Fund Breastfeeding Peer Support within Perinatal Mental Health Teams.

Rejected 21 signatures

What the petition asks

There is an established link between breastfeeding and perinatal mental health. Yet breastfeeding peer support is not included in the NHS Long Term Plan. We would like to see funding for breastfeeding peer support within perinatal mental health teams across the UK.

If a mother wishes to breastfeed and it is going well, this is can be protective of her mental health. It gives affirmation of capabilities and a sense of belonging. Breastfeeding also protects mothers when they are depressed by protecting the parent-infant relationship.
However, the inability to breastfeed can cause guilt and trauma, and can exacerbate postnatal depression, anxiety and OCD, especially when the choice is out of the mother’s control.

Why it was rejected

It asked for something that is not the responsibility of the UK Government or Parliament.

We can only accept petitions about things the Government or Parliament are directly responsible for.

Decisions about the services provided by perinatal mental health teams are an operational matter for the NHS and individual NHS trusts, not the UK Government or Parliament.

We could accept a petition calling on the Government to fund breastfeeding peer support through the NHS, but it would be up to the NHS and individual NHS Trusts how to deliver this.

Timeline

30 Jun 2022	Petition opened for signatures
5 Jul 2022	Rejected by the Petitions Committee

Key facts

Signatures 21

Status Rejected

Rejected 5 Jul 2022

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