The role of primary care and the GP in supporting breastfeeding

This chapter examines the benefits of breastfeeding for mothers, babies and paediatricians; reassuring mothers about what is normal; strategies that paediatricians can put in place to help support breastfeeding; counselling mothers who want to stop breastfeeding. Breastfeeding mothers are protected by the UK Equality Act 2010 which defines treating a woman unfavourably because she is breastfeeding as discrimination. A mother breastfeeding at a General Practitioners surgery is therefore protected by Equality Law. The LactMed app is useful to have on paediatricians' phone for quick evidence around safety in breastfeeding. Online resources include the UK Drugs in Lactation Advisory Service, an NHS prescribing advisory service and the Breastfeeding Network website, which has great patient information leaflets on a range of medications and their use in breastfeeding mothers. It is worth coordinating funding bids with Public Health England as improving breastfeeding rates for the UK is an important public health priority.