Helen Calvert and I are the breastfeeding champions for the NHS Change Day #MatExp campaign. What on earth does that mean I hear you ask? It means that we have the privilege of being part of a powerful grassroots campaign using the Whose Shoes?^® approach to identify and share best practice across the nation’s maternity services and look at ways we can improve these services for women and their families. The campaign has already been triggering discussions about what needs to improve to make sure women and their families have the care that is right for them. You can read all about it here: http://changeday.nhs.uk/campaigns/matexp/

There are 8 existing #MatExp Change Day actions, and we are focusing on #MatExp5 – Life With A New Baby, and in particular breastfeeding: http://changeday.nhs.uk/campaigns/matexp/matexp-improving-maternity-experience-just/

Anyone familiar with this blog will know that I suffered birth trauma with my first daughter and I am very passionate about improving maternity and perinatal care for women and their families that is patient centred and supportive of their choices. I work as a breastfeeding peer support worker for the NHS helping families in Neonatal, hospital and community. I also volunteer for the BfN and am a trained Doula. I write my blog to raise awareness of birth trauma and Perinatal mental health, reduce stigma and help others. I am passionate about supporting women in their breastfeeding journey especially those that have had pre-term babies. You can read about my story here http://changeday.nhs.uk/story35/

Helen started the #hospitalbreastfeeding campaign on Twitter following her experiences of breastfeeding her younger son, David, who has a congenital heart defect. This campaign led to the launch of Helen’s website, http://www.heartmummy.co.uk, which has key messages to help medical professionals to understand what’s in it for them when it comes to supporting breastfeeding in wards and departments. It provides much needed information to help healthcare professionals provide support to breastfeeding mom’s especially with sick vulnerable babies. Helen tirelessly campaigns to raise awareness for families with children who have a heart defect and also to support moms in their breastfeeding journey.

So what is it that we would like you to do?

Well, firstly, why not log an action on the NHS Change Day website, where “we give ourselves permission to make the changes we can make, share them, and inspire others”? What’s lovely is this is for anyone. Most of us come into contact with women and babies, so simple things like a simple smile to a new mother or a kind word or deed can make a difference.

If you are working in maternity services or are passionate about supporting women and their families and are going to log an action, do so under the #Matexp campaign. There are a few actions to choose from, why not go for something that will make a change to the breastfeeding experience of UK families? Actions can be as simple as you like, what matters is they are personal to you.

Here are our suggestions, and how to log your action. Your action could be to:

1. Look outside of the NHS for breastfeeding information to use to support families.[Best beginnings, BfN, UNICEF, ABM, La Leche League, kellymom, Dr Jack Newman etc.]
2. Always remember that breastfeeding is more likely to be possible than impossible. Just keep this in mind every day and see how it changes your approach to families who want to breastfeed.
3. Follow the RCN’s guidelines for supporting breastfeeding on paediatric wards: http://www.rcn.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/270161/003544.pdf
4. Download and share the posters from heartmummy.co.uk – simple messages and guidance explaining how breastfeeding can be a key part of a child’s medical care.
5. Support all families to make an informed choice by giving accurate evidence based information regarding breastfeeding.
6. Encourage each other to support a mom whatever her feeding choice.
7. Help the wards/places we work in to reach out/work towards Unicef baby friendly accreditation. Use the resources they provide and makes sure the culture reflects those standards.
8. Not to use the term Breast is Best, but seek to normalise breastfeeding as the biological norm.
9. Always introduce yourself #hellomynameis and explain who you are and your role. Be friendly, give of your time, listen and remember that each is an individual trying hard to do the best for their babies. Smile!
10. Think about language, what we say matters. Make sure we are not undermining breastfeeding, causing a woman to doubt her ability to care for her baby.

To log your action go to : http://changeday.nhs.uk/campaigns/matexp/ scroll down and click on the light bulb that says action. Then follow the instructions. Put #MatExp5 in the title of your action to link it to our area of the campaign if you would like to, and don’t forget to tweet and share your action once you’ve written it!

Also you can join or set up one of the maternity workshops that are going to be running around the country. These workshops give the opportunity for all, whether staff or service users, to engage, share ideas, and look at ways to improve our maternity services.

What are we hoping to achieve?

When we spoke to women a few core things became clear, they wanted clear consistent advice on breastfeeding, good support in hospital and lots of encouragement and support. They spoke about respect for their choices and not having things forced on them by healthcare professionals and how sometimes all the wanted was for someone to say “well done’.

The standard of care we see in our maternity units needs to improve. To do this we must all work together, staff and service users, men and women. We all want women and families to be supported in their choices and have the best possible care. The maternity experience a woman has can stay with her all her life, as can the support she receives to feed her baby. We owe it to women and their families to make a change. What matters is real people, real families and real lives. Women should be equal partners in their maternity care their voices need to be heard so that the maternity experience meets individual needs. Dignity and respect must govern all we do. Maybe we can only make small changes or pledge small actions, but when they all join up together that means big changes for women, for families, for us all.

Thank you Emma and Helen

Emma’s change day action: http://changeday.nhs.uk/user_action/ive-got-involved-in-the-matexp-actions/

Helens change day action: http://changeday.nhs.uk/user_action/matexp5-encouraging-support-for-breastfeeding-on-childrens-wards/