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[EmmaMumsnet]

At MNHQ we would like to find out about your thoughts and experience of breastfeeding and the support available.

This survey is open to UK MNers who are currently pregnant and/or have a child under 1. Everyone who completes the survey will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £100 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Please click here to complete the survey.

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

[ohdearwhatcanthematterbee]

Done. Although I’d be more likely to pay a one off fee for 6 months access. With a new baby the last thing I want is to be organising DDs that then have to be stopped, and if I did it, I would have stopped it after one month, whereas having something you can dip into when needed is more useful.

[MamaBerg]

There is actually some very good support out there if you know where to look and for free so I wouldn't pay for video chats when you can see people face to face. Maybe if you were very rural or nowhere near any face-to-face support you would pay for this but its really not going to be the same.

[Snipples]

Agree with the others - I doubt anyone would pay for a video chat service when there's free resources available.

[qate]

I think my only issue with the app is that when I needed support from hospital professionals/lactation consultants, it was to do with latch issues (most other things I could get either online or in a book) - in which case it really took having someone sitting with me in person and physically guiding me and the baby to get a better latch. I'm not sure that the same thing could have been achieved (either at all, or as effectively) by doing it remotely.

[K80E]

Done ✅

[LostMyBaubles]

Done! Preg with my 4th and never fully ebf either of my others.
Adamant I WILL BREASTFEED successfully this time!

[NinaMarieP]

Done. I would have liked to give explanations rather than just ticking boxes. I got great support from (free, NHS) breastfeeding support workers who came to my house three or four times but I know they aren't available everywhere.

[MrsG95]

Done.
I have a 2 year old that I express fed for 3 months. He would not latch at all (due to being early). I got amazing help and support from mw/fn, etc.
I would love to ebf baby due next week and am quite worried about how everything will turn out again

[Kb12]

Done

[Stringofpearls]

Completed but the survey requires Q4 to be answered although there is no correct option for someone who has no kids yet but is pregnant (age of children in household etc). I put 1 under 1 month but it's not quite accurate yet

[hrfvenia]

Completed!

[ProseccoPoppy]

Done. Would have liked the option to explain slightly more - I had totally different experiences of NHS support with DC1 (kind of lacking once we left the hospital, one midwife visit and then tried a peer support group - lovely people but totally overstretched volunteers, ended up expressing as never ever got the latch right), and DC2 (incredible, amazing support in first the main hospital then our local community hospital, with them also making it clear it was ok to call them at any time if I was worried once I got home, repeated extra visits from midwife and HV, currently EBF). I had moved to a more rural area in between DC1 and DC2 and it was unbelievably better second time with a correspondingly better outcome. The problem with an app - while a nice idea - is that really I needed someone to sit with me, watch the feed, give hands on positioning help etc.

[SnowWhitesRestingBitchFace]

Done ☺️ I EBF my youngest son for a year and a half and am currently pregnant with our third (due in 3 weeks) and hoping to do the same!

[mummabubs]

I'd echo what @qate has said. Unfortunately despite my best wishes to breastfeed we never got our latch issues resolved- NHs clinic wouldn't see us after he was 6 weeks old and LLL meetings are only once a fortnight so although I sought as much help as possible I've ended up exclusively expressing breastmilk. As Qate said though I 100% needed someone to physically examine my baby and me, an online service might be good for motivational/emotional support but I doubt it would have solved our difficulties.

[DD2017]

Done ✅

[jellycrumble]

Done! Currently pregnant and would love to breastfeed but feeling very unsure at the moment about it all.

[teenybean]

Done ✅

[Okaassan]

The NHS tell us that Breastfeeding is the most important way to feed our babies, yet offer very little support to Breastfeeding mothers. How do we know what is normal? Cluster feeding? Tounge tie? exhaustion? Let downs? Expressing? Sleep? 6 months in and i feel I have only been so successful due to sheer determination. Very little support from HVs, one weekly Breastfeeding group available in the area but never made it due to how difficult it can be to get out of the house at 09:30am. Friends who FF not able to relate nor offer advice to me due how different FF and BF babies routines can be. Totally understand why the statistics for BF in the UK are so low. More needs to be done to ensure we are supported.

[WinterIsNeverReallyComing]

Done

[Kannet]

Done

[RockinRobinTweets]

It’s the exhaustion that stops me wanting to bf mainly and the service wouldn’t stop that. A service where someone guarantees you a nap every day is all that could change that!

[NoSleepNever]

Done. I feel like an app with someone to tell you cluster feeding is normal, different positions to try if one isn't working for your your bust/body type, etc. would be helpful but I was failed by someone who checked the latch a million times and failed to spot a bad latch due to tongue tie until a LC saw me, so it goes to show, good face-to-face advice is crucial, especially checking the latch. More should be done to improve breastfeeding rates, I agree, but it starts with managing expectations and letting mothers-to-be know about the reality of breastfeeding before they are in at the deep end.

[HappyPumpkin81]

My local hospital already offers this service free on the NHS. I live in a rural area and this is one of several different methods of support available.

[GlitterBurps]

I would’ve looked into this as unfortunately I didn’t get on well with the breastfeeding practitioner at my local hospital. I went to the local health centre feeding clinic and it was the same lady covering the clinic. Again I found her quite patronising and impatient when I couldn’t get the latch correct. I gave up soon after.