CELEBRITY STYLE SPY: See all the latest celeb photos

Maternity units not teaching mothers to breastfeed

By Elizabeth Heathcote on Monday 11 May 2009

Print
Share
Comment

Woman breastfeeding

Maternity units stand accused by Unicef of failing to teach new mothers how to breastfeed.

As a result, more than half of mothers give up breastfeeding before their babies are six weeks old, giving Britain one of the worst records in the world.

A new report by the charity says that less that 2 per cent of British mothers feed their babies exclusively on breastmilk until they are six months old, as recommended by the World Health Organisation.

Unicef says that nine out of 10 hospitals fail to adequately support new mothers in breastfeeding because staff lack basic knowledge.

Britain remains at the bottom of European tables, with a quarter of mothers here bottlefeeding their babies from the day they are born. In Norway, 99 per cent of mothers breastfeed from day one, according to the Times.

The government has spent millions on campaigns to promote breastfeeding, and 85 per cent of women know the health advantages for the baby, including reduced incidence of childhood gastroenteritis, asthma, diabetes and obesity.

Unicef is calling for better training in maternity units to teach mothers to breastfeed correctly, preventing pain and soreness and the milk supply drying up.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES

Monday 11 May 2009

Have your say ...

Add your own comment

I totally agree with this - I think the only way to do it is to keep asking for help. When I had my 2nd, I still needed help, but it wasn't offered to me - and after being on the ward for 4 hours with no one talking to me, I complained. I finally got the help that i needed - and am still breastfeeding him now (a year on!).

Breastfeeding is definately worth it - but obviously you need to be shown how to do it - to avoid too much pain and problems.
Comment by lindsey on May 11 13:45

When I left the hospital with my daughter a nurse had literally popped her head around the curtain and nodded her head as she saw me attempting to breast feed my daughter. She ticked a box and I was discharged.
My daughter was critically ill 12 hours later. It was only because of this that I received support from a breast feeding specialist in the special care unit. It was only then that I realised I had not been feeding her properly and she had merely been sucking on my nipple getting nothing out! No wonder I was sore!
There is an unfair amount of pressure on women to feed. Many women could avoid the feeling of "faliure" when not being able, if there was more help. Babies would certainly benefit, and the bond between mother and baby could potentially be stronger if women were given more assistance.
Comment by Mary on May 12 14:30

I agree i really wanted to breastfeed when my frst son was born and had written it on my birth plan, when i gave birth the midwives swapped over and i never got offered my son to breat feed they took me for a bath and i wasnt really with it due to pethdine, i had to ask to breastfeed him and i got a look of surprise and told i would have to wait until i got to the ward then no one offered to help me, after a couple of times not being comfortable and struggling to get on the bed with him i had to ask and then i was given 5 mins before she went off not to check on me again i felt alone and more stressed.
Comment by Alanna on March 17 13:17