WIREDGOV

Extra money to help more mums breastfeed

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH News Release issued by The Government News Network on 5 August 2008

- £2 million extra pledged for 2008 during World Breastfeeding Week -

An extra £2 million will be invested to help more women in England breastfeed, Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo announced today. The extra funding, announced during World Breastfeeding Week (1-7 August), will help improve the UK's breastfeeding rate that is among the lowest in Europe, and in particular help mums in deprived areas.

The extra funding will help support hospitals in disadvantaged areas to achieve Unicef Baby-Friendly Status, a set of best practice standards for maternity units and community services on improving practice to promote, protect and support breastfeeding. This Unicef initiative has a proven track record in raising breastfeeding rates in many countries. It will not only support mothers to start breastfeeding, but will help them to continue for longer through a range other grassroots initiatives, such as peer support groups to help mothers overcome breastfeeding difficulties. The Government will monitor progress through measuring the prevalence of breastfeeding at 6 to 8 weeks in all Primary Care Trusts as a key indicator of Child Health & Wellbeing PSA target.

Dawn Primarolo said, "By international standards not enough women breastfeed in England. This money will help more mums - particularly those in more deprived areas - to breastfeed and to do so for longer.

"We want to ensure women know the importance of breastfeeding and the benefits to themselves and their baby. "

Recent research has showed significant inequalities in breastfeeding with only 32% of women in the routine and manual socio-economic group breastfeeding beyond six weeks, compared with 65% in managerial and professional groups.1

This extra investment in England will help improve our breastfeeding rates, which are one of the lowest in Europe. In England 78% of mothers initiate breastfeeding. Of this, only 22% are still breastfeeding at 6 months. Initiation rates for other European countries: Norway: 99%; Denmark: 98%; Sweden: 97.7%; Switzerland: 94%; Austria: 93%; Italy: 91%; Spain: 84.2%, while France, Ireland and Germany have lower rates than England Germany: 77.8%; France: 69%; Ireland: 53%.

The extra funding and services at community level are in addition to other activities initiated in 2008 to promote breastfeeding, including the launch of the new National Breastfeeding Helpline (0844 2090 920) and the launch of Breast Buddy - a campaign to encourage women, especially those who are 16-25 years and from disadvantaged groups, to initiate and continue to breastfeed. Breastmilk gives babies all the nutrients they need for the first six months of life and helps protect them from infection and diseases such as gastro-intestinal infections, ear infections, urine infections, eczema and obesity in later childhood.

The Baby Friendly initiative tells mothers about the benefits of breastfeeding, trains staff to help women breastfeed, helps mums and babies to stay together 24 hours a day while they are in hospital and sets standards for breastfeeding support groups.

A £75 million social marketing campaign called Change4Life is due to be launched in Autumn 2008, which will focus on helping people to make healthier choices, and breastfeeding will be integral to the campaign.

For further information please contact:

Kate Howe, +44 0207 467 9273
Kate.howe@bisslancaster.com

Candice Bowen, +44 0207 467 9293
Candice.bowen@bisslancaster.com

Notes to Editor

* The Department of Health recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months (26 weeks) of an infant's life, as breast milk provides all the nutrients a baby needs at this time. Breastfeeding (and/or breastmilk substitutes, if used) should continue beyond the first six months along with appropriate types and amounts of solid foods.

* The recent Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition review of the Infant Feeding Survey highlighted the fact that mothers with lower education levels and younger mothers, appear least likely to initiate and continue breastfeeding. Age is a strong factor in initiation, with statistics showing that in the UK, 76% of women start breastfeeding, but for mothers under 20, it's just 51%.2

* Research indicates breastmilk helps protect babies from infection and diseases such as gastro-intestinal infections, ear infections, urine infections, eczema and obesity in later childhood. 'Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives' a cross-government strategy for obesity (January 2008) aims to reverse the rise in childhood obesity and breastfeeding plays an integral role in this. Breastfeeding also provides health benefits for mothers. It can reduce the risk of ovarian cancer, breast cancer and weak bones later in life.

* The Department of Health is implementing a campaign to promote breastfeeding; increasing the initiation rates and encouraging continuation through the early weeks and beyond. The campaign targets health care professionals including midwives and health visitors as well as pregnant women (particularly young mothers) and the general public. This is part of a wider campaign for Maternal & Infant Nutrition to promote breastfeeding, best practice weaning, the uptake of vitamin D and folic acid supplements before and during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

* Reducing health inequalities in infant mortality between the routine and manual group and the whole of the population is a national target. Improving maternal and infant health and nutrition, including breastfeeding will contribute to this target. The target is starting with children under one year, by 2010 to reduce by at least 10% the gap in mortality between the routine and manual group and the population as a whole.

* To sign up to Breast Buddy, mums-to-be can text BUDDY to 60022. The Department of Health is also highlighting breastfeeding-friendly places to make breastfeeding more accessible. A list of breastfeeding friendly places is available on http://www.breastfeeding.nhs.uk.

References

1. The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition, Infant Feeding Survey (2005) is available at http://www.sacn.gov.uk/reports

2. The Position Statement by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) 2008 on the 'Infant Feeding Survey 2005: A commentary on infant feeding practices in the UK' is available at http://www.sacn.gov.uk/reports