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Government invests £2 million to help breastfeeding
Released on 05/08/2008
Government invests £2 million to help breastfeeding
Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo has announced an extra £2 million to be invested to help more women in England breastfeed. The extra funding will help improve the UK’s breastfeeding rate that is among the lowest in Europe, and in particular help mums in deprived areas.
The extra funding will help support hospitals in disadvantaged areas to achieve Unicef Baby-Friendly Status, a set of best practice standards for maternity units and community services on improving practice to promote, protect and support breastfeeding.
Rosie Dodds, Policy Researcher, NCT said;
"NCT welcomes the announcement of a £2 million investment from the Government to support women to breastfeed. The NCT is a major provider of breastfeeding support and is pleased to see crucial investment going to disadvantaged areas as women in these areas are least likely to breastfeed.Protecting and supporting women to breastfeed has huge advantages for the health outcomes of mothers and babies as evidence shows breastfeeding protects against serious diseases and infections¹. This investment will easily pay for itself through reduced admissions to hospitals.
More women need accurate information and skilled support when starting and continuing to breastfeed. Although three quarters of women start breastfeeding, this falls to only half of women when their baby is six weeks old. The latest infant feeding survey found three in four mothers who stopped breastfeeding would have liked to continue for longer.
There is a need for continued investment of this kind to ensure that the Unicef Baby Friendly level of support is available to every family and peer support is available for women who need it in the community. It is vital we give women the information and support to enable them to continue breastfeeding for as long as they would like to do so.
NCT breastfeeding counsellors and peer support schemes which give community support, effort, time and commitment to mothers are also ideally placed to support breastfeeding."
ENDS
For further press information contact the NCT press office on 020 8752 2404 (out of hours 07722 839 428) or email: press@nct.org.uk
¹Quigley MA., Kelly YJ., Sacker AS. Breastfeeding and Hospitalisation for Diarrheal and Respiratory Infection in the UK Millennium Cohort Study. Ped 2007; 119(4):e837-e842
A population-based study of 15890 healthy infants born 2000-02 estimated that exclusive breastfeeding could prevent 53% of diarrhoea hospitalisations and 27% of lower respiratory tract hospitalisations per month.
Notes to Editors
The NCT is the UK’s leading charity on pregnancy, birth and early parenthood. Every year the charity supports thousands of parents through an incredible life-changing experience, offering relevant information and mutual support through our network of over 300 local branches, UK wide helplines, antenatal and early days courses, breastfeeding counselling and peer support schemes.
Operating for over 50 years, the NCT is recognised as the voice of pregnant women and new parents throughout the UK. The charity works continuously for improvements to maternity care and better services and facilities for new parents. We are viewed by many as independent experts in matters relating to pregnancy, birth and early parenthood and are an influential and trusted advisor to UK governments, royal colleges, private sector bodies and other charities. For further information call NCT Enquiries on 0300 330 0770 or visit www.nct.org.uk
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Email: press@nct.org.uk
Website: www.nct.org.uk
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