Mothers to get a £200 incentive to breastfeed... in Poundstretcher vouchers: Critics claim scheme is form of bribery

South Yorkshire women will be given vouchers to spend on things other than formula milk and must fill out a form to say they are breastfeeding

Team leaders admit they have no way of knowing if it is working

Britain has one of lowest breastfeeding rates in Europe - only a third do

Problem? Poundstretcher's vouchers are said to be a bid to boost breastfeeding in the UK

New mothers will receive up to £200 of store vouchers in return for breastfeeding under a controversial scheme partly funded by the taxpayer.

They will be given coupons for stores such as Poundstretcher, Asda, Tesco and John Lewis as a reward for not relying solely on formula milk.

The pilot scheme will involve 130 women in South Yorkshire and Derbyshire, but it could later be rolled out nationally.

But critics say it is a form of bribery, with the nanny state trying to control mothers.

There are also concerns it is a short-term fix that will not help those who do not breastfeed due to stigma or discomfort.

Britain has one of the lowest breastfeeding rates in Europe – only a third of women feed for the recommended six months.

Yet it is known to protect babies from stomach upsets, chest infections, allergies and obesity and may even boost IQ.

It also reduces a woman’s risk of breast cancer and can help her to bond with a newborn.

The trial, which starts today, will see women offered £40 in vouchers if they breastfeed for two days, another £40 if they do it for ten days and another £40 if they carry on for six weeks.

They will get £40 at three months and again at six months. Women still breastfeeding by then will have received £200.

The team in charge admit they have no way of proving whether someone is breastfeeding.

Women will simply fill in a form saying they are doing so, and it will be signed off by a midwife.

The trial is based in areas where breastfeeding rates are half the UK average and strong social stigmas about breastfeeding in public persist.

It is run by researchers from Sheffield and Dundee universities, who also oversaw an NHS scheme that paid obese patients up to £425 to lose 50lb (23kg). It has since been abandoned.

The team insist the latest trial is at a very early stage. If it is deemed successful, a national study will be carried out next year and eventually it could be used across the NHS.

Dr Clare Relton, of the University of Sheffield, said: ‘We think there are benefits to babies, mums and to society for breastfeeding. We are exploring one particular way that might improve breastfeeding rates.’

Janet Fyle, of the Royal College of Midwives, said: ‘Whilst we are not against financial incentives for the right reasons, there is a much bigger social and cultural problem here that needs to be tackled instead.

Formula: Research reveals 34 per cent of British women feed their babies milk formula for the first six months

‘In many areas, including those in this study, there are generations of women who may not have seen anyone breastfeeding their baby, meaning it is not the cultural norm.’

Matthew Sinclair, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: ‘This is yet another example of public health officials believing that the nanny state knows best for every single family.’

Just 1 per cent of UK women feed babies only breast milk for six months, as recommended by the World Health Organisation.