Table 2.
Characteristics of included articles
| Source | URL | Format | Title | Reader comments, n | Article stance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BBC | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-24900650 | Article | “Breastfeeding mothers offered £200 in shop vouchers” | 1121 | Mixed |
| BBC | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-24908678 | Article | “Breastfeeding vouchers: Midwives and health visitors verify claims” | 0 | Mixed |
| Daily Mail | http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2501812/Mothers-200-incentive-breastfeed--Poundstretcher-vouchers-Critics-claim-scheme-form-bribery.html | Article | “Mothers to get a £200 incentive to breastfeed…in Poundstretcher vouchers: critics claim scheme is form of bribery" | 759 | Mixed |
| Daily Mail | http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2507269/New-mothers-NOT-paid-breastfeed-Nick-Clegg-says-insists-controversial-voucher-scheme-government-policy.html | Follow-Up Article | “New mothers will not be paid to breastfeed, Nick Clegg says as he insists controversial voucher scheme is not government policy!” | 58 | Mixed |
| Guardian | http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/nov/12/researchers-offer-shopping-vouchers-breastfeed#start-of-comments | Article | “Researchers to offer shopping vouchers to mothers who breastfeed” | 330 | Mixed |
| Guardian | http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/12/worst-breastfeeding-initiative-shopping-vouchers?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487 | Editorial | “The worst breastfeeding initiative I’ve ever come across” | 546 | Negative |
| Guardian | http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/20/not-ashamed-giving-mothers-incentives-breastfeed | Editorial | “No, we’re not ashamed about giving mothers financial incentives to breastfeed” | 140 | Positive |
| Independent | http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/the-nanny-state-mothers-could-be-paid-to-breastfeed-their-babies-8933503.html | Article | “The nanny state? Mothers could be given shopping vouchers for breastfeeding their babies” | 0 | Mixed |
| Independent | http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/vouchers-for-mothers-who-breastfeed-isnt-there-enough-breastmongering-in-the-world-already-8934923.html | Editorial | “Vouchers for mothers who breastfeed: isn’t there enough breast-mongering in the world already?” | 9 | Negative |
| Independent | http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/offering-poorer-mothers-200-to-breastfeed-is-barmy-middleclass-lactivism-8935416.html | Editorial | “Offering poorer mothers £200 to breastfeed is barmy, middle-class lactivism” | 97 | Negative |
| Sun | http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/woman/5259728/Sun-Agony-Aunt-Vouchers-for-breastfeeding-are-an-insult-to-mothers.html | Editorial | “Vouchers for breastfeeding are an insult to mums fund health visitors not token gestures” | 3 | Negative |
| Telegraph | http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/10442290/New-mothers-bribed-to-breastfeed-by-NHS-with-200-shopping-vouchers.html | Article | “New mothers ‘bribed to breastfeed’ by NHS with £200 shopping vouchers” | 268 | Mixed |
| Telegraph | http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/10443233/Mothers-might-not-breastfeed-after-taking-200-NHS-bribe-MP-warns.html | Editorial | “Mothers might not breastfeed after taking £200 NHS bribe, MP warns” | 42 | Mixed |