This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Mothers encouraged to breastfeed
11/05/2004
New TV ads and posters, to encourage change in public
opinion and attitudes towards breastfeeding, were launched
today.
Coinciding with Breastfeeding Awareness Week 2004, the
campaign is being run by NHS Health Scotland.
Speaking in Edinburgh, the Health Minister Malcolm
Chisholm said:
"The health benefits of breastfeeding both for mother
and baby are universally accepted and supported by a wealth
of international research. Breastfeeding reduces the risk
of many common childhood infections and offers protection
for mothers against breast and ovarian cancer.
"Adverts like the one being launched today have an
important role to play in changing attitudes towards
breastfeeding, both among mothers and the general
public.
"In addition to this, I have asked the Scottish
Breastfeeding Group to look at what more can be done in
this vital area - both among mothers and the general
public - and how best to target those in the most deprived
areas, where breastfeeding rates are traditionally the
lowest."
Commenting on figures on the latest rates of
breastfeeding released yesterday by the Information and
Statistics Division of the NHS (ISD), Mr Chisholm said:
"These figures show that steady improvements are being
made in the numbers of women who continue to breastfeed
their babies after six weeks. They also show that where
women take up breastfeeding in Scotland, they tend to
breastfeed for longer.
"However, much still needs to be done to drive up
breastfeeding rates in Scotland, particularly in the most
deprived areas. To do this we will need the continued
contribution of those very dedicated individuals within the
health service who are supporting mothers and families day
in, day out.
"Local Authorities, licensing bodies, local businesses,
families and the wider general public should also be
involved. We all have a valuable role to play in this
important issue."
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.
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.
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 10
to 16. It aims to raise awareness of the health benefits of
breastfeeding, increase social acceptance of breastfeeding
and to promote support for breastfeeding.
The latest ISD breastfeeding statistics can be found at
www.isdscotland.org.