NHS launches breastfeeding 'ChatBot' to support new mums

Research from Public Health England (PHE) and NHS suggests that fewer than half of babies in England are breastfed for longer than two months.

Credit: Olesia Bilkei/Shutterstock.com

Almost three quarters of mothers start breastfeeding when their baby is born, but this drops to only 44 per cent still breastfeeding six to eight weeks later.

To increase this figure, NHS’ Start4Life programme has launched a Breastfeeding Friend (BFF) ChatBot to provide day and night support for new mothers.

Professor Mary Fewtrell, nutrition lead at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said: “It’s encouraging that over three quarters of women start breastfeeding but it’s concerning that many women do not continue after the first few weeks, and in fact the UK has one of the lowest breastfeeding rates in the world.

"There are many reasons for this, some of them highlighted in the survey commissioned by Public Health England (PHE). They include concern about whether the infant is growing adequately and receiving enough milk but also problems related to how breastfeeding is viewed by family, peers and the public.

“To improve the situation, mothers need to feel confident in their ability to breastfeed. This requires support from family, friends, professionals, the workplace and society at large so that breastfeeding is regarded as normal and natural. Achieving this will require a multi-pronged approach, including the provision of high-quality, accessible breastfeeding support – and we welcome the new interactive Breastfeeding Friend (BFF) ChatBot being launched by PHE as one such measure.”

A survey of 500 mothers, commissioned by PHE, found that fears about breastfeeding included that ‘it could be painful’, prevent them from taking medication and be embarrassing in front of strangers.

Around half of those surveyed also thought people might assume they need a special diet to breastfeed and nearly three in ten worried that breastfeeding could mean their baby might not be getting the right nutrients or enough milk.

The Breastfeeding Friend is accessed through Facebook messenger and provides personal support for mothers at any time to help make breastfeeding a better experience. The ChatBot works as a live chat tool which is able to respond to questions about breastfeeding posed by the user.

The BFF will also dispel breastfeeding myths and help alleviate concerns new mothers and mothers-to-be have.

Jacque Gerrard, director for England at the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) said: "The RCM supports Public Health England’s latest campaign. Getting infant feeding right is a great way to give newborn babies the best possible start in life. The evidence has proven time and time again that breastfeeding is beneficial to baby’s health outcomes and is also beneficial to women who form strong attachments to their babies’ developing strong and loving relationships.

“Any initiative that goes towards helping mothers start and sustain breastfeeding for longer is positive as we know the benefits to health from being breastfed last a lifetime.”

For more information and to access the Breastfeeding BFF, simply open Facebook Messenger and search Start4Life BreastFeeding Friend or visit m.me/Start4LifeBreastFeedingFriend to get started.