Why are UK breastfeeding rates so low?
The wonders of breast milk and the sad truth of falling numbers.
Today, I want to talk about a subject I am incredibly passionate about: the benefits of breastfeeding. Although it’s common knowledge that breastmilk is designed for human babies, it is a hugely contentious issue that causes lots of anger and controversy. Saying ‘breast is best’ is almost taboo, and I think that’s partly because the importance of breastfeeding for the health of mother and child is not always communicated.
Right up front, I want to make it clear that breastfeeding can be incredibly challenging and sometimes impossible for new mothers. Because mums know the importance of breast milk, this can be very stressful. I had a very hard time breastfeeding my first child mostly due to lack of support and not enough preparation on what is needed for successful breastfeeding in those first few exhausting weeks. I fed her infant formula on the advice of everyone around me in her first few weeks of life. I am not here to shame mothers into breastfeeding, or to suggest that couples who can’t breastfeed are at a disadvantage; I just want to highlight the different options available and the differences between the UK & the US, and the rest of the world.
The US and the UK falling behind other developed countries when it comes to breastfeeding rates. But why is this?
Before we get into it, here's a quick note on terminology. I use the terms ‘breastfeeding’ and ‘women’ throughout. This is for simplicity’s sake. At the same time, I acknowledge that not all people who breastfeed or chestfeed identify as women.
The state of play
A 2018 Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition report tells us that the proportion of UK women who breastfeed exclusively to 6 months or who were still breastfeeding at 1 year is “very low” compared with similar high-income countries.
And according to UNICEF, the UK has “some of the lowest breastfeeding rates in the world.” At 4 months, only 12% are breastfeeding exclusively.
This is also a growing problem globally. Less than half of babies are breastfed in line with WHO recommendations.
More and more people are using formula. While infant formula certainly has its place, it isn’t the only (or best) alternative to a mother’s milk.
So, in this article, I want to address the UK’s lack of breast milk banks. I’ll also touch on some social and economic factors that make breastfeeding challenging in the UK and beyond.
But first, I want to briefly outline some of the reasons breastfeeding is vital to support the health of mother and child.
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