Typologies of postnatal support and breastfeeding at two months in the UK: Research participant commentary

Emmott et al. (2020) presented in this journal an analysis of different types of postnatal support that mothers in the UK experience and their relationship to breastfeeding status at two months. This paper is a commentary by two participants in the study. It draws on the research literature alongside recent lived experiences of breastfeeding and formula feeding in the UK to question and expand on Emmott et al.'s analysis. It highlights how a decision to stop breastfeeding in the current UK context may lead to experiencing a lack of support from healthcare professionals. We argue that a family-centred approach to infant feeding should acknowledge the benefits and costs of all infant feeding methods and enable all families to be fully informed and supported in feeding their babies.

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