Continuing to Breastfeed

****

The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF have recommended since the late 80's that all mothers breastfeed for at least two years. But most women who nurse stop before their baby is six months old - and many never start at all. Globally less than 40% of infants under six months of age are exclusively breastfed (WHO).


The latest (2005) research into these figures for Great Britain tells us about how British mothers feed their children. To visualise those stats, let's imagine a town in which 100 babies were all born on the same day (!!!)...

At BIRTH:

• 76 babies will start life being breastfed, one or more feeds a day.
• 24 babies will not be offered the breast at all (no colostrum, no mature milk)
  

By SIX WEEKS (at time of postnatal check-up with GP):

• 50 babies at 6 weeks are still breastfeeding (though some of those may already get supplemental feeds).
• 26 babies will have stopped breastfeeding altogether.
•    (so 50 babies at 6 weeks are fed without breastmilk.)
  

By SIX MONTHS (the recommended MINIMUM for exclusive Breastfeeding): 

• 1 baby still exclusively fed with breastmilk - no other foods or fluids.
• 24 babies continue to receive some breastmilk, but have had top-ups, or solid food.
• 75 babies at 6 months are fed without breastmilk.

Figures from the 2010 infant feeding survey are due out in June 2011.
{Infant Feeding Survey 2010: Early Results [NS]
To be published: June 2011. Delayed from February 2011 for technical reasons.}


After the 2005 survey, the NHS set itself a target to increase breastfeeding initiation rates {was at 76%} by two per cent year on year, in particular targeting women in disadvantaged groups. Many have come to see that focussing on the initiation rate doesn't assist policy-formers, but rather that we should focus on improving the BF rate at 6 weeks.  This will hopefully expose the weaknesses in the postnatal NHS support for breastfeeding.


You can compare the 2000 figures for Britain with other countries on KellyMom. 
In Denmark and Norway, 98% of babies are breastfed at birth, and 75% are exclusively breastfed for the recommended six months. Can it be coincidental that in these countries, all marketing of artificial infant milk is banned, and has been for many years?

Current guidelines are that children should receive breastmilk and nothing else till they are 6 months old. It is also recommended that they should continue to receive breastmilk until they are at least 2 years old. (See links here for advice on introducing solids.)

*****

Here's a discussion of growth spurts you may find useful.

*****

Read all the posts about "Continuing to Breastfeed"

on this blog: click here.