At EasyPeasy, we are committed to providing our diverse community of parents and carers with reliable, evidence-based information that supports them in raising happy and healthy children.
In 2024, we partnered with the Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) Infant Feeding Team to review and refine all baby feeding and sleeping content within our evidence-based parenting app. This collaboration ensured our content aligns with key health guidelines, including the WHO International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, the UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative, and Safe Sleep Practices.
The Importance of Evidence-Based Infant Feeding and Sleep Guidance for Parents
The NHFT Infant Feeding Team, led by Emma Goulding and Katy Coles White, plays a crucial role in promoting and protecting breastfeeding while also providing specialist support for all families in Northamptonshire, regardless of how they choose to feed their babies. The NHFT is a Gold-accredited service by the UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative, which sets standards for infant feeding support to improve health outcomes for babies and parents.
“It’s essential that the information families receive is evidence-based,” Emma explains. “Without direction to reliable online resources, parents may turn to Google and come across guidance that is inaccurate or even harmful. We want to ensure that the resources we recommend uphold Baby Friendly messages and provide the best support for families.”
She adds, “We have a responsibility to ensure that all health professionals in our organisation are delivering a standard of care that follows Baby Friendly Initiative guidelines. That includes making sure parents receive accurate, unbiased information on infant feeding, infant-parent relationships, and safe sleep.”
The collaboration with EasyPeasy emerged through NHFT’s work with local Family Hubs. Recognising the potential value of the EasyPeasy app for local families, the NHFT team conducted an in-depth review of EasyPeasy’s infant feeding and sleep content, including:
- Breastfeeding support and promotion
- Formula feeding guidance in compliance with the WHO Code
- Introducing solid foods in line with Baby Friendly Initiative recommendations
- Safe sleep guidance following the standards of The Lullaby Trust and BASIS (Baby Sleep Information Source)
A selection of EasyPeasy tips and informational content available in the app
Emma Goulding, Infant Feeding Clinical Team Lead, and Katy Coles White, Infant Feeding Lead, meticulously examined EasyPeasy content to identify areas where messaging could be strengthened to better align with NHS and UNICEF guidelines.
“We worked closely with the EasyPeasy team to ensure the content reflected up-to-date, evidence-based practices,” says Emma. “One of the most challenging areas was ensuring compliance with the WHO Code, which aims to prevent misleading marketing of breastmilk substitutes. Many parents don’t realise how formula marketing can subtly influence their choices, so it’s vital that educational resources like EasyPeasy are free from these biases.”
The Impact of the Collaboration
By aligning our content with NHFT’s expert guidance, we have strengthened our commitment to supporting parents with high-quality information. This not only benefits EasyPeasy families in Northamptonshire, but across England.
“We were really happy with how EasyPeasy engaged with us in this process,” Emma reflects. “They were open to feedback and proactive in making changes. As a result, we can now confidently direct families to the app, knowing that it provides safe and evidence-based information.”
Following the collaboration and content updates, the NHFT team are pleased to approve EasyPeasy as a trusted resource for parents in Northamptonshire. We are incredibly grateful to Emma, Katy, and the NHFT Infant Feeding Team for their time, expertise, and dedication to improving the resources available to parents. Their insights have been invaluable in refining EasyPeasy’s content and ensuring that families have access to trusted guidance on feeding and sleep.
“Consistency in messaging is key,” Emma emphasises. “Parents receive advice from many different sources, and conflicting guidance can lead to confusion and stress. By working together, we ensure that families receive clear, evidence-based support that empowers them to make informed decisions.”
Partner with EasyPeasy for your Local Authority area
In our mission to support babies, children, families, and early years practitioners and carers nationwide to lay the foundations for a happy and healthy life, EasyPeasy is proud to partner with councils to enhance the development and delivery of integrated, local early years delivery plans and strategies. Find out more, download an EasyPeasy commissioning guide, and get in touch with us today!