Breastfeeding | Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre

Summary

In 2016, the DHI collaborated with mothers, health professionals, and school pupils, to explore and generate ideas of how to promote breastfeeding among new mothers.

Background

Breastfeeding rates in the UK are among the lowest in Europe, and in Scotland, rates are poor and static. According to 2014/15 statistics from ISD Scotland, only 38% of babies were breastfed for at least six weeks. This is despite evidence that breastfeeding has the potential to improve the health of both mother and baby.

This was a fantastic opportunity for health professionals, new mothers and school pupils to work with DHI’s Experience Labs design team on initiatives to boost breastfeeding rates. Using the Experience Labs design tools and methods was a completely new approach. We hope very much that it will help us in our endeavours to improve the image of breastfeeding and increase uptake in the UK.

Professor Grant Cumming

Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, NHS Grampian

Approach

During the project we collaborated with pupils from Elgin Academy to design new ways to promote the benefits of breastfeeding. The outcome of the sessions included proposals for a special promotional campaign including branded coffee cups, grocery bags, and cupcakes, and a public event called ‘Breastival’ to help normalise breastfeeding in public.

Separate workshops were held with mothers and health professionals to gather their views on how to increase breastfeeding rates.

During World Breastfeeding Week (August 1-7 2016), researchers asked local businesses in Moray for their support to help realise some of the ideas. We visited various businesses in Elgin to talk about the ongoing work to boost breastfeeding and invite comments on the pupils’ ideas.