Mums 'made to feel they're letting their babies down' by the NHS
Mothers are being 'set up to fail' by the NHS for not supporting them enough when it comes to infant feeding, a charity has reported.
The health service recommends that mothers breastfeed – so their babies only consume breast milk – for at least six months, yet only half of mums who intend to do this end up doing so, according to family support charity Feed.
Many women have told the charity that this 'ideal' is simply not realistic and have described the information the NHS has supplied them on formula as 'spotty' at best. One even claimed that she was told that it was the equivalent of feeding her baby 'greasy fried chicken'.
Feed add that what 'minimal' support is available doesn't touch on enough the 'risks and benefits of infant feeding methods', negatively impacting women's mental health.
The report, which Metro had exclusive sight of ahead of it's release today, comes a week after Metro and Feed handed their Formula for Change petition to Downing Street, demanding that the government do more to make formula milk accessible and affordable.
The NHS offers several support options for mums, on top of online explainers on 'how to breastfeed' and the benefits of it. Midwives, healthy visitors and volunteers offer one-on-one help, while an NHS webpage also recommends parents try breastfeeding drop-ins.
However, many of the 830 women Feed spoke with in conjunction with women's charity The Lowdown, believe that NHS advice – known as delivered infant feeding care – leaves women unprepared, with more than half (52%) saying the information they received did not equip them for their baby feeding journey.
One mother called Ann* told the report: 'I had no idea how difficult it was going to be with issues around getting a latch in the golden hours; how painful it could be; how all-consuming it is.'
The early days of nursing can be difficult for many new mothers. About 30% of women struggled with at least one complication, such as latching pain, cracked nipples or sore breasts, according to the NHS' Infant Feeding Survey.
While many mums said breastfeeding gets easier over time, only one in 10 of the women surveyed by Feed felt the NHS prepared them enough.
Similar challenges were faced by women who fed formula.
For new mothers surviving on little sleep, the lack of help from the NHS on issues like sterilisation, preparation and quantities left them 'on their own'.
Fewer than one in 10 women said they were given information on how to safely prepare powdered formula. Just 4% said they were given all the information and support they needed about formula feeding, and 57% had to find information elsewhere.
'We were encouraged so heavily to breastfeed but then when we had weight issues, the [Health Visitor] wanted to move us to formula without trying interventions first,' one mother called Ruth said.
'I had to fight to see any support. This made me feel like I'd failed my child. I now combi feed and use ready-to-drink bottles as I still don't know how to prepare powder formula.'
Some of the mums surveyed also revealed that it felt like NHS staff 'couldn't mention formula.'
'One supportive home-visiting midwife 'took her official NHS hat off' and unofficially told us that it wasn't uncommon to be unable to breastfeed after a traumatic birth (which no one had told us). And that she had fed two of her own children with formula and they had thrived,' Mena* told the report.
Breast milk has nutritional and health benefits for babies, such as protecting them from illnesses like diabetes. Formula milk, typically made from cow's milk, is the only safe alternative to using breast milk for infants under a year.
While some mothers choose to formula feed, for other parents it can be the only option for several reasons, such as health issues or adoption.
The report also found that half of all women surveyed said breastfeeding challenges made them feel low or anxious and question how they felt as a mum.
Stigma around formula use was widespread – 75% of women who used it
felt some guilt or shame, while one in four wouldn't even tell someone they did it.
As Diane* said: 'I got post-natal depression and in the end felt very low about breastfeeding but felt so guilty for stopping and switching to formula. I thought I was letting my baby down.'
Another parent, Imogen*, recalled: 'A lactation consultant told me that feeding my son formula was like feeding him a greasy fried chicken dinner, and that feeding him breastmilk was like feeding him a nutritious salad.
'It made me feel so much shame, and pushed me to attempt to breastfeed far longer than was optimal for mine and my baby's health.'
Feed said that the current NHS infant feeding policy is 'failing women and their families' and needs to be reformed, focusing on 'honest information' about breastfeeding challenges and 'balanced advice' around formula.
Dr Erin Williams, co-founder of the charity, added: 'Reading what women go through to feed their babies was heartbreaking. More Trending
'So many mums felt judged, let down, or completely alone. It's clear the policies in place aren't working for anyone — they're not supporting real families in the real world.
'This isn't just about feeding, it's about how we treat mothers. Things have to change, and they have to change now.'
The NHS has been approached for comment.
*Names have been changed
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
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