A new study has found that there are fewer mums breastfeeding in the United Kingdom. The figures have been declining since 2014, but this year’s figures have left experts wondering why women don’t breastfeed as much as they used to.
42.7 percent of mums breastfed their babies until they were six weeks old between 2017 and 2018.
The team expressed their confusion as to why 80 percent of women started breastfeeding after birth but stopped at the six-eight week mark.
Carmel Lloyd of the Royal College of Midwives said: “Low breastfeeding rates in parts of the UK, unfortunately, indicate a much bigger social and cultural problem that needs to be tackled.”
She explained to The Independent: “There are some areas where many generations of women haven’t been given the example of breastfeeding or offered the right support to enable them to initiate and sustain breastfeeding if they choose to breastfeed.”
Breastfeeding isn’t easy for many mums, especially when they hear breastfeeding myths and horror stories. It is understandable that many women feel emotionally drained when trying to breastfeed for the first time.
However, there are so many benefits for both mum and baby. The World Health Organisation are big advocates of breastfeeding because of the many benefits it has for both mums and their infants.
Breastfeeding boosts your baby’s immune system, gives them all the nutrients they need and lowers the chances of diabetes.
It also helps mums combat weight gain, reduces their risk of breast and ovarian cancer and help you bond with your tiny tot.
For more information on breastfeeding click here.
