Infant feeding: Changing the conversation

Abstract

Francesca Entwistle, Midwife, RCM member and professional advisor to the Unicef UK Baby Friendly Initiative, explains how the Royal College of Midwives’ (RCM) recent position statement on infant feeding and the media response (RCM 2018) lays blame incorrectly on individual midwives, while ignoring the real issues at stake: The vulnerability of breastfeeding in the UK and the lack of real choice for many mothers who want to breastfeed but find this impossible (Unicef UK 2016). She discusses the importance of addressing the reasons behind the UK’s low breastfeeding rates, and of taking action across healthcare, government and society settings to enable mothers to breastfeed for as long as they wish.