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Amy Brown

Professor of Child Public Health, Swansea University

A psychologist by background, Amy explores psychological, social and cultural influences upon maternal and infant health and wellbeing through pregnancy, birth and the early years.

Amy specialises in research around how babies are fed; whether they are breast or formula fed, how they are introduced to solid foods, and the impact these decisions could have on their long term eating behaviour and weight. In particular, her research focusses on why feeding babies is a public health issue, affected heavily by societal and cultural beliefs and behaviours, and therefore why responsibility for feeding should not lie solely with the mother. Her research seeks to develop interventions to improve infant feeding choices targeted at wider society rather than individual mothers alone.

Amy has a particular interest in how societal perceptions and understanding of normal baby behaviour can affect how babies are fed and cared for in their early months. She seeks to tackle myths around the 'good baby' who sleeps and needs little interaction, and instead promote better support and value for new parents in order for them to have more space to care responsively for their baby and their needs. She has developed a series of animations based on here research findings to help share messages about what is normal for babies, and how we can better support parents
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoflLgxNjBdyr7i2Zx-ArwTEU2PwXWgf4

Finally, Amy's research examines influences on maternal mental health and wellbeing during pregnancy, birth and the early years. She has published papers exploring the interaction between birth and infant feeding and subsequent maternal well being (including postnatal depression, maternal identity and parenting confidence). She has also examined how messages in baby care books, social media, and parenting forums can improve or damage maternal wellbeing in the early years.

Amy is author to two infant feeding books both published by Pinter and Martin.

Breastfeeding Uncovered: Who really decides how we feed our babies
http://www.pinterandmartin.com/breastfeeding-uncovered.html

Why Starting Solids Matters
http://www.pinterandmartin.com/why-starting-solids-matters.html

Baby formula preparation machines might not reach NHS recommended temperatures for killing bacteria – new research

Oct 06, 2023 06:53 am UTC| Health

When you have a new baby, it can feel as though there are suddenly thousands of things to worry about. One of the biggest concerns for parents in the early weeks is feeding. Our new study has raised questions about one...

Sleep-training and babies: why 'crying it out' is best avoided

Nov 19, 2019 02:45 am UTC| Insights & Views Health

A full nights sleep will be near the top of many parents wish lists. Sleep deprivation is no fun and many parents find themselves turning to baby care books that promise to train their child to sleep through the...

Some baby care books are giving advice that goes against safe infant care guidelines

Jul 07, 2019 15:14 pm UTC| Insights & Views

Becoming a new parent can be one of the most stressful things you ever do. Its normal to feel blindsided between what you thought it would be like, and the reality. But it can lead to all sorts of emotions from panic and...

Promoting but not protecting breastfeeding is destroying mothers' mental health

Oct 09, 2018 13:18 pm UTC| Insights & Views Health

If you believed some newspapers you would think that breastfeeding was inherently bad for maternal mental health. Headlines regularly shout about pressure to breastfeed and breastfeeding bullies making mums feel anxious...

Economy

Beyond the spin, beyond the handouts, here’s how to get a handle on what’s really happening on budget night

Three weeks from now, some of us will be presented with a mountain of budget papers, and just about all of us will get to hear about them on radio, TV or news websites on budget night. The quickest way to find out what...

Johannesburg in a time of darkness: Ivan Vladislavić’s new memoir reminds us of the city’s fragility

Ivan Vladislavić is Johannesburgs literary linkman. He tells us, in the first pages of his new book, The Near North, that before cities were lit, first by gaslight and later electricity, people of means paid torchbearers...

Economist Chris Richardson on an ‘ugly’ inflation result and the coming budget

With Jim Chalmerss third budget on May 14, Australians will be looking for some more cost-of-living relief beyond the tax cuts although they have been warned extra measures will be modest. As this weeks consumer price...

Inflation is slowly falling, while student debt is climbing: 6 graphs that explain today’s CPI

Australias inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and its now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. The annual rate peaked at 7.8% in the December quarter of 2022 and is now just 3.6%, in...

Why is the London Stock Exchange losing out to the US

London Stock Exchange (LSE), which can trace its heritage to the coffee houses of the 17th century, is failing. The volume of shares traded is sharply declining, and some UK companies are swiftly moving to the US...

Politics

Labour can afford to be far more ambitious with its economic policies – voters are on board

To say that the Labour party is flying high in the polls is something of an understatement. But despite its consistent lead against the Tories, the opposition finds itself in a rather odd position: on the cusp of power but...

History for sale: what does South Africa’s struggle heritage mean after 30 years of democracy?

One of my favourite statues is the one of Nelson Mandela at the Sandton City shopping centre in Johannesburg. Larger than life, its oversized bronze shoes shimmer in the evening light, polished by the hands of many...

Sudan: civil war stretches into a second year with no end in sight

In the early hours of April 15 2023, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) a Sudanese paramilitary force attacked the military airstrip in the town of Merowe and deployed troops across strategic locations in Sudans capital,...

Military conscription is returning to Europe, but is it really a more equal way of mobilising? What history tells us

The idea that conscription, defined as the compulsory enlistment of citizens for military service, can increase equality and instil a sense of solidarity that transcends traditional societal divides has echoed throughout...

Joe Biden Proposes Record 44.6% Capital Gains Tax in Latest Budget Plan That May Favor Cryptocurrencies

President Joe Biden has proposed raising the capital gains tax to an unprecedented 44.6% in a bold fiscal move, targeting the wealthiest Americans. This hike is part of his 2025 budget proposal to reduce income...

Science

A Nasa rover has reached a promising place to search for fossilised life on Mars

While we go about our daily lives on Earth, a nuclear-powered robot the size of a small car is trundling around Mars looking for fossils. Unlike its predecessor Curiosity, Nasas Perseverance rover is explicitly intended to...

The rising flood of space junk is a risk to us on Earth – and governments are on the hook

A piece of space junk recently crashed through the roof and floor of a mans home in Florida. Nasa later confirmed that the object had come from unwanted hardware released from the international space station. The 700g,...

Peter Higgs was one of the greats of particle physics. He transformed what we know about the building blocks of the universe

Peter Higgs, who gave his name to the subatomic particle known as the Higgs boson, has died aged 94. He was always a modest man, especially when considering that he was one of the greats of particle physics the area of...

Could a telescope ever see the beginning of time? An astronomer explains

The James Webb Space Telescope, or JWST for short, is one of the most advanced telescopes ever built. Planning for JWST began over 25 years ago, and construction efforts spanned over a decade. It was launched into space on...

US media coverage of new science less likely to mention researchers with African and East Asian names

When one Chinese national recently petitioned the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to become a permanent resident, he thought his chances were pretty good. As an accomplished biologist, he figured that news...

Technology

Tesla Faces Stiff Competition in China’s Self-Driving Race

Teslas ambition to dominate Chinas self-driving market faces significant challenges as local rivals like BYD and Huawei rapidly advance in autonomous technology. During his recent visit to Beijing, Elon Musk discussed...

Shiba Inu Price Forecast: Historical Data Predicts May Movement

As April ends, the Shiba Inu cryptocurrency faces crucial market trends, with historical data indicating a possible continuation of its recent price declines into May. Past performance suggests a trend of downturns during...

Google Cuts Jobs in Key Programming Teams Before Developer Conference

Google LLC is laying off staff at its Dart, Flutter, and Python programming teams. Their termination was announced just weeks before the company developer conference, which will be held on May 15. Money Control reported...

MicroStrategy Acquires 122 More Bitcoins, Total Holdings Soar to 214,400 BTC

In a bold move underscoring its commitment to digital currency, MicroStrategy announced the acquisition of an additional 122 bitcoins this April, taking its total holdings to 214,400 BTC. This acquisition, valued at...

Spot Bitcoin ETFs Begin Trading in Hong Kong, Marking New Investment Era

In a significant development, Spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) commenced trading today in Hong Kong. This launch, eagerly anticipated by domestic and international investors, positions Hong Kong as a key hub for...