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UK Wedding News

12/11/2013

Mothers 'Given Incentive' To Breastfeed

New measures have been unveiled by the University of Sheffield in an attempt to encourage more mothers to breastfeed.

The initial phase of the project, NOurishing Start for Health (NOSH), will look at whether it is feasible to offer shopping vouchers to mothers in neighbourhoods where low breastfeeding rates are recorded.

This includes places such as Derbyshire and South Yorkshire.

In a statement, the university explains that mothers will be offered shopping vouchers worth up to £120 if their babies receive breastmilk until they are six weeks old. If their baby continues to receive breastmilk up to six months of age, they will receive a further £80 of vouchers.

Breastfeeding has often been encouraged of having both long and short-term benefits for mothers and children, but breastfeeding levels in the UK are among the lowest in the world.

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Principal investigator Dr Clare Relton, from the University of Sheffield's School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), said: "The NOSH Scheme offers vouchers to mothers who breastfeed as a way of acknowledging both the value of breastfeeding to babies, mothers and society, and the effort involved in breastfeeding.

"Offering financial incentives for mothers to breastfeed might increase the numbers of babies being breastfed, and complement on-going support for breastfeeding provided by the NHS, Local Authorities and charities."

However, Janet Fyle, professional policy adviser at the Royal College of Midwives, said: "Whilst we are not against financial incentives for the right reasons, there is a much bigger social and cultural problem here that needs to be tackled instead of offering financial incentives for mothers to breastfeed.

"The motive for breastfeeding cannot be rooted by offering financial reward. It has to be something that a mother wants to do in the interest of the health and well-being of her child.

"Improving breastfeeding rates will come from a concerted effort by midwives and other health professionals to promote and inform women of the benefits of breastfeeding."

If the initial stage of the project is successful, the financial incentive scheme will be fully evaluated in a national study during 2014-2015.

(JP/CD)

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"New measures have been unveiled by the University of Sheffield in an attempt to encourage more mothers to breastfeed."