RCM supports Public Health England’s new interactive breastfeeding support tool ‘ChatBot’

By RCM on 22 March 2017 Public Health England Breastfeeding Advice

Start4Life, Public Health England’s (PHE) programme that helps parents-to-be and parents to adopt healthy behaviours, has launched a new interactive Breastfeeding Friend (BFF) ChatBot.

The BFF is accessed through Facebook messenger and provides personal support for mothers at any time of the day or night to help make breastfeeding a better experience. The BFF will also dispel breastfeeding myths and help alleviate concerns mums have.

The ChatBot works as a live chat tool which is able to respond to questions about breastfeeding posed by the user.

Commenting Jacque Gerrard, Director For England at the Royal College of Midwives says; "The RCM supports Public Health England’s latest campaign. Getting infant feeding right is a great way to give new born 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. It is important that midwives and maternity support workers  continue to promote breastfeeding and influence women to choose breastfeeding as a lifestyle choice and not just as a feeding plan. In that way  we can improve initiation rates, support continuation rates and eventually improve health outcomes for babies, children and young people.

“Women need all the support they can get to be able to achieve this particularly first time mothers. Unfortunately we need more midwives and maternity support workers to help us achieve this. 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.

For further information, images or interviews please contact Public Health England (PHE) Tel: 0203 003 6399 or Email: start4life@freuds.com

 

Notes to Editors

 

About the RCM

The RCM is the only trade union and professional association dedicated to serving midwifery and the whole midwifery team. It provides workplace advice and support, professional and clinical guidance and information, and learning opportunities with a broad range of events, conferences and online resources. For more information visit the RCM website at www.rcm.org.uk.