Breastfeeding: research and quality assurance issues

Abstract

The importance of breastfeeding and the midwife's role in promoting, supporting and encouraging it are established, yet there is still a shortfall in the Government's breastfeeding targets. Are midwives accountable for this and, if so, what should they be doing about it? This article shows that despite the availability of research-based guidelines for midwives there remains a theory-practice gap.