How does food insecurity impact on breastfeeding and infant feeding decisions and what are the support needs: a scoping study to inform public health prevention?

A mother who cannot afford enough food faces stark choices about how to feed her baby, and this study will map those decisions for the first time in the UK. Food insecurity—not having reliable access to sufficient, affordable, nutritious food—is rising in the UK, yet its effect on infant feeding is poorly understood. Breastfeeding rates are lower among disadvantaged groups, but no research has systematically asked mothers experiencing food insecurity what barriers they face, what support they have received, and what would actually help. This project fills that gap by conducting two linked work packages: one exploring mothers’ own experiences and needs, and another examining how healthcare services can provide inclusive, non-judgemental care. If this research succeeds, it will produce a detailed map of the practical, emotional, and structural obstacles that food-insecure mothers encounter when deciding how to feed their infants. That evidence could reshape how midwives, health visitors, and GPs are trained to ask about food access, and inform public health guidance on distributing formula, breast pumps, or vouchers. The findings could also influence how food banks and community centres coordinate with NHS services. The project is applied, not fundamental science—its direct purpose is to generate actionable recommendations for policymakers and practitioners within two years.