05 Aug

Our New CEO

by Sarah Turner, Chair of the Board

I am delighted to be able to introduce BfN’s new CEO, Catherine Hine.  It is always daunting having to replace such a senior role in any organisation, and in our case, Shereen left particularly big shoes to fill in leaving to join UNICEF UK. The board were, however, thrilled with the quality of applications that we received for the role. In appointing Catherine, we believe we have found a fantastic replacement, someone with a clear passion for not only the role of breastfeeding in society, but also with proven experience of negotiating the third sector – and in particular, in organisations with a strong focus on the protection of, and promotion of, women and families – for a very long time.

Catherine will be joining us in early October, and her first major event for BfN will be the annual conference, where we are planning for her to introduce herself, and, time allowing, to be on hand to answer any questions you might have.  Until she joins, if there are any questions, thoughts or otherwise that you would like to pass on to her, please send them through me, and I will pass them on.

Now, to hand over to Catherine, here is a bit about her, in her own words.

“I would, first of all, like to give a huge thank you to everyone who has supported the transition period over the last few months, and to Shereen for her dedication to BfN and to supporting a smooth transition for me into this role. I’m very much looking forward to getting out and about and meeting the BfN community, and would like nothing more than for you to share with me anything you feel it would be useful for me to know, or have me attend or participate in any events or opportunities to get to understand BfN and the work you do, better.

My commitment to breastfeeding comes as a result of my own experience of the ups and downs of breastfeeding, and also from serving as both a CEO and advocate in the family and relationships sector, and as a Board member of Smallwood Trust, an award-winning grant-maker tackling women’s poverty.  My MBA research, which looked at the role of the family as a corporate sustainability issue, informed further research with the RSA and won a new Working Families award. 

Beyond this, I have worked for many years in the public and not-for-profit sectors, including as Secretary General for the volunteer-led World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in Europe, lead for Oxford City Council’s communities and inequalities activity, and as a former Country Director for the volunteering charity, VSO.

In my current role, and as a mother, I am a passionate advocate for the vital role of a child’s earliest experiences to their brain development and later life outcomes. By helping families to have the choice to breastfeed, BfN volunteers and staff play a key role in improving family relationships, and help children to have the best possible start in life. By valuing, yet not romanticising breastfeeding, BfN also has a key role in enabling families to fulfil their potential.  I am really looking forward to working with you to build upon the great work of Shereen and the BfN staff and volunteer community.“

 

02 Aug

What should you do if you see a baby eating in public?

By Dr Aimee Grant & Prof Amy Brown

Centre for Lactation, Infant Feeding and Translational Research, Swansea University

A image of a person scratching their head in confusion, with the words 'Why do we call it breastfeeding in public, as if it's a strange hobby women choose... when really it's just a baby eating?

If you live in the UK, seeing somebody breastfeed when you’re out and about may not be an everyday occurrence (unless you’re hanging out at baby massage, breastfeeding groups or soft play), even though it’s protected by law. 

But with almost 700,000 babies born each year in the UK, that’s a lot of little people needing to eat.  Did you know that when a baby is born, it’s tummy is literally the size of a marble (and not the big type of marble!). What this means is that whilst you could go without eating and drinking for a good few hours at a time (although it turns out that adults like to eat and drink frequently too), babies need to eat a small amount really often. 

Getting to grips with breastfeeding is also a skill that mother and baby learn together so it can take time, and it may feel to parents like they do little else in the early weeks.  For the first six months of their life, babies only need to eat breastmilk (from their mum or donor human milk) or infant formula. If babies are breastfed, feeding should be frequent to establish and maintain the milk supply; if feeds are skipped or delayed, then the mum’s milk supply will drop. Parents are also told by the NHS to watch out for the early signs of hunger, like rooting (opening their mouth and moving their head from side to side), opening their mouth and making sucking sounds, and to offer the baby a feed when they notice them. If these early signs don’t result in a feed, babies will move on to sucking their fingers or fist or getting restless.

So, what this combination of things means is that every time a parent needs to leave their house with their baby, there’s a reasonable chance that they might need to feed them. Breastfeeding is also a bit of a cure-all when you have a child that’s feeling upset and might be about to do some very loud crying, whilst you’re still part way through the errand or activity you’re at. 

The reasons I’m telling you this, is because we recently looked at all of the research on people’s views and experiences of infants being breastfed in public spaces. Many people didn’t understand that babies need to feed often, or that mothers respond to their child’s cues to decide when to feed them; the babies are running the show, with the parents as the caretakers carefully protecting their offspring.

 

If any of what I’ve said is new knowledge for you, you are not alone; many members of the public didn’t know what was normal for babies in relation to feeding. For example, some of them incorrectly thought that mothers breastfed their babies for their convenience, to make a point, or even because they wanted to “flash” at strangers. None of these could be further from the truth! 

A small number of mothers reported that they’d never had any issues breastfeeding their babies outside of the home, which is great and a sign that knowledge and attitudes are becoming more positive. However, many mothers reported feeling worried about negative reactions  when they were feeding their baby away from home; some mothers reported being stared at, tutted at or even rude comments being made about them or to them from strangers. 

Mums who were young, in bigger bodies, from poorer areas or ethnic minority groups found this even harder. These reactions from strangers affected mothers so much that many reported that it made them feel: uncomfortable, self-conscious, embarrassed, exposed, ashamed, worried or anxious. I don’t know about you, but none of those feelings sound pleasant, so clearly, the mums were prioritising their infants’ nutrition needs over their own comfort and not “flashing” at strangers.

 

In the context of it being unpleasant or anxiety inducing to breastfeed outside the home, mothers had three options:

  1. Stay at home, which was isolating and not very practical (would you like to be on house arrest?), especially if they had more than one child. 
  2. Stop breastfeeding when out of the home, which is known to make it harder to meet longer-term breastfeeding goals.
  3.  “Doing it anyway”, which meant feeling these negative emotions in order to feed their baby, but doing it for their baby’s benefit.

For mums who were “doing it anyway”, things sometimes felt easier after a while, when they had not had negative experiences from strangers whilst their baby was feeding.

So, what can you do, as a member of the public, to make sure you aren’t accidentally making mothers feel bad when their baby is eating? 

  • Remember, breastfeeding is protected by law in the UK; the mum and infant are acting within the law
  • Think of breastfeeding as about babies eating, not about women showing part of their breast; our research shows it’s absolutely not their intention to attract attention
  • Be mindful not to stare at mothers and infants whilst they are breastfeeding
  • Challenge friends and family who make negative comment about breastfeeding.

Also, if you’re out and about with a friend or family member
who is breastfeeding, you can support them by:

 

  • acting normally – the baby is eating, it’s nothing to be embarrassed about
  • carrying on the conversation if the mum is happy to continue talking
  • offer to get them a drink (and make sure they can reach it!)
  • ask if there is anything you can do to be helpful.

Thank you to Dr Aimee Grant & Prof Amy Brown for writing this article for the Breastfeeding Network, it’s great to share with our readers what they can do to support people feeding their babies while out and about.

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01 Aug

Bump Buddies Ayrshire

Lynsey McLuckie, Peer Support Coordinator – BfN Ayrshire & Arran

World Breastfeeding Week 2022 is about education and support within infant feeding. A key element of this is antenatal support.  The Breastfeeding Network team in Ayrshire and Arran have been working hard to support families at this key stage of their infant feeding journey.

Bump Buddies Ayrshire

Bump Buddies began as a pilot scheme in 2021 and takes the form of antenatal classes delivered to expectant families across Ayrshire and Arran. Initially, COVID-19 restrictions meant all antenatal classes in Ayrshire were stopped. To tackle this, BfN Ayrshire and Arran received funding from the Queens Nursing Institute Scotland (QNIS) and worked in partnership with the NHS to develop and deliver online antenatal sessions for parents to be and their wider support network.

These sessions have grown and adapted to meet the needs of the women and families we support and we are extremely thankful to have continued funding from NHS Ayrshire and Arran, allowing us to deliver these sessions until March 2023.

The Importance of Antenatal Support

Research shows how vital a strong support network is in the early days and weeks for families who are breastfeeding. Our sessions include parents but also their support network. This can be anyone from siblings, grandparents, friends – anyone that will be there for families once their baby arrives. Our sessions are run over three sessions, taking place once a week. We aim to give attendees the information to empower them to make their own infant feeding decisions by offering independent, evidence based information and support.  It is important to us that our families know where to access the support they require following the birth of their baby. We recognise that after having a baby things can be a bit of blur and we hope that by having these discussions and providing information antenatally, families will know where to access support during this time.

The Success of Bump Buddies

Families are at the heart of what we do and we use feedback from our attendees to continually develop our sessions. As well as supporting families with evidence based information, we love being able to create an community where women can support each other. Feedback from attendees has been overwhelmingly positive, with 95% of responses indicating that information provided during sessions was useful to them. 95% of expectant mothers reported that the sessions helped them increase their knowledge of breastfeeding and make informed choices regarding infant feeding.

We are so proud to receive such positive feedback, particularly for a relatively new project, and are excited to see what the future holds!

I would like to take a moment to show my gratitude to all our volunteers here in Ayrshire and Arran as without them, we would not be able to make this happen.  Thank you!

If you are located in Ayrshire and Arran and would like to know more about the support we provide in your area, please find more information here or via Facebook.

 

 
 
 
 
 
27 Jul

What Breastfeeding Looks Like

Images courtesy of @decuirinducinglactationstory, Gosia, @adaptiveparentproject, Kimberly, @nina_tame, @hamofcydonia

Last year we asked you to send us images capturing what breastfeeding looks like for you and we were so pleased with the response.  This has allowed us to increase the range of diversity represented in our visual communication and for that we thank you!

This year we are running our campaign again to increase our bank of images further as we continue on our journey to truly reflect what breastfeeding looks like to all families we support. 

Here are some useful image guidelines:

  • While it would be lovely to see your face, if you’d rather remain anonymous and be cropped out, that’s fine too.
  • There’s no need to show a bare breast or nipple if you don’t want to.
  • We’re not looking for clinical “textbook” images, in fact quite the opposite. So don’t worry about turning your photo into a demonstration, we’d much rather see the human, everyday side of breastfeeding.
  • Your photo does not need to be perfectly styled or staged – it would be great to see real life, so if there are toys strewn around or washing drying in the background, so be it.
  • It can be helpful to show that breastfeeding doesn’t always have to take place in a comfy chair – so photos of breastfeeding out and about or in interesting or unusual locations would also be great!

We would particularly welcome images from:

  • Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic or interracial families
  • Families living with a disability (whether this is a parent or child)
  • Parents in same-sex relationships
  • Trans parents
  • Younger parents
  • Families breastfeeding older children or tandem feeding
  • Blended families
  • Single parent families

We would also love to see images that represent the difficulties that can be associated with breastfeeding.

If you would like to contribute your image, details of how it may be used can be found on our photo consent form here.

Images can be sent to claire.dorby@breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk

07 Jul

Six ways health professionals and peer supporters can help Autistic women meet their breastfeeding goals

By Dr Aimee Grant, Centre for Lactation, Infant Feeding & Translational Research, Swansea University

If I asked you to close your eyes and think of someone who’s Autistic, I imagine that you might get an image in your head of a child, probably with white skin. That image isn’t your fault, but is a result of Autistic adults, and Autistic mothers in particular not featuring much in discussions around Autism.

Photo of a woman with glasses and short blue hair

So, before I dive into infant feeding, let me start off by saying that we know that people who are Autistic remain Autistic for their entire life, and at least 1-2% of adults are Autistic. Women are as likely to be Autistic as men. One thing that may be different, however, is that women have historically been underdiagnosed, with mental health diagnosis often common on the path to an Autism diagnosis.

 

We recently reviewed the existing research on Autistic women’s infant feeding experiences, and came up with some recommendations for health professionals and others who provide infant feeding support to Autistic people, which I’ll describe below:

1. Clear, direct and respectful communication is a must

Whilst this may seem obvious, and what you would do with anybody you were supporting with infant feeding, Autistic people can find ambiguous language confusing, and small talk exhausting. For example, Autistic people might understand “How are you?” within a breastfeeding support context to mean that you should respond “fine, thanks” as is the usual social convention, and not that it was their opportunity (and maybe the only one) to describe problems. More direct language, and removing the small talk would lead to an opening question like: “Are you having any challenges with breastfeeding?” or a more gentle opener could be “How are things with the baby?”

The second part of this, focused on respectful communication, is essential. Autistic mothers reported that they did not feel listened to and sometimes even felt bullied. Active listening techniques, such as reflecting back the information the person has told you may be helpful here, to ensure a mutual understanding of the issue, for example:

Autistic person: “When he feeds on the left side it feels different to the right and hurts.”

Response: “So it feels painful when you feed on the left side, but it doesn’t hurt when you feed from the right?”

2. Consider Autistic preferences regarding touch

Autistic people are more likely to have a preference for additional space between them and you. This is because of differences in sensory perception, which can mean that somebody sitting right next to them can feel very uncomfortable. Putting up with somebody sitting very close to them, and/or other sensory issues, is a concept known as ‘masking’. Masking takes an enormous amount of concentration and makes it difficult to think and to fully take part in conversations. Whilst you might routinely sit next to someone to observe their feeding, you could consider asking: “would you prefer me to sit next to you or (eg: in that chair a bit further away).”

As always, people seeking breastfeeding support should not be touched (nor their baby’s head pushed into the breast), without explicitly asking if this is OK; but this is very important for Autistic people. Being touched without consent can lead Autistic people to ‘shut down’ (withdraw) or ‘meltdown’ (have explosive energy) due to overwhelm during or after the consultation; remember we are experts in ‘masking’ how we really feel due to understanding social expectations. Ultimately this can lead to withdrawing from using health services, and across a lifetime of ableist encounters, Autistic burnout.

(It is worth noting that the BfN Code of Conduct states “If you work with a mother, helping in a ‘hands off’ way. If the need arises and a mother gives her permission, you may put your hands over her hands to help guide her in positioning her baby”)

3. Staff and volunteers providing breastfeeding support should all have training in understanding Autism delivered by Autistic people

I’m sure I’ve said some things that most readers wouldn’t have thought of already. This shows the importance of having specialist training in supporting Autistic people, and this should be delivered by an Autistic training provider, as many traditional (eg: neurotypical led) providers use outdated and harmful myths within their Autism training. In the UK, Autistic UK, who were partners on this research, offer training delivered by Autistic people for a small fee, as does the wonderful Monique Craine (an Autistic mother).

4. Autistic people should have a named support provider

We know that continuity of carer has all sorts of benefits for mothers. When it comes to Autistic people, there is an often said phrase: “when you’ve met one Autistic person, you’ve met one Autistic person” eg: we are not all the same. So even if the whole team has had excellent training in supporting Autistic people, there will still be a need for the individual Autistic person to repeat information about what being Autistic means in terms of how its best to provide care to them. If it is impossible for continuity of carer to be provided, guidance on communication needs and sensory processing differences (things like: if there’s a flickering light, I will not be able to pay attention to what you are saying) should be contained within clinical notes, to avoid the Autistic person needing to repeat information or suffer through a consultation that is painful to them because of the sensory environment.

5. Accommodations should be available as widely as possible

In our review of evidence, some Autistic people didn’t know that they were Autistic when they had their babies, who were diagnosed as Autistic, which led to diagnosis for the birthing parent later in life. For this reason, we would suggest that the accommodations suggested above should be introduced as widely as possible, as undiagnosed Autistic people and people from other marginalised groups are also likely to benefit from them.

6. And lastly, language matters

You might also have noticed that I’ve used ‘Autistic people’ throughout this article. That’s because the Autistic community prefer ‘Autistic’ to ‘person with autism’, in recognition that Autism is a neurotype, that is a normal part of cognitive diversity that is permanent and can not change. The reason I’ve used ‘people’ or ‘person’ is that Autistic people are less likely to be cisgendered, and there’s a strong community preference for gender neutral language. You should consider asking Autistic people their preferred language to discuss Autism and never use Autistic Spectrum Condition or Autistic Spectrum Disorder (or their abbreviations of ASC / ASD) without the Autistic person saying that that is their preference. Likewise, asking pronoun preferences and consistently, trying (it’s OK – everyone slips up sometimes) to get them right will really help Autistic people to feel more comfortable whilst you support them.

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01 Jul

New research on the delivery of breastfeeding support in England and Wales.

Anthea Tennant-Eyles, Research Lead and Programme Manager

Cardiff University and The Breastfeeding Network are pleased to publish the full report of their research findings on trends and experiences of the delivery of breastfeeding support in England and Wales since 2015.

This research looks at data from local authorities, CCGs, health boards, infant feeding leads, peer supporters and service users on breastfeeding support services.  The need to value and increase awareness of breastfeeding peer support at all levels has been a key finding.

This video details some of the findings in the words of those surveyed:

 

You can download the full report here.

 

26 May

Breastfeeding and Exercise

As we come towards the end of Move in May 2022, we are reflecting on the challenge undertaken over the month by many people. 

We are often asked questions about exercising while breastfeeding, and want to share some evidence-based information so you can make the right decisions for you and your baby when it comes to exercising. 

Can you exercise when breastfeeding?

Yes, absolutely. Perhaps not while you are actually feeding baby(!) but exercising is a great way to improve and maintain your physical and mental health.

How soon after birth can you exercise?

We recommend you follow advice given by your GP or midwife, as circumstances can differ based on your birth experience and physical health.

Generally, pelvic floor and tummy exercises can be started within days as well as gentle walking, getting some fresh air with your baby is a great way to get out in those first few weeks.

After your 6-8 post-natal check-up, your health professional will be able to advise what is suitable for you going forwards, so do wait until this health check before you start any high-energy or high-impact exercise like running or aerobics.

Start slowly and build up rather than jumping in, your body has spent 9 months growing a baby and needs time to recover. The newborn stage can be a time of big adjustment and some challenges, so don’t put any pressure on yourself to get back to a pre-baby figure, fitness level or physical health.

Are any types of exercises off-limits?

As long as you feel physically able and are not experience pain or discomfort while exercising, there are no exercise types that should be off-limit while you are breastfeeding.

Some people find it helpful to follow specific post-natal exercise or training programmes as they are tailored more specifically to the recovery needed after pregnancy and birth.

Does it have an impact on your milk supply?

There is no evidence that normal levels of exercise would affect your milk supply. You may find that baby may be a little fussy at the breast due to excess salt in mothers sweat if feeding soon after exercise. A quick shower or wash will help to remove the excess salt.

Strenuous exercise has been shown, in some studies, to lead to a temporary increase in lactic acid levels in human milk – some mothers report their baby is fussy for a while afterwards but they do not report any effect on their milk supply or their baby’s growth.

What should I wear to exercise while breastfeeding?

Anything you feel comfortable in! Try to pick lightweight fabrics as you may feel warmer from the physical activity, and a good sports bra is often desirable to help you feel secure. Some parents choose to purchase post-natal / nursing sports bras, and it’s important that these are a good fit for you – your back and cup shape is likely to change between pregnancy and a few weeks into breastfeeding so be aware of this and check you are wearing the correct size.

When should I feed my baby if exercising?

You may feel more comfortable feeding your baby before you exercise, so you don’t feel ‘full’ while undertaking physical activity.

If you are incorporating your baby in your exercise regime e.g. baby yoga, a sling/carrier workout or a buggy fitness class, it’s best to make sure your baby has around 20 minutes between the end of the feed and the start of the exercise. This helps their stomach to settle and start digesting the milk – the same as we wouldn’t exercise directly after eating a meal!

We hope you find this information helpful to assist in your decision-making surrounding exercising while breastfeeding. Further information and references for this article can be found using the following links: 

Keeping fit and healthy with a baby – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Exercise – La Leche League International (llli.org)

Breastfeeding and diet – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

 

We want to thank Claire at Natal Active for co-authoring this article as part of our Move in May 2022 campaign.

26 May

Running ‘Top Tips’ by Ashford Striders running club

Ashford Striders is a friendly, not-for-profit running club based in Ashford, Kent.  We meet twice weekly and offer a number of different runs for varying abilities, from complete beginners to marathon runners to triathletes! All money from membership is invested back in to the club, including social events, training our run leaders, as well as other events too.

We asked our members for their top tips when it comes to starting exercise or running. Here’s what they had to say…

“My top tip: Find a running partner or group to keep you motivated!”

“Follow a plan such as Couch 2 5k so you don’t do too much too soon and injure yourself!”

“If you are struggling to increase the distance you run – slow down! If you can’t run more slowly, put in regular walk breaks!”

“Highly recommend going to parkrun, even if just 1 lap and/or jog/walk, that’s where I started.”

“Correct shoes!”

“Try not to eat within 2 hours before to help avoid a stitch”

“Try not to hunch or slouch – keep your head high and look ahead!”

“If you do pursue running, try to cross-train, i.e. the gym, HIIT workouts, cycling etc. as this will improve your running.”

“Don’t compare yourself to others!”

“Embrace bad weather, skin is waterproof!”

“Make sure you stretch after a run.”

“Always wear SPF when running outside!”

“Most of all though, enjoy it!”

If you are local to Ashford and would like to come along for a free trial, please visit our website www.ashfordstriders.uk for more information.

Thank you to Ashford Striders for supporting with our Move in May campaign, contributing this blog post as well as a virtual run with warm-up and cool-down videos. 

05 May

Move in May: our Community Champions experiences so far

Our community champions have got off to a strong start with being active for 30 minutes every day in May.
Here, Cara and Jessica share what they have been up to with their families over the first week of Move in May.

‘We are four days in to Move in May and I am loving the conversations it is prompting in our house, particularly with my four year old. We have been speaking about the importance of moving our bodies and getting fresh air.

Most of the time he is very keen to get involved but, as you can see, he does get tired occasionally!’

– Cara

So far my first week is going ok. Since me and my little one had Covid 3 weeks ago, my energy levels and my mental health have taken a big dip and suffered a lot. This is also another reason why I wanted to take part in Move in May, it’s amazing how even 30 minutes of activity can all help with the recovery process.

On Sunday 1st May, me and my little one had an hour dance-athon to 80s music in our living room as the weather was rather miserable. Then on bank holiday Monday, I decided I would try out my new weighted hula-hoop and give my kids a good giggle. The next morning my hips were pretty sore but we managed a 2 hour walk along Port Solent and Portchester Castle which really helped with clearing my head. There’s something about walking and just listening to the sounds of birds, water etc. that’s so therapeutic. 

I’m looking forward to more activities and plenty of walking over the next few days and weeks and what’s best is I get to do it all with my little teddy

– Jessica

If you haven’t yet started Move in May, or haven’t signed up, there’s still time to join us! By signing up, you’ll get access to our exclusive live-stream workouts as well as weekly emails, updates, tips and more! 

Register here

03 May

5 ways to keep motivated for Move in May

As life gets busy, things can get in the way of your best intentions. Motivation can dip when there are lots of other priorities and getting going can sometimes feel like the hardest thing to do.

We wanted to share with you a few tips to help keep you motivated during May, so you can move for 30 minutes every day and feel healthier, physically and mentally.

Do it early in the day

Often, our days seem to get busier as they progress, even if we are ticking things off our to-do list. It’s easy to be knocked off track with unexpected situations or when things get busy, especially if you are working, looking after children, housekeeping or running errands. One way to ensure you keep up your activity during May is to do it earlier in the day.

Maybe you could leave the car at home and walk to school or perhaps you could walk the long way home after dropping the kids off.

Or why not book an early swim session at a local swimming pool one weekend – everyone can take part in burning off some energy and you’ve got the rest of the day to spend together doing whatever you fancy.

Be prepared the night before

After a long day, it can be easy to fall straight into bed without thinking of the next day. Benjamin Franklin once said ‘“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” You definitely won’t be failing by falling into bed tired, but it can help to get some things ready the night before to make the next morning run smoothly. Here’s some ideas of what might help:

  • Decide on your clothes and get them out of the wardrobe (especially key if you are going to work out early, putting gym clothes on triggers your brain that you are going to exercise).
  • Make your lunch / family lunches the night before so it’s ready to grab the next day.
  • Pack your bag / change bag / work bag with everything you need. Anyone else run around each morning trying to locate purse/wallet, keys, charger, laptop etc.?
  • Write a list of 3 key actions you need to do the next day to keep you focused.

Set goals

When you want to achieve something, it’s been proven that those people who write it down as a goal are more likely to achieve it. It doesn’t have to be a big goal setting exercise with vision boards, purpose statements and long descriptions, it can be as simple as ‘Tomorrow, I will walk for 30 minutes’. By setting a specific, measurable goal, you are preparing your mind for what will happen.

If you want to, you could set goals each day or week, or an overarching one for the whole of May; different things work for different people.

Use a tracker

Once you have set a goal, you need to know how close to achieving it you are! For Move in May, we have created trackers for you so it’s easy to keep an eye on your progress. There’s a Milk Family tracker for children (or adults too – I know some of the BfN team are using it!) or a straightforward one for adults to use. By visually seeing your progress, you can be proud of how far you’ve come and look forward with positivity to the next steps too.

Take a look at our trackers here.

Get others involved

Have you ever noticed that when you do something with someone else, it’s often more fun? Take the same thought and apply it to Move in May! Here’s some ideas of how you can get others involved:

  • Message a friend to arrange a bike ride together
  • Organise a playdate at the local park and join in with the kids
  • Attend a local fitness class with your partner
  • Create a WhatsApp group with close family so they can encourage and support you

Even if they can’t join you every day, having someone come along side you (physically or virtually) can be a great support and motivate you to keep going through your challenge. We often show up and become more motivated when we know others have an interest in what we are doing.

If you need ideas of active things to do, you can take a look at our list of activities here.

Remember, you are amazing! Every time you choose to do something active, you are improving your health, getting fitter and you should feel more energized (good old endorphins!).

Not registered for Move In May yet? Click here!

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