Released on: 26 October 2018
In response to Public Health England's latest breastfeeding statistics, Elizabeth Duff, Senior Policy Adviser, NCT, said:
“All women should be supported to feed their babies in the way they want. This means it’s vital that specialist support is available for new mothers who want to breastfeed, especially in the first few days and weeks after birth.
“These worrying figures show the proportion of babies breastfed at six to eight weeks is the lowest in England for four years. Unfortunately, they are hardly surprising given the shocking number of budget cuts to breastfeeding support services during this period. NCT research¹ found that 64% of women who didn’t see a midwife enough postnatally had questions or concerns about feeding their baby that weren’t addressed.
“NCT breastfeeding counsellors offer practical and non-judgmental support which can make all the difference to women’s feeding experiences. We also have lots of information on our website about breastfeeding and formula feeding, and a free helpline to help new parents. We want mums and dads to feel prepared and supported whatever their decisions or circumstances.”
¹ ‘Support Overdue: Women’s experiences of maternity services 2017’.
