The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has today welcomed an announcement of new funding for infant feeding and perinatal mental health support. The funding, which is to be targeted to 75 local authorities in England, has the potential, says the College, to make a big difference to women and families.

RCM Chief Executive Gill Walton said:

“We know that breastfeeding has an incredibly positive, lifelong impact on a baby’s health – but we also know that many women struggle to breastfeed successfully. Sometimes just having a midwife or maternity support worker there to give them encouragement, to let them know they’re doing OK, can make all the difference. Having access to trained professionals who can support them through this will help build their confidence and has the potential to have a real impact on the baby’s health.”

The RCM has long campaigned for better mental health support for women throughout pregnancy and in the postnatal period. Demand often outstrips supply when it comes to perinatal mental health support, but while this announcement falls short of the College’s wider call for investment in this area, it has welcomed the recognition of the need to invest in support for pregnant women and new mothers.

Gill continued:

“Many of us think of new parenthood as a happy time, but for many women and families the strain can have a profound impact on their mental health. Tragically, suicide continues to be one of the most common causes of maternal death. Making sure that women have access to good, appropriate mental health support, both during and immediately following pregnancy, is vital. Undoubtedly there is much more to do, but this additional funding is welcome.”