🤱 This week is World Breastfeeding Week hosted by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA). Protecting, promoting, and supporting breastfeeding is essential for optimal nutrition, healthy development, food security, and poverty reduction.

☀️ We’d like to highlight our Eating Well: Packed lunches for 1 to under-5 year olds guide for parents sending their young children off to summer camps during the holidays.

Figures published today show almost 𝟭 𝗶𝗻 𝟴 households in the UK are still struggling to afford healthy food. This adds up to 6.5 million adults and 2.2 million children: foodfoundation.org.uk/initiatives/...

🍅 Last month the Food Foundation and Sustain published a new policy briefing examining the Healthy Start scheme and its role in supporting low-income families with young children to access a nutritious diet.

📰 A new paper from Australia rethinks food fussiness in childhood in the context of the wider food environment and its associated commercial drivers.

👏 The long-awaited Infant Feeding Survey for England, 2024 was published on June 4th. The report comes 14 years after the last one was published in 2012. Here are a few key findings…➡️

❗ We’ve recently restated our recommendations to the Government to address the rising cost of infant formula in the UK based our latest infant formula milk cost analysis. Here is what to know…

❗ We’ve updated our infant milks cost report to support informed decisions about which products to use for formula feeding families on a budget. A few practical tips ➡️

We are hearing now from Vicky Sibson from @1stepsnutrition.bsky.social about Infant food security and formula safety in the UK and recent formula recalls This too is an emergency preparedness issue! #APPGIFI

Hello from the APPG on Infant Feeding & Equalities, w @jessbrownfullermp.bsky.social. We'll be hearing from Amy Brown of Swansea U about the result of the 2024 English Infant Feeding Survey, @bfn-uk.bsky.social about IYCFe, & @1stepsnutrition.bsky.social about infant formula recall #APPGIFI

❗ Consumption of Non-Sugar Sweeteners (NSS) is associated with multiple chronic disease, and NSS exposure is increasingly difficult to avoid as food and beverage manufacturers replace added sugar with NSS.

Investing in children's health isn't just the right thing to do - it's good economics! Our briefing with @sustainweb.org shows expanding the Healthy Start scheme would return net benefits of £𝟳.𝟳 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 over 10 years. foodfoundation.org.uk/publication/...

☀️ Warm weather is here for the weekend and we'd like to offer a few tips on infant hydration! 💧

A new investigation by Greenpeace International found plastic particles and plastic-associated chemicals in Danone and Nestlé plastic spouted baby food pouches.

💦 Thames Water is failing customers: I’m glad the Government have rejected the latest bad Thames Water deal - bills and sewage pollution are too high. See my question to the Environment Secretary here 👇

New data shows while food and drinks that are high in fat, salt and/or sugar are getting cheaper the prices of fruit and veg are rising. Find out more in our Food Prices Tracker blog: foodfoundation.org.uk/news/food-pr...

ICYMI we will be delivering a webinar a week today, on 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟰 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝟭:𝟬𝟬 – 𝟮:𝟬𝟬𝗽𝗺, to introduce *health workers* with an interest in infant milk feeding to our website dedicated to infant milk: www.infantmilkinfo.org.

🤱 For this year’s World Cancer Prevention Action Week, we are highlighting the important link to breastfeeding and cancer protection, for both mums and babies.

A new investigation commissioned by Greenpeace International found plastic particles and plastic-associated chemicals in Danone and Nestlé plastic spouted baby food pouches.

❗ We’ve updated our FAQ on rapid cooling devices such as the Nuby Rapid Cool and Tommee Tippee PrepGo. ➡️ 🍼 Rapid cooling devices are designed to cool freshly prepared infant formula to a safe temperature for feeding within a few minutes.

Proud of our latest policy report on infant food security and the cereulide toxin formula contamination and recall event, covered by the @bmj.com www.bmj.com/content/393/...

🍼 On Thursday we published a new policy briefing on infant food security and formula safety in the UK, with recommendations from the cereulide toxin formula contamination and recall event. ➡️

☀️ Ahead of the upcoming heat wave, we’ve like to offer some reminders about infant hydration during hot weather. ➡️ 🤱 Breastfed babies 0-6 months old do not need additional water.

Important @foodgov.bsky.social food alert for baby yoghurts for health workers, early years professionals and families in Northern Ireland -see the link

Glenisk recalls Organic Baby Fromage Frais due to the possible presence of mould

If there is a problem with a food product that means it should not be sold, then it might be 'withdrawn' (taken off the shelves) or 'recalled' (when customers are asked to return the product). The FSA issues Product Recall Information Notices to let consumers and local authorities know about problems associated with food. In some cases, a 'Food Alert for Action' is issued. This provides local authorities with details of specific action to be taken on behalf of consumers.

food.gov.uk

🍼 Are you a healthcare professional involved in infant feeding support (e.g., health visitor, GP, midwife, charity) or a parent of an infant 0-18 months who currently uses infant formula (either exclusively or alongside breastmilk) living in the UK?

🤱 Are you a mum in the UK who is currently breastfeeding or has breastfed in the past 6 months? ➡️ You've invited to take part in a short survey looking at mum's knowledge, attitudes, and practices around diet and baby's gut health during breast-feeding.

☀️ As the weather gets warmer, we’d like to remind health workers supporting families, and parents of young children, that children under 7 years old should not be given slushy ice drinks that contain glycerol.

Headline could be clearer that this is about *sweetened* plant drinks. See our comment about growing up milks & drinks which should be avoided. www.dailymail.com/health/artic...

Don't give children oat and soya milk due to obesity risk, warn medics

Doctors, dentists and dietitians have issued new joint guidance advising parents not to give children under five plant-based milk alternatives, which can be high in sugar and low in vital nutrients.

dailymail.com

❗ The Food Foundation recently published the results of their latest food insecurity monitoring, reporting that 15.3% of households with children reported experiencing food insecurity in January, compared to 10.9% of households without children.

🌎 This years’ Earth Day theme is “Our Planet, Our Power”. At First Steps, we believe in the power of healthy early years diets to support a healthy planet.