Anyone can breastfeed

Last year I wrote the following piece for a discussion forum, in reply to a discussion about breastfeeding support. Re-reading it inspired me to write this blog post. You might disagree with the title, but please read on!
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Although things are gradually improving here in the UK, I don't think there's enough breastfeeding support around at the moment, which is why so many mums who try are still giving up so early. And others who hear of these difficult experiences may decide not to even try to breastfeed in the first place.

There was a report recently that said that 90% of UK mothers who stopped feeding before six weeks regret doing so. This is really sad for them and their babies, especially as it would be so easy to prevent this if the right resources were in place.

So many women stop because they think their baby isn't getting enough milk, and in most cases they are, but the mothers just don't know how to tell. This isn't helped by health visitors who frequently scare mothers into giving up by measuring their babies' weights against charts based on data from bottle-fed babies.

Another common reason for stopping is if the baby doesn't latch on properly. This may be interpreted by the mother as the baby not wanting to breastfeed, it may again make her think that she's not producing enough milk, or that she's just doing it wrong somehow. These issues could be corrected so easily with the support of a breastfeeding adviser, who could look at the latch and provide an instant correction.

At our NCT classes Swedish breastfeeding statistics were used to illustrate that it's possible for almost every mother to breastfeed if given the right support. In Sweden, (according to data from the year 2000), over 90% of new mothers breastfeed their baby, and 72% of them are still breastfeeding by the time they're 6 months.

So if governments were to put some more resources into breastfeeding support and education it could make such a difference to our breastfeeding rates - not to mention the health of our children and the potential reduction in national healthcare costs from this investment!
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Sadly the lady who started the discussion, a Swedish lady, replied that things aren't so great now in Sweden. The country that many had hailed as the "breastfeeding capital of the world", is apparently having similar problems to us. Hospital staff no longer have enough time to help mothers breastfeed, and the enthusiasm that there once was for this most natural and healthy way of feeding one's child, is waning.

Luckily UK breastfeeding statistics are gradually improving, as people are being made more aware of the benefits, and it's slowly becoming more common to see other women breastfeeding. The latest statistics I can find are from 2005, where initial ('at birth') breastfeeding rates were 78% in England, 70% in Scotland, 67% in Wales, and 63% in Northern Ireland(1). Rates in all four countries had increased since previous years.

And from positive changes in the way the media portrays breastfeeding, the experiences of my friends and my own (statistically insignificant!) observations on peoples' attitudes to breastfeeding, I would expect (and hope) that things have improved even more since then.

A long-standing frustration amongst those trying to promote breastfeeding, is the apparent lack of interest amongst the working class and younger mothers. Although recent campaigns have had a positive effect overall, these groups just don't seem to relate to them. And ironically, it is lower income groups who could probably benefit most from breastfeeding; which could help reduce life-long health inequalities(2) caused by factors such as poor housing conditions, inadequate nutrition, a higher prevalence of diseases relating to tobacco and alcohol consumption, and less access to health information.

To try to improve the image of breastfeeding amongst younger women from poorer backgrounds, a new Lancashire-based campaign has been launched which is firmly aimed at this group. The Be A Star campaign trades on the cult of celebrity. It shows young breastfeeding mums looking glamourous and hot, just like a pop star or a model. A world apart from the traditional view of breastfeeding mums (middle-aged, middle class hippy folk), and more likely to appeal to those who don't fit the "traditional model".

Campaigns like this are very encouraging, and so are the real celebrities who go public about the benefits of breastfeeding, and speak about their positive experiences. People like Charlotte Church, Angelina Jolie and Gwen Stefani are worth their weight in gold to breastfeeding supporters; they are likely to have a markedly bigger positive impact on breastfeeding rates in all sectors of society, than any national campaign or strategy could ever hope to.



Sources
(1) Infant and Dietetic Foods Association
(2) Guardian Article: Breastfeeding Gets Image Overhaul
Photo courtesy of 007 Breasts