NFN Bitesize #1: Finding Formula - Confronting Insecurities

In this NFN Bite Size, Professor Lesley Frank shares some bites about the Finding Formula - Confronting Insecurities project currently underway at the Fed Family Lab funded by the Social Science and Humanities Research Council that used interviews with finding formula Facebook group administrators, a cross-national survey, and a digital ethnography to exploring how mothers, and other caregivers from the United States and Canada experience, think about, and cope with financial constraints and formula shortages when feeding infants. This project is also exploring the economic and commercial shocks that create food insecurities in early life and the levers necessary for prevention.

Professor Lesley Frank is a Professor of Sociology at Acadia University, Canada. ORCiD

NFN Bitesize #2: Preliminary Qualitative Findings

In this NFN Bitesize episode, Ella and the team share preliminary findings from 24 interviews conducted as part of the NIHR‑SPHR‑funded Food, Pregnancy and Me research study. The interviews explored experiences of food insecurity, coping mechanisms, and perceived barriers and enablers to support. The early findings highlight the multidimensional nature of food insecurity, spanning systemic, sociocultural, and structural factors. Stigma emerged as a pervasive theme shaping participants’ experiences and help‑seeking. Ongoing analysis will support the research team to identify urgent priorities for integrated public health and maternity care policy.

Learn more about the study at: https://sphr.nihr.ac.uk/food-pregnancy-and-me/