Released on: 29 January 2016

In response to The Lancet 'Breastfeeding in the 21st Century' study senior policy adviser, Rosemary Dodds, said:

“Parents need support whatever their feeding decisions and mothers should not be judged or made to feel guilty however they decide to feed their baby. Some women don’t find breastfeeding easy, a small minority can’t and others don’t want to breastfeed their baby which is entirely up to them. However we know that in the UK, 80 per cent of mums who stopped breastfeeding in the first few weeks would have liked to continue, but needed more support. If mums are given good information and practical help to build confidence during pregnancy and they have the support they need around them in the early days and weeks, then many more will go on to breastfeed for as long as they want. Currently many mums want to do it, find it challenging, don’t get support and then beat themselves up because they feel they’ve failed. This is unacceptable and the Government needs to do more to support new mothers.” 

 

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