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Promoting and supporting breastfeeding
The NCT wants all parents to feel supported in their decision regarding how they feed their baby.
We know that breastfeeding provides babies with the healthiest possible start in life in terms of growth and development and is a natural and sustainable way to feed a baby. We aim to raise awareness of the barriers faced by those who want to breastfeed and we campaign for more supports to allow women to overcome these barriers.
The 2005 UK Infant Feeding Survey found that 73 per cent of mothers stopped breastfeeding before they wanted to
“I was standing in an electrical department of a chain store and my 2 week old was howling for milk like a wolf and the assistant suggested I go and sit in their toilet to feed. I was embarrassed and disgusted at the idea of being sent to the toilet to give my baby his lunch.”
We want:
- The Baby Friendly Initiative fully implemented
- Informed, individualized support for breastfeeding for all families
- Peer and specialist supporters available in All Children’s Centres and community antenatal and postnatal services
- Well informed communities, supportive of breastfeeding.
- A positive and supportive culture for breastfeeding including education on breastfeeding and improved employment rights for breastfeeding mothers
NCT campaigns for these changes as a member of the Breastfeeding Manifesto coalition.
To campaign for improved support for breastfeeding sign the breastfeeding manifesto and join NCT Active.
What can you do?
Fathers, wider family and friends, employers and local authorities can all play an important role in supporting mothers to breastfeed for as long as they want to.
Get Active
- Sign up to support the breastfeeding manifesto coalition which calls on the government to change policy in seven different areas to improve the supports for breastfeeding available in the UK.
- Join NCT Active to access a range of resources such as template letters and work with us to influence local businesses' attitudes to breastfeeding so that all breastfeeding mothers can feel confident breastfeeding when out and about with their baby.
- If you or anyone you know has been subject to unsupportive comments when breastfeeding in a public place contact the NCT's Campaigns Support Officer on campaigns@nct.org.uk.
Related links
- World Health Organization Global Strategy on Infant and Young Child Feeding
- Building upon past initiatives, in particular the Innocenti Declaration and the Baby-friendly Hospital initiative, the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding aims to revitalize efforts to promote, protect and support appropriate infant and young child feeding. It addresses the needs of all children including those living in difficult circumstances, such as infants of mothers living with HIV, low-birth-weight infants and infants in emergency situations.Visit WHO's website for more information abut the Global Strategy on Infant and Young Child Feeding.
- Breastfeeding Manifesto
- Produced in 2006, the Breastfeeding Manifesto is supported by a coalition of over twenty UK organisations and aims to improve awareness of the health benefits of breastfeeding and its role in reducing health inequalities.Visit the Breastfeeding Manifesto's website to learn more.
- World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action
- The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) is a global network of organisations and individuals who believe breastfeeding is the right of all children and mothers and who dedicate themselves to protect, promote and support this right. It acts on the Innocenti Declaration and works in liaison with UNICEF.Visit WABA's website for more information.
- World Breastfeeding Week
- The World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated during the first week of August in over 120 countries and is the outreach vehicle for the breastfeeding movement.Visit the World Breastfeeding Week website for more information.
