This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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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.