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Experts to consider how to improve breastfeeding rates.

Leading experts will come together today to explore ways to encourage and support more mothers to breastfeed for longer.

The first Scottish Breastfeeding Summit, organised by the Scottish Government, will take place at Murrayfield, attended by key players from across the health service, local authorities and the third sector. Delegates will look at what can be done to improve breastfeeding rates, which have improved over the last decade, but still remain relatively static.

A new guide for breastfeeding mothers, Off To A Good Start, will be launched at the event. The booklet has been produced by NHS Health Scotland after listening to feedback from pregnant women, new mothers and their families. It will be provided free to all health boards and given out to all pregnant women in Scotland.

Scotland is the only country in the UK to have legislation in place that prevents discrimination against women who breastfeed in public.

Maureen Watt, Minister for Public Health, said:

“This summit is a chance to share what is working well and come up with some fresh ideas to help increase breastfeeding rates. This is one of the best things any mother can do to give their child a healthy start in life, so it’s absolutely vital that women have all the help and support they need.

“Research shows that women who understand the health benefits for their child are more likely to take it up, so getting that information to them is important. But this is also about identifying barriers that exist, and finding ways around them.”

Background:

Promoting and supporting breastfeeding is a key component of Scottish Government’s Framework for Maternal and Infant Nutrition and there is strong evidence that breastfeeding in infancy has a protective effect against many childhood illnesses. 

Breastfed infants are likely to have a reduced risk of infection, particularly those affecting the ear, respiratory tract and gastro-intestinal tract. This protective effect is particularly marked in low birth weight infants. Other probable benefits include improved cognitive and psychological development, and a reduced risk of childhood obesity. There is also evidence that women who breastfed have lower risks of breast cancer, epithelial ovarian cancer and hip fracture later in life.

Overall, latest figures show 48.4 per cent of babies were breastfed at the first visit (around 10 days) in 2013/14. This compared with 44.4 per cent in 2004/05. The figures show a trend towards mixed feeding, where the baby is fed both breast and formula milk, and a decline by the 6-8 week review. 

The summit will look at ways of increasing breastfeeding rates among more deprived communities. Rates have increased by 7.2 per cent over the last nine years among mums from disadvantaged backgrounds, but a strong correlation between breastfeeding and deprivation remains – making it a key driver of health inequalities.