NEW MUMS in Worcestershire are being given the chance to get help supporting them through their first few weeks of breastfeeding.

The national initiative by Public Health England (PHE) called Start4Life BreastFeeding Friend (BFF) provides an interactive chatbot tool where the new mums can access expert NHS-trusted advice.

The chatbot is available through Facebook Messenger and works as a live chat tool via one-to-one messaging and push notifications.

The BFF gives mums 24/7 access to expert NHS-trusted advice in a friendly way, responding to questions, alleviating concerns and helping to dispel any breastfeeding myths.

PHE recommends that babies are exclusively breastfed for the first six months to give them the best start in life. It says breast milk boosts babies’ ability to fight illness and infection in their first six months.

And yet nationally, while 73 per cent of mothers start breastfeeding when their baby is born, that drops to 44 per cent at six to eight weeks and about half of new mums in the West Midlands region do not continue to breast feed six to eight weeks after the birth.

The figures for Worcestershire show 57.1 per cent of infants in Worcestershire are not breastfed at all after six to eight weeks. In Herefordshire the figure is 49.5 per cent.

Karen Saunders, programme lead for PHE West Midlands Health and Wellbeing team, said: “The ‘Start4Life Breastfeeding Friend’ is a great tool for mums in the West Midlands who are looking for help and advice about breastfeeding.

“Combined with support from midwives, health visitors and peer supporters, such tools can make all the difference to help mums get breastfeeding off to a good start and to carry on.

“Information and support just when you need it is vital. Professional help along with a network of people, who can share tips and advice, or attending local breastfeeding groups can be beneficial for those who might require a little more help.

“There is also the National Breastfeeding Helpline 0300 100 0212 and NHS Choices webpages which signpost families to wider local support and resources.”

Evidence shows the right support helps mums to breastfeed for longer. West Midlands mum Rashiela Nelson had problems breastfeeding, but then went on to help other new mothers, she said: “Complications during labour contributed to my initial difficulties trying to breastfeed.

“I managed to express for nearly three months, but due to lack of knowledge, support and confidence I ended up having to bottle feed – which made me feel incredibly guilty and frustrated, but also made me want to do something to help women struggling like myself.

“I decided to volunteer on the post-natal wards at Birmingham Women’s Hospital and after a few weeks I attended a 10-week UNICEF Baby Friendly training course, which made me very passionate about breastfeeding.

“A lot of hospitals rely on volunteers to support new mothers on post-natal wards, but having something like the Start4Life chatbot is a great way for new mums to get expert knowledge whenever they need it at home.”

A new survey of 500 mothers of young children commissioned by PHE showed that more than half were concerned that breastfeeding could mean they wouldn't be able to tell if their baby was getting too much or not enough milk.

A similar proportion of mums surveyed thought that people might assume they need a special diet to breastfeed. Nearly three in 10 worried that breastfeeding could mean their baby might not be getting the right nutrients, indicating why mothers may stop breastfeeding at this early point.

PHE says breastfeeding boosts a baby’s ability to fight illness and infection. Babies who are not breastfed are more likely to get diarrhoea and respiratory infections. It also lowers a mother’s risk of ovarian and breast cancer, and burns around 500 calories a day.

Viv Bennett, chief nurse at PHE, said: “Breastfeeding, while natural, is something that all mums and their babies learn by doing. Mums tell us that after the first few weeks breast feeding becomes easier, so proper support is crucial at this time, which is where our BFF is designed to help.

“We can all help women feel comfortable breastfeeding their baby wherever they are. Creating a wider culture of encouragement and support will help make a mother’s experience all the more positive.”

For more information, advice and tips on breastfeeding visit: www.nhs.uk/start4life/ and http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/breastfeeding-help-support.aspx

Start4Life is Public Health England’s programme to help parents-to-be and parents to adopt healthy behaviours.

To access the BreastFeeding Friend, simply open Facebook Messenger and search Start4Life BreastFeeding Friend or visit m.me/Start4LifeBreastFeedingFriend to get started.

• Breastfeeding has a positive impact on the whole population. Moderate increases in breastfeeding would translate into cost savings for the NHS.

• Sometimes breastfeeding isn’t possible for a range of reasons. PHE says if this is the case, in terms of liquids, babies should only be given infant formula milk for the first 12 months and no other types of milk.

• Start4Life’s Baby Club and Start4Life website offers NHS information and advice for parents-to-be and parents of birth to five year olds providing them with the advice they need to help get their child off to the best start in life.

• The Department of Health is also supporting Unicef UK to develop a neonatal infant feeding network to support sick and preterm babies.

• For more information on UNICEF Baby Friendly visit: https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/

• Public Health England exists to protect and improve the nation's health and wellbeing, and reduce health inequalities. It does this through world-class science, knowledge and intelligence, advocacy, partnerships and the delivery of specialist public health services.