The government has announced a new scheme whereby people living in certain areas will be offered an incentive to breastfeed their new babies.
For mothers living in St Augustine, Birdholme and Boythorpe in Chesterfield and certain parts of Sheffield, they could receive £200 worth of high street vouchers if they breastfeed their new baby for six months. But is the scheme morally right?
For many new mums, the choice as to whether or not to breastfeed is taken away from them. Some people don’t produce enough milk for their babies and therefore have to turn to formula, whilst others have to for medical reasons.
But on the other hand, how will midwives know if a mother has breastfed her baby for six months? Yes, the mother will be visited and attend check-ups for her baby, but it would be very hard to prove that the mother is lying to simply receive the £200 to spend in retail outlets or supermarkets.
Surely something so personal as to how a mother feeds her child should be down to that individual and not influenced by financial incentives.
Every pregnant woman is told the health benefits of breastfeeding their baby so they can then make up their own mind whether it is right for them to do so or not. They are also offered support from groups like La Leche League to help them get off to the best possible start.
Janet Fyle, from the Royal College of Midwives, accepts that some women will want to breastfeed, but can’t. Others may decide not to from the start, whilst some may choose to if it works for them and their baby.
“The motive for breastfeeding cannot be rooted by offering financial reward. It has to be something that a mother wants to do in the interest of the health and well-being of her child,” she told the BBC.
Do you think it is right for the government to offer this incentive to breastfeed when some woman would love to feed their babies this way, but cannot for reasons beyond their control? Share your opinions with us below?
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