A new report shows that governments, local authorities, planners and employers could boost the UK's low breastfeeding rates by taking steps to make mothers feel more confident, and providing better support and facilities for breastfeeding.
The latest report by the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative (WBTi) shows that Britain lags behind other countries in the support it provides for women wishing to begin or continue breastfeeding, and this is reflected in the UK's woefully low rates of breastfeeding. According to Sustain member Babymilk Action, the UK has the lowest breastfeeding rate at 12 months in the world.
The World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative is a group of government agencies, health professional bodies and voluntary groups which gathers and compares data on the measures countries are taking to support breastfeeding.
The WBTi scorecards show that in the UK, Scotland and Northern Ireland have done most to introduce polices and programmes to empower mothers in a bid to improve on low breastfeeding rates. Thanks to recent action they have scores of 102.5/150 and 102/150, respectively. England and Wales, where mothers also cite lack of support and breastfeeding falls off rapidly from birth onwards, have more to do, scoring 80.5/150 and 88/150, respectively.
Read the report here, and find out more about Sustain's campaigning work for a greener, fairer food system here.
Published Friday 18 November 2016
Sustain: Sustain The alliance for better food and farming advocates food and agriculture policies and practices that enhance the health and welfare of people and animals, improve the working and living environment, enrich society and culture and promote equity.
