Four in 10 parents are calling for more support to deal with breastfeeding problems,? according to a survey from Greatvine.com, a new website offering parents individual support, by phone, direct from the country?s best parenting experts and top midwives. And it’s no wonder, as despite the 700,000 babies born every year, there are just 25,700 midwives to support mums from conception to postnatal care.
Greatvine.com breastfeeding expert Sharon Trotter commented: ?Most of us agree that breastfeeding is best for mum and baby but this is not enough to guarantee success.
“Learning to breastfeed is no different to learning any new skill: it takes time. Lack of support, conflicting advice, poor information and negative attitudes are all too common.
“To succeed, you will need constant support, plenty of encouragement and lots of practical tips. There are simple and effective solutions to any problem you may have when learning to breastfeed.?
Parents taking part in the survey also said that they want more reliable and targeted help for pre- and postnatal fitness (27%), ailments during pregnancy (26%), alternative birthing (19%) and bullying (14%).
Other areas of concern among parents, indicated by the Greatvine.com poll, included postnatal depression (45%), child sleep (36%), behaviour and discipline (34%), and child nutrition (30%).
David Kelnar, founder and CEO of Greatvine.com, said: ?Being a new parent is an exciting and enriching time. But it can present challenges ? some of them quite daunting. These findings show a clear need for readily available, individual support for parents to address concerns which arise from pregnancy and childbirth.?
?Health service professionals are working incredibly hard to cope with national demand but that demand is overwhelming. Mums are longing for further access to individual, expert advice. Telephone support direct from carefully-selected experts is an ideal solution.?
Faye Mingo, parenting spokesperson for Bounty Parenting Club, which conducted the poll, said: ?Many parents feel unsupported and don?t have their family and friends living nearby, as was often the case years ago. Access to professional advice and support is invaluable. Trusted telephone advice lines and informative websites can help.?
Further information
Sharon Trotter works independently and in the NHS to advise and promote best practice in breastfeeding and baby skincare. She is the founder of www.tipslimited.com and author of best selling book, Breastfeeding the essential guide
Sharon is also a Greatvine.com consultant. To find out more, download breastfeeding tips or to arrange a call, go to www.greatvine.com/sharon_trotter.
