A British Army paramedic has spoken at a national conference about her experiences and research into breastfeeding that could help paramedics save babies’ lives.
Corporal (then Lance Corporal) Natasha Day was the winner of Equality of Opportunity for the Defence Breastfeeding Network in 2021.
Corporal Natasha Day inside of her battlefield ambulance during Exercise Spring Storm.
Corporal Natasha Day a Combat Medical Technician of 1 Medical Regiment pictured at the rear of her battlefield ambulance during Exercise Spring Storm.
Due to being deployed to Estonia, a pre-recorded video from Corporal Natasha Day MBE was shown at the College of Paramedics National Conference at the International Convention Centre Wales.
Natasha, aged 31, is chair of the Defence Breastfeeding Network and a paramedic with 1 Armoured Medical Regiment, based at Tidworth Garrison in Wiltshire. She is also an associate lecturer at Buckinghamshire New University.
Filling a gap in paramedic knowledge
She is the lead author of a yet to be published research paper which she has worked on with Lieutenant Colonel Hannah Taylor, also serving in the Army and a doctor by trade, Dr. Georgette Eaton and Dr. Jessica Wray, civilian PhD doctorates and paramedics, and Dr. Elizabeth Kelly, a statistician at Buckinghamshire New University.
At the national paramedics’ conference, Dr Wray presented the research paper on behalf of the group. It focused on how paramedics in the UK support breastfeeding patients and their knowledge of breastfeeding. Due to her deployment in Estonia on Exercise Spring Storm, a short video from Natasha was included in the presentation.
Natasha explained what led to her interest in the topic:
“During my newly qualified paramedic posting, the Army gave me to the NHS for two years and one day I came across a paramedic colleague who gave some ill-informed advice to a breastfeeding mother.
“It made me think what are we teaching paramedics? Because, although the public may believe everything paramedics say because we’re supposed to be the subject matter experts, we don't know everything. We can't know everything. We're not doctors and we're not there to replace doctors. So that's where it started. I thought I need to change this.
“I found there were lots of studies on doctors, midwives and health visitors’ knowledge of breastfeeding but nothing on paramedics. Not a single study in the UK.
Research that could save babies' lives
“Now, when I talk to a lot of people, they say that paramedics are for emergencies and why do you need to know about breastfeeding? Well, let's say we go to a young child who isn't very well and mum is breastfeeding. That's important for us to know and to know about medications because certain medications pass through the breast milk and can make the baby very poorly. So, for example, co-codamol, that's one we do not let breastfeeding mothers take. But some mums might have taken it to cope with a headache and are really tired. And then the baby suddenly becomes sleepier or isn't feeding very well. So, the mum calls 111 who send an ambulance. Paramedics having the knowledge that mum shouldn't be taking co-codamol could save that baby's life.
“I’m hoping this research might change people's lives. If just one paramedic reads it and learns something from it, then people are going to benefit.
“As a combat medical technician, before starting this research and even as a newly qualified paramedic, I would never have dreamed I would be doing this. So, to potentially publish a paper next year as the lead author is incredible.”
From recruit to regimental paramedic
Natasha joined the Army at the age of 19 and recalled:
“I was put through my paramedic training completely by the army who paid for me to go to university. I did my paramedic course, came out the other side then went back into the field army.
“I'm now at 1 Armoured Medical Regiment as a troop corporal where I act as a paramedic in a field ambulance. We’re responsible for providing emergency treatment and casualty evacuation of troops on exercises and operations, such as the one I’m on in Estonia now.”
Changing culture across the armed forces
Images were captured at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to celebrate those within the armed forces that breastfeed.
Alongside her operational role, Natasha has been the chair of the Defence Breastfeeding Network for the last six years. She said:
“The network currently looks after 1,500 members and families across the Army, RAF, Navy, plus civil servants and partners of service personnel.
“The army is very good at letting you have a baby then sending your partner on exercise somewhere! We look after the spouses if they are pregnant or breastfeeding.
“In my third role as an associate lecturer, I teach and do student paramedic interviews. But that’s very much a side role in my own time. It’s just another string to the bow and I absolutely love teaching.
“I talk about how we manage field care in the army. We don't want patients in the NHS being managed in a mud hole, but that is sometimes where I have to manage my military patients. So, it just brings a fresh perspective to the teaching team.
“When I went on my first exercise, nine months postpartum, I was still breastfeeding. I went out into the field with my pump, trying to be a mother and still be a soldier. Back then it still felt a bit taboo and embarrassing to tell people you're breastfeeding.
“But things are different now. We have properly informed medical teams which makes a big difference. For example, there’s a condition called mastitis, which is inflammation of the breast tissue, that is quite common during breastfeeding. Having a med team that is informed and knows how to treat the condition means we can keep people out on exercise.
“Just because you're a mother doesn't mean you can't be an effective soldier. Everything now is about operational effectiveness, about keeping our soldiers, male and female, fighting fit.
“I can't even begin to comprehend the changes that I've seen over the past five years. Women now feel able to tell their chain of command they are breastfeeding.
"But I'm not saying everything is perfect. The day that we're there is when we no longer need a network.
“We are seeing more women return to work post baby as they realise they don't have to stop breastfeeding before coming back to work.
“The World Health Organisation recommends feeding from six months until two years and beyond. Now, when we deploy to places like Africa, we see that breastfeeding a toddler is completely normal. We don't see it so much in Western society. And that's what we're trying to change in the armed forces, to normalise it. You don't have to take six months maternity, wean your baby off onto something and then go back to work. You can come back and continue if that's what you want to do.
“But we are also there as a network to support people if they don't want to carry on breastfeeding and we'll help them stop.”
Army brings out the best potential
Natasha looked back to how her journey began:
“I grew up in Birmingham and joined the Army because of family circumstances. It wasn't my dream to be a soldier. But the Army have given me incredible social mobility from not having A-levels to gaining a paramedic qualification.
“The Army allows me 420 hours per year to do clinical work, which I choose to do on an ambulance because that's the best place for me to get involved and keep myself clinically current. So, I do spend quite a bit of time in the NHS but paid for by the Army. The NHS gets a paramedic for free while the Army gets a hopefully competent clinician.”
“I'm now studying a level 7 funded by the MOD and doing my own research. The Army is really good at helping bring out the best potential in people.”
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