To note the contents of the report.

Rachael Park-Davies, Associate Director for Early Help and Family Support, introduced the resident scrutiny topic which looked into making RBWM a breastfeeding friendly borough. Economic and public health implications were explored as part of the report. The borough already had strong support for parents who chose to breastfeed, with in-house health visiting services, breastfeeding cafes, and a good take-up of breastfeeding. Nationally, 81% of parents initiate breastfeeding which then falls to around 60% after 8 weeks. During the pandemic, many new parents gave up breastfeeding as they didn’t have the support from their community they normally would. At the last quarter, women breastfeeding partially or completely by 8 weeks was up to 73% locally.

RBWM did not have breastfeeding friendly status like other areas, which the resident scrutiny topic aimed to help change. There were a number of health benefits associated with breastfeeding, including lowering the incidence of type 2 diabetes. The wider benefits of breastfeeding included reducing inequalities in families from lower socioeconomic groups, emotional benefits, improved oral health, reduced respiratory and gastrointestinal infections and a reduction in obesity.

Becoming a breastfeeding friendly town would focus on working collaboratively with local businesses providing food and drink and asking if they would display signs in windows, as well as not discouraging parents from breastfeeding. Other areas which had been designated as breastfeeding friendly had approached businesses and developed a breastfeeding strategy which included a website.

Councillor Tisi asked if there was data available for trends in breastfeeding within RBWM, and whether there was any data on breastfeeding beyond 6-8 weeks. Councillor Tisi also asked if the responsibility for the current provisions, run by health visitors, was a strain on the service. Furthermore, Councillor Tisi wished to add that there were a number of organisations within the borough providing support, including NCT and breastfeeding cafes in Windsor.

Rachael Park-Davies stated that she would be able to obtain this data for Councillor Tisi. The current figure of 73% was the highest it had ever been which was in part due to the work of health visitors. Data beyond 6-8-weeks was not measured as it was not a requirement. Rachael Park-Davies went on to clarify that the health visiting service was made up of a skill-mixed model, including nursery nurses. Health visitors were well-placed to provide this support as they visited families between birth and the 6–8-week mark.

Councillor Del Campo emphasised that parents should have the choice to breastfeed in private if they wished to.

Rachael Park-Davies echoed this sentiment and added that breastfeeding was a matter of choice.

Councillor Carole Da Costa stated that she believed this topic was about education and removing the sexualisation of breasts. By replacing this viewpoint with the view that this part of the body’s main function is to feed an infant would mean that other parts of society would fall into place more easily. Councillor Carole Da Costa urged women to breastfeed their babies for six months as this would serve as an investment in the health  of their child, but this would require a change in the environment and the public place to make mothers more comfortable doing so. Lower socioeconomic groups should be focussed on and invested in as breastfeeding would make the biggest difference. Increasing breastfeeding figures would be a great asset to the borough.

Councillor Sharpe asked about the wider implications for the resident scrutiny topic and what this would mean in practice.

Rachael Park-Davies explained that this would mean starting small and talking with local businesses and changing the culture towards a community collective responsibility.

Councillor Sharpe asked about the extent of the commitment for the borough and local businesses.

Rachael Park-Davies stated that public health would be working together with economic teams to approach businesses and ask if they were interested in becoming a breastfeeding friendly business. 

Councillor Sharpe stated that he thought this needed to be looked at in further detail.

Anna Richards, Head of Public Health, thanked Rachael for the report and stated that this was an exciting opportunity to work with the economic growth team within RBWM to think about the role that businesses play within the borough with regards to the health and wellbeing of local residents.

The Panel agreed with the recommendation as set out in section 1.1 of the report.