Kendamil Support Breast Cancer Awareness Month with Tickled Pink Campaign

Becoming a mother is undoubtedly one of life’s most wonderful experiences, and while there is so much to celebrate about motherhood, the role also comes with a seemingly endless to-do list, where mums all too often come last.

This October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, new research from Kendamil, the UK’s #1 Organic baby formula range, reveals how the invisible load negatively impacts mothers’ wellbeing, specifically when it comes to breast care, as Kendamil looks to put mums ‘back on the list’.

The Invisible Load and Maternal Health

The research with Attest has shown that a staggering three-quarters of mums (74%) with young children struggle to make time for their own health and wellbeing, while 69% of mums are not checking their chest regularly.

The research has also revealed that the demands of motherhood mean something has to give. More than a third (36%) of women say they check their chest less frequently since becoming a mother, with 61% of mums saying this is because they forgot, have too many other things to think about, or have prioritised their family’s needs first.

Speaking about the research, journalist, mother and founder of Mother Pukka, Anna Whitehouse said: “While this research might be new, sadly it won’t be surprising to anyone. As mothers, all our instincts say to prioritise our family’s health, happiness and wellbeing above anything else. That sounds wonderful, but actually we are doing both ourselves and our families the greatest disservice. If we don’t look after our own health, we risk the Mother Ship going down – our family need us to start focusing on ourselves a bit more.”

Shining a light on the emotional toll this can take on mothers, the research showed that a huge 64% of women say not checking their chest regularly makes them feel guilty, worried or uneasy. While more than a quarter say it feels like yet another thing they need to remember to do.

Lived Experiences and Tickled Pink Partnership

Adding to the discussion, mother and breast cancer survivor, Kelly Taylor from Warwickshire said: “I was just 27 with two young children when I found a lump. I acted on it quickly, but was reassured by my GP that it was benign. So, it came as a huge shock when I was told I had breast cancer, just 10 days before my 28th birthday. My eldest son Archie was 2 and Frankie was just 9 months old, and my biggest worry was my little family.

“The next few months were really tough - I underwent chemotherapy, followed by a double mastectomy, and although the recovery was challenging the treatment was successful. If there’s one thing I want other mums to take from my experience, it’s to please check your breasts regularly and never ignore something that doesn’t feel right. We spend so much time looking after our little ones, but it’s so important we look after ourselves too.”

This October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Kendamil has partnered with Asda Tickled Pink, supporting Breast Cancer Now and CoppaFeel. The month-long campaign will see Kendamil change the lids of its Organic Follow-on and Toddler milk to pink, with 10% of sales from every pink tin donated to Tickled Pink charities, Breast Cancer Now and CoppaFeel.