What's Happening?
Pharmacists are being called upon to play a more significant role in supporting breastfeeding mothers, as the UK government shifts healthcare delivery into community settings. Despite the proven health benefits
of breastfeeding, it remains notably absent from the government's ten-year health plan, which aims to raise the 'healthiest generation of children ever.' The plan includes initiatives like restricting junk food advertising targeted at children and forming a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce. However, breastfeeding is not highlighted as a public health priority, despite its association with reduced risks of childhood infections, obesity, diabetes, and sudden infant death syndrome. Pharmacists are uniquely positioned to offer community-based support, yet their potential remains underutilized in national health strategies.
Why It's Important?
Breastfeeding offers significant health benefits for both infants and mothers, including reduced risks of various diseases and improved intelligence test performance for children. Economically, increasing breastfeeding rates could save the NHS £50 million annually by reducing hospital admissions and GP consultations for preventable illnesses. Despite these benefits, the UK has some of the lowest breastfeeding rates globally, partly due to systemic barriers such as lack of support services, cultural stigma, and misinformation. By empowering pharmacists to provide evidence-based breastfeeding support, the government could address these barriers and improve public health outcomes. Pharmacists can offer medication safety advice, manage breastfeeding complications, and create breastfeeding-friendly spaces, thereby supporting maternal confidence and enabling informed choice.
What's Next?
To address the low breastfeeding rates, a national infant feeding strategy, as recommended by UNICEF, should be more effectively executed. This includes providing breastfeeding support across all relevant policy areas, funding community-based peer support programs, and enforcing the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes. Pharmacists can be trained to support mothers from diverse backgrounds, ensuring equitable access to breastfeeding support. Additionally, pharmacists can participate in small-scale studies to evaluate interventions and collaborate with universities and public health teams to explore breastfeeding outcomes and barriers. By integrating breastfeeding into the government's prevention agenda, pharmacists can become enablers of breastfeeding success, improving population health for generations to come.
Beyond the Headlines
The omission of breastfeeding from the government's health plan highlights broader issues in public health policy, such as the need for systemic support and cultural change. Breastfeeding is not just a personal choice but is influenced by societal factors, including stigma and misinformation. By addressing these issues, the government can promote informed choice and support mothers in achieving their feeding goals. Pharmacists, as accessible and trusted healthcare professionals, can play a transformative role in this process, advocating for breastfeeding and providing comprehensive support. This approach not only benefits individual families but also contributes to reducing healthcare costs and narrowing health inequalities.
