Extra £2m to help mums breastfeed
Tuesday, 05 Aug 2008 15:27
Extra investment will help more women to breastfeed
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An extra £2 million will be invested in schemes to help more women in England breastfeed, the government announced today.
It is hoped the money will improve the UK's breastfeeding rate, which is among the lowest in Europe.
Research has shown that children who are breastfed have greater protection from infections as well as a smaller chance of being obese later in childhood.
Schemes supported by the extra money will particularly help mums in deprived areas as mothers with lower education levels and younger mothers appear least likely to initiate and continue breastfeeding.
Hospitals in disadvantaged areas will be helped 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.
The government will monitor progress through measuring the prevalence of breastfeeding at six to eight weeks in all primary care trusts.
"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," said health minister Dawn Primarolo.
"We want to ensure women know the importance of breastfeeding and the benefits to themselves and their baby."