Baby feeding trial recruits more than any other UK site
Date of release: 7 March 2024
More than 400 first-time mums in Wolverhampton have volunteered for a study into whether extra support helps families feed their babies more confidently - the highest number of participants across all of the sites taking part.
ABA-feed Team
They have joined the national Assets-based feeding help Before and After birth (ABA-feed) study which has been running across 15 sites throughout the UK, including The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, since January 2022.
Fewer women in the UK breastfeed than in other parts of the world, with Wolverhampton having some of the lowest rates in the country. Earlier research has suggested that most of these women would have liked more support to help them continue.
The ABA-feed intervention study aimed to optimise local support to see if this can help improve breastfeeding rates. First-time mums are allocated randomly into one of two groups. One receives the standard information and support provided by their Midwife, Health Visitor or voluntary groups. This is known as usual care.
The second group receives the same usual care but is also offered additional support before and after their babies are born, up until eight weeks.
A total of 24 existing peer support workers in Wolverhampton were given extra training to become Infant Feeding Helpers to provide the additional support.
Poppy Davies, Breastfeeding Peer Support and Engagement co-ordinator for RWT, said: “We have been delighted with how the study has gone, and feedback from parents who have been supported by our Infant Feeding Helpers has been fantastic.
“Whilst we have to wait until March 2025 until we have the published results from the study, we have felt the model of support has been really successful so we are planning to continue with the study’s model. We will offer this as part of our standard volunteer support pathway so that a wider range of mothers can access this support.”
Sharn Tailor, Volunteer Infant Feeding Helper, said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the study from the very beginning. I have really felt I have supported these mothers during their first time of becoming a mother, and during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The mums have said they have really benefitted from having another person being there on hand to talk to.”
First-time mum Abbie Brown, 27, took part in the study and was supported by volunteer Robin Norton, 35, from Wolverhampton. She said: “As a first-time mum, the main thing I was worried about was feeding my baby.
“The trial itself was really easy to take part in, I answered a few simple questions online and I even got some vouchers at the end. My infant feeding helper, Robin, offered me information, encouragement and a shoulder to lean on without any pressure and I am so grateful that I had her to support me.
“I’m so glad that I signed up to take part, not only do I feel content with the way I’ve fed my baby, I feel like I have helped women in the future too.”
ENDS
- For further information, please email amy.downward@nhs.net
