Nursery World - Call to change attitudes to breastfeeding

Social stigma is a major barrier to breastfeeding and more must be done to support women to continue breastfeeding beyond the first few weeks, experts say.

Released to coincide with the 25th anniversary of World Breastfeeding Week, guidance from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) warns that the rate of breastfeeding in the UK, which is currently one of the lowest in the world, shows little sign of improving. It cites figures from The Lancet , which suggest that just a third of UK babies are breastfeeding at six months of age, compared to over 70 per cent in Norway.

The RCPCH guidance recommends that mothers should be encouraged to breastfeed exclusively for up to six months, solid food should not be introduced before four months, and mothers should be supported to continue breastfeeding for as long as they wish.

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