Breastfeeding Voucher Scheme

Home › Our Projects › Breastfeeding Voucher Scheme

Why is it needed in Nottingham?

In Nottingham City, only 58.7% of infants receive breast milk at birth. In England the average is 67.4% (Source: Public Health Outcomes Framework for 2018/19).

In SSBC wards, breastfeeding rates at birth are lower than the average in Nottingham City.

Aspley: 44.4%
Bulwell: 51.9%
Hyson Green & Arboretum: 47.5%
St Anns: 38.9%

(Source: Nottingham CityCare Partnership)

Breast milk has many health benefits and breastfeeding plays a significant role in children’s development. Breastfeeding has a positive impact on both the short- and long-term health and development outcomes of children and their mothers.

Who is it for?

Breastfeeding vouchers are offered to all mothers who have a Family Nurse through the Family Nurse Partnership.

Mothers are eligible for the voucher scheme if they are providing breastmilk to their baby at 6 stages after birth: 2 days, 10 days, 6-8 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year.

Vouchers are offered after an infant feeding conversation with their Family Nurse (feeding conversations are a standard component of visits).

Vouchers are provided digitally. Mothers can redeem them via wide variety of retailers and will have freedom to choose how to spend them.

This project provides breastfeeding families with:

a financial resource
additional validation, encouragement and support.

It may also raise the perceived importance, within local communities, of breastmilk and breastfeeding.

Project Partners

The breastfeeding voucher scheme is being delivered by SSBC and Nottingham CityCare's Family Nurse Partnership.

Family Nurses offer intensive support to first time mums who are under the age of 19, until their babies are 2 years old.

How will we know if it has been successful?

The aims of the project are to:

Increase the number of children receiving any breast milk.
Increase the duration that children receive breast milk.
Provide evidence for whether breastfeedng incentives are an effective way to increase breastfeeding rates.

Sustainability

This is a 'test and learn' project.

The Family Nurse Partnership will pilot the scheme and, based on its success, SSBC will review options to extend the scheme to our wards.

“As a Family Nurse I am really excited to offer the breastfeeding voucher scheme to young mothers I work with. The huge benefits of breastfeeding are well understood. This scheme gives an additional incentive to breastfeed and rewards the effort of the mother. ”

Kirsten Chapman, Family Nurse