This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
Listen
More mothers breastfeeding longer
09/05/2003
The news that more mothers are breastfeeding for longer was welcomed today by Chief Nursing Officer Anne Jarvie but she said we cannot be complacent.
The breastfeeding statistics, published ahead of Breastfeeding Awareness Week next week, show that in 2002, 37 per cent of women were still breastfeeding at the 6 to 8 week review - an increase of 2.6 per cent from 1998.
Ms Jarvie said:
"We know that breastmilk is the world's best baby food, providing mother and baby with many advantages over formula feeding. Breastmilk helps to stimulate the immune system and protects babies from a wide range of infections, including lung and ear infections. And for mum, it can reduce the risk of breast and ovarian cancers.
"We are making steady progress in promoting breastfeeding and it is encouraging that more mothers are breastfeeding and for longer. But we cannot stop here. We must build on our progress and ensure that by 2005 at least 50 per cent of all mums in Scotland are breastfeeding their babies at six weeks.
"The Executive will continue to work with NHS Health Scotland and with the Scottish Breastfeeding Group, which has been working with women across the country to raise awareness of the benefits of breastfeeding, to promote breastmilk as the world's best baby food."
The update of NHSScotland Child Health, Breastfeeding statistics were derived from the Child Health Surveillance Programme: Pre-School Surveillance.
There are 10 NHS boards involved in the programme: Argyll & Clyde, Ayrshire & Arran, Borders, Dumfries & Galloway, Fife, Forth Valley, Greater Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Lothian and Tayside.
Evidence suggests that breastfeeding reduces the risk of mortality from neo-natal necrotising entercolitis, reduces morbidity from gastro-intestinal infections, respiratory infection, urinary tract infection and otitis media. It also reduces the incidence of eczema where there is family history and the risk of childhood onset diabetes, of maternal breast and ovarian cancers, and of maternal fractures caused by osteoporosis.
National Breastfeeding Awareness Week runs from May 12 to 18. It aims to raise awareness of the health benefits of breastfeeding, increase social acceptance of breastfeeding and to promote support for breastfeeding.
NHS Health Scotland (formally HEBS) is producing two new publications on breastfeeding during National Breastfeeding Awareness Week. Off to a Good Start- All You Need to Know About Breastfeeding Your Baby is designed to help mothers decide how to feed their children and to provide detailed information about breastfeeding. A new leaflet for mothers entitled Breastfeeding and Returning to Work will also be published.
The Scottish Breastfeeding Group (SBG) if funded by the Scottish Executive and is Chaired by the Chief Nursing Officer, Anne Jarvie. The SBG aims to raise awareness about breastfeeding issues in Scotland and improve care and support available for breastfeeding mothers and babies.
There are now 150 breastfeeding support groups in Scotland and five breastfeeding peer support projects.
The Executive also funds a part time National Breastfeeding Adviser who has been appointed to provide support and advice to NHS Boards in developing strategies for increasing breastfeeding. 13 NHS Boards now have a breastfeeding strategy in place.