities• Antenatal visits to discuss breastfeeding

Joined up Working Cross Locality and Between Partners

• Reduce conflicting advice across agencies – joint training

• Share good practice between agencies and ensure consistent message for the whole county.

Provide Better Support for New Mothers• Post birth breastfeeding support groups

• 24 hour helpline and proactive daily support available for all

• ‘Bosom buddy’ system

• Educate GP’s about what support is out there• Use of smartphone aps, social media and online resources to

promote breastfeeding• TV and media campaigns

• Much more partner support – breastfeeding peer support and groups for fathers?

• Concentrate on making public environments more breastfeeding friendly

• ‘Breastfeeding welcome’ stickers• Incentives to breastfeed – vouchers for breastfeeding bras?

Main Recurring Themes:

Ideas to improve breastfeeding:

Breastfeeding Conference Workshop Summary:Let’s do it! What can each of us do to increase breastfeeding in Suffolk?

The discussion in the lunchtime workshop was about what we can do to increase breastfeeding in Suffolk.

The session was primarily attended by commissioners and elected members. Key themes came out

throughout these discussions:

Reduced Information and Access to Formula• Do not promote formula milk within any health

information or bounty packs• Restrict advertising and have plain packaging on

formula including a message about the benefits of breastfeeding

Improve Environment for Breastfeeding in Public• Educate venues to be more breastfeeding friendly and

have ‘breastfeeding friendly’ stickers• Promote free places to breastfeed in public • Campaign to make Suffolk ‘most breastfeeding

friendly’ county

Make it Easier for Mums Returning to Work• Incentives for businesses to provide facilities for mums

to breastfeed• Include information about breastfeeding with

maternity literature in businesses so mums think about it early.

___ ____________ __ ______

_ _____ ____ ________ _______ __ _____ _____

___ _________ _____ _________ _____ __________

• Education at school age – put breastfeeding on the national curriculum, have a breastfeeding advisor for schools

• Work to reduce the fear of breastfeeding in public by making breastfeeding everybody’s business• TV and media campaigns

• Literature aimed at father’s and grandparents too as they are mums support network

• More budget for breastfeeding services• Joined up countywide breastfeeding policy and training

• Provide incentives to breastfeed

Main Recurring Themes:

Ideas to increase breastfeeding:

Breastfeeding Conference Workshop Summary:Let’s do it! What can general practice do to increase breastfeeding?

The discussion in the afternoon workshop was about what GP’s can do to increase breastfeeding in Suffolk. The session was primarily attended by primary care

practitioners and commissioners. Key themes came out throughout these discussions:

Improved and Consistent Training for GPs• All GPs to complete the UNICEF e-learning

• Promote available training – CCG training afternoon?• Midwives to attend practice meetings

Breastfeeding Support to be Visible in Practices• GP practices to be visibly breastfeeding friendly and

have ‘breastfeeding friendly’ stickers• Higher visibility of promotional ‘Give it a Go’ materials• Available support e.g.. Peer Mentor Groups to be

advertised in GP practices

Target Communities for Visible Support• Advertise available services around communities –

take away restaurants, beauticians, hairdressers etc. • Market stalls in local towns

___ ____________ __ ______

_ _____ ____ ________ _______ __ _____ _____

___ _________ _____ _________ _____ __________

• Commission a Health Visitor Breast Feeding Coordinator for Suffolk

• Ensure pathways are clear and consistent• Feedback and signposting on CCG websites

• Specific webpage for professionals and the public • Longer GP appointments for expectant and new mothers and

those with feeding problems to promote breastfeeding and to support

• Increase the amount of promotional materials available• Possible target attached to % of GPs who have undergone

training

Main Recurring Themes:

Ideas to increase breastfeeding:

PledgesThose who attended the event were asked to make a

pledge around what they personally could do to support and increase breastfeeding within their role. We received 38 pledges in the areas of pre and post

birth, at birth and other.

• Develop a antenatal breastfeeding workshop for mums and dads which runs at the weekend and evenings

• Ensure all staff are giving accurate information and advice to ALL women.

• Make GP surgeries more breastfeeding friendly

• Get feeding bottles removed from AGES + STAGES developmental bags used by Health Visitors from

November 2013• Support all mums to enjoy breastfeeding

• Inspire and educate midwives and those involved with breastfeeding

• Investigate provisions of work place support for breastfeeding- UCS, Police, Council premises.

• Build better relationships with GPs so they are aware of local breastfeeding champions

Pledge Examples… I pledge to…

Pre Birth28%

Birth18%

Post Birth39%

Other15%

Pledges Received

Evaluation and Next Steps•95% of attendees who completed the evaluation form strongly agreed or agreed that the programme of the event was

well structured. •100% strongly agreed or agreed that the presenters had communicated effectively and they now fully understood the

breastfeeding support available to them• 97% rated the event overall as either Excellent or Good and nobody rated the event poor or very poor.

•Over 95% rated the morning, lunchtime and afternoon sessions individually as excellent or good and nobody rated any of the sessions individually as poor or very poor.

• I will appreciate that there is more support available and use it• I will become more involved in restricted lingual frenulum in WSH policy

• I’m motivated to keep pressing on with staff training• I plan to examine breastfeeding messages around town and make it like Bristol

• Reconsider how I promote breastfeeding to better effect and outcome• I have learnt lots and am motivated to put this to good practice

Any further comments? • Feedback received suggests the majority of attendees found the event informative and beneficial especially

for networking and discussing breastfeeding practice with colleagues from different areas and backgrounds.

• Those who completed the evaluation requested to see feedback from the event and follow up on practices put

into place as a result. • More GP and midwife representation

requested at the follow up event.

‘Is there anything you will put into practice following today’s event?’

Next StepsAttendees were asked if they would be interested in attending a

follow up event and how soon they would like it. All but one attendee said they were interested and the majority (61%)

thought 9 months time was the best time to hold the event.

We will be holding a follow up half day event in July to review each partner service developments towards supporting more

mothers to breastfeed and update on Suffolk’s overall progress.Please look out for an invitation nearer the time.