Feed Your Way is making Nottingham a breastfeeding-friendly city

Feed Your Way is a breastfeeding public health campaign designed for Nottingham. It was co-created with thousands of Nottingham families and residents, health professionals and business owners.

In April 2022, we started asking local people about their thoughts about breastfeeding. The Big Nottingham Breastfeeding Survey, in April 2022, receieved an amazing 1,800 responses! We also held in-person focus groups.

This research showed us that breastfeeding families wanted:

• to feel empowered to feed their way – however they want, for as long as they want.
• to be able to have honest and open conversations about the realities of breastfeeding.
• to understand the challenges and have access to tailored support.

We also found that the friends and family members who are supporting breastfeeding women wanted:

• clear and easy ways to show their support.
• information on where to find evidence-based answers to their questions about breastfeeding.

The Feed Your Way campaign was designed with this research in mind. It empowers families to make and own their decision about how to feed their babies. It also shows breastfeeding as a realistic option for those who had not considered it before.

The campaign focuses on the real, lived experiences of six Nottinghamshire families. All of them had very different breastfeeding experiences and expectations.

Videos, photos, and interviews with the families show breastfeeding in realistic terms – they cover both the challenges and the positives. Although every story is unique, many families faced similar challenges.

The families are currently featured on billboards and banners across Nottingham City, including the City Council house in Old Market Square.