NMH

NMH | 2024 78 Maternity & Obstetrics Breastfeeding Support T he National Maternity Hospital Breastfeeding Support Service supports all mothers who choose to breastfeed or provide expressed breastmilk to their babies. The team provide a 7-day service. The service includes antenatal education classes online/in-person and weekly colostrum harvesting classes along with ward based support and we also provide postnatal clinic support for women. 78% initiated breastfeeding at birth with 75% non-exclusively breastfeeding on discharge. Our exclusive breastfeeding rates at discharge are 51% which is the highest in years, however it is something that we will continue to improve. Maternal choice to use both breast and formula feeding is an important factor to consider when looking at breastfeeding trends. Many mothers opt for this mixed feeding due to various personal, practical, or medical reasons. Antenatal Education The antenatal colostrum harvesting session at The National Maternity Hospital has been a valuable resource for expectant mothers. Over 1,000 women attended this drop-in class which provides essential knowledge on how to hand express colostrum before birth, helping to prepare mothers for their breastfeeding journey. It's great to hear that mothers who attend are more confident with breastfeeding, which positively impacts their baby's feeding and overall health. This approach aligns directly with the current national efforts to support breastfeeding education and assist mothers to feel a sense of empowerment and be prepared for the challenges of early parenthood. The attendance to this class has significantly increased, doubling from 2023, which speaks to the growing awareness of the importance of this education. Collaborating with the Communications Team at the Hospital has clearly helped in spreading the word about the session's benefits. This collaboration also led to the creation of an updated colostrum harvesting leaflet and an upcoming how-to video, both to be launched in early 2025. This is a great way to make the information more accessible to expectant mothers. A specific antenatal breastfeeding education class was also hosted twice a month. The class is offered in-person or virtually. Providing this combination of in-person interaction and virtual options offers flexibility, allowing mothers to choose the format that best suits their schedules and preferences. In 2024, approximately 1,000 mothers attended either in-person or virtual class. Postnatal Wards In 2024, 2,973 consultations on the postnatal wards with mums experiencing difficulties / complications establishing breastfeeding. A new and exciting change initiative has been developed: Traffic Light Pilot Project (TLPP) . The aim of the TLPP is to provide a streamlined referral system for postnatal women to Breastfeeding Midwives from the postnatal ward and to ensure that the women receive the most appropriate review based on their individual needs. It also aimed to support the Breastfeeding Midwives in the prioritisation of care and appropriate use of their specialist skills. The Traffic Light Pilot Project (TLPP) was launched during National Breastfeeding Week, October 2024. The project was developed as a result of an audit of 'reasons for referral to the breastfeeding support team'. On foot of this audit, it was found that almost 50% of referrals to the Breastfeeding Midwives were relating to maternal questions and reassurance, position and latch and sore nipples. Three areas, which are very much interlinked and can be easily addressed by the midwife on the ward A specific antenatal breastfeeding education class was also hosted twice a month. The class is offered in-person or virtually. Providing this combination of in-person interaction and virtual options offers flexibility, allowing mothers to choose the format that best suits their schedules and preferences. " and in group based breastfeeding support classes on the postnatal ward facilitated by the Breastfeeding Midwives . Women and babies are referred to the Breastfeeding Midwives via the MN-CMS system with an accompanying Traffic Light Referral Form. This means that all involved can see how best to assist the women on her breastfeeding journey and make sure the most appropriate care in the most appropriate setting is provided for her. Green referrals are provided for group postnatal Breastfeeding education sessions which are held on the postnatal wards 3 times per week or more frequently if the demand is there. Red/orange referrals are seen on a 1:1 basis and are prioritised with same day/next day reviews. This project is currently ongoing and being reviewed and updated. Breastfeeding Clinic The twice-weekly postnatal breastfeeding clinic is by appointment and women can book in themselves

• Cover