Breastfeeding rates for young babies have reached a record high, with more than half of new mothers continuing to breastfeed after six to eight weeks, figures show.
About 52.7 percent were still breastfeeding their child at this stage in 2023/2024 – the highest number since comparable data began in 2015/2016.
This is an increase from 49.2 per cent in 2022/23 and 48.0 per cent in 2019, according to the government’s Office for Health Improvement and Disparities.
But England is doing worse than other countries: 71 percent of children worldwide are still breastfed at the age of one.
Health officials say breastfeeding provides the “best possible nutritional start in a baby’s life,” protecting them from infections and providing important health benefits for the mother.
Stock photo of a young mother hugging and embracing her little child with love and care
Stock photo of a young mother breastfeeding a baby boy. Breastfed children perform better on intelligence tests and are less likely to be overweight or obese later in life
Breastfed children perform better on intelligence tests and are less likely to be overweight or obese later in life.
Breastfeeding women also have a reduced risk of cancer and type 2 diabetes.
Government advice is that infants should be exclusively breastfed and given only breast milk for the first six months of life.
After this, other drinks and foods can be introduced.
However, many women have difficulty initiating or continuing breastfeeding and others give up sooner than they would like due to a lack of appropriate facilities at work.
Of the 72 local authorities with valid data for 2023/24 and 2022/23, 46 significantly increased their breastfeeding rates, 26 were stable and none had significantly decreased over this period.
However, there are large differences within England, ranging from 27.6 percent in Halton to 81.2 percent in Hertfordshire.
Mothers living in affluent areas are still more likely to breastfeed than mothers living in more deprived areas.
But the gap between the most and least deprived areas has narrowed from 15.8 percentage points to 10.7 percentage points over the past year.
Most disadvantaged groups have seen an increase year on year, with the exception of the most affluent areas, which have seen a marginal decrease.
Clare Livingstone, professional adviser for policy and public health at the Royal College of Midwives, said: ‘It is good to see an increase in the number of women choosing to breastfeed, although we know there is underlying variation in this figures exist, with significant consequences. for health inequalities.
‘We realize that breastfeeding can sometimes be a challenge.
‘That is why we have long advocated sound investment in specialist and tailored support for all women, wherever they are, both during pregnancy and the postnatal period.
‘Women returning to work also need to be better supported, with access to places where they can express and store breast milk.’
Alison Morton, chief executive of the Institute of Health Visiting, said breastfeeding has ‘very positive health effects’.
She added: ‘Unfortunately, national statistics mask huge variation in breastfeeding rates between different parts of the country, which cannot be justified.
‘We know that women are much more likely to succeed at breastfeeding if they have access to good breastfeeding support. Unfortunately, this is not available everywhere and too many families miss out.
‘Urgent action is needed to end the postcode lottery and rebuild postnatal healthcare for all women and their babies. We need more health visitors and midwives.”
Shereen Fisher, director of the Baby Friendly Initiative at the UK UNICEF Committee, said: ‘Support for infant formula should not be a postcode lottery; it must be guaranteed for all babies and their families.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: ‘The benefits of breastfeeding for child and maternal health are significant and well established.
‘It is positive to see that in some areas more mothers are breastfeeding and that the gap between families in the most and least deprived areas has narrowed.
‘It is important that all families are supported to make the right choice for them.
‘We want to give every child the best start in life and that includes helping families access support to feed their babies.’