Breastfeeding rates fall across England, official figures reveal

Breastfeeding rates in England have dropped, official figures have revealed.

Figures show 57.3 per cent of English mothers stop breastfed their baby before they turned two months old in 2017/18.

In comparison, the rate was 55.6 per cent in 2016/17, according to Public Health England. 

Experts have warned the decline in breastfeeding rates may be depriving thousands of babies of important health benefits.

The data, released today, also revealed a wide variation around the country.

More than eight in 10 children in the London borough of Tower Hamlets are still breastfed after six weeks, whereas only 18 per cent are in Knowsley, Merseyside.

Less than half of women continue to breastfeed their baby after six to eight weeks in the UK, potentially meaning both mother and baby are missing out on health benefits

Other areas with low levels include Halton, Cheshire, and Sunderland, where fewer than a quarter of new mothers continue to feed beyond six weeks.

More than half of the 150 areas in the figures did not have percentage data available.

The World Health Organization says children should be fed only breast milk for the first six months of their lives, and feeding should continue until they’re at least two years old.

A mother’s breast milk protects babies from infections and provides essential vitamins and minerals.

And breastfed babies also have a lower chance of cot death, childhood leukaemia, allergies, diabetes or becoming overweight when they grow older, the NHS says.

‘England could be doing better when it comes breastfeeding,’ said Carmel Lloyd, head of education at the Royal College of Midwives.

‘Typically the number of women who start breastfeeding in the UK is at around 80 per cent, but unfortunately after a couple of weeks this number falls dramatically.

‘Low breastfeeding rates in parts of the UK unfortunately indicate a much bigger social and cultural problem that needs to be tackled. 

‘There are some areas where many generations of women haven’t been given the example of breastfeeding or offered the right support to enable them to initiate and sustain breastfeeding if they choose to breastfeed.

WHERE THE MOST BABIES ARE BREASTFED FOR MORE THAN SIX WEEKS 

  1. Tower Hamlets, London (81.6%)
  2. Lewisham, London (77.2%)
  3. Kingston upon Thames (76%)
  4. Brighton and Hove (70.2%)
  5. Reading (61.8%)
  6. Wokingham, Berkshire (61.8%)
  7. Oxfordshire (61%)
  8. Luton, Bedfordshire (58.9%)
  9. Leicester (58.4%)
  10. Herefordshire (58.10%) 

Source: Public Health England 

WHERE THE FEWEST BABIES ARE BREASTFED FOR MORE THAN SIX WEEKS 

  1. Knowsley, Merseyside (18.9%)
  2. Halton, Cheshire (20.20%)
  3. Sunderland (24.6%)
  4. South Tyneside (26.2%)
  5. Redcar and Cleveland (27.2%)
  6. North East Lincolnshire (28%)
  7. Wigan, Gtr Manchester (28.3%)
  8. County Durham (29%)
  9. Middlesbrough (29.8%)
  10. Rotherham (30.4%)

Source: Public Health England

‘For women who choose to breastfeed it is so important that they feel supported not only by midwives, but by their family, friends and wider society too, particularly when it comes to breastfeeding in public.’

Breastfeeding is also beneficial to mothers, and can reduce their risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Previous research has estimated that five per cent of breast cancer cases in the UK are caused by not breastfeeding. 

Among the areas with the most children who are breastfed beyond eight weeks are the London boroughs of Lewisham and Kingston upon Thames – where the figure is higher than three quarters.      

The national figure for 2016/17 stood at 44.4 per cent, it was 43.1 per cent in 2015/16, and 43.8 per cent for 2014/15.       

Professor Viv Bennett, chief nurse at Public Health England added: ‘Breastfeeding provides the best nutritional start in life and is something that mothers and babies learn together.

‘We know some mothers may need support and encouragement to help them start and continue with breastfeeding. 

‘That’s why we offer trusted advice to parents through our Start4Life campaign resources and to midwives and health visitors through professional guidance.’    

AREAS RANKED BY THE PROPORTION OF BABIES STILL BREASTFEED AFTER SIX WEEKS (Source: Public Health England)
Area Totally or partially breastfed after 6 weeks Not at all breastfed after 6 weeks
Tower Hamlets 81.60% 14.20%
Lewisham 77.20% 21.60%
Kingston upon Thames 76.00% 20.30%
Brighton and Hove 70.20% 25.80%
Reading 61.80% 36.40%
Wokingham 61.80% 35.70%
Oxfordshire 61.00% 35.80%
Luton 58.90% 40.30%
Leicester 58.40% 37.90%
Herefordshire 58.10% 41.10%
Trafford 58.00% 40.40%
Buckinghamshire 55.50% 42.00%
Bedford 55.10% 43.00%
Bracknell Forest 53.30% 46.30%
West Berkshire 52.00% 44.90%
Sheffield 51.10% 48.30%
East Sussex 49.80% 46.20%
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly* 49.10% 46.20%
Central Bedfordshire 48.60% 48.30%
North Yorkshire 48.50% 50.10%
Coventry 48.30% 49.80%
Cheshire East 47.70% 50.70%
Leeds 47.70% 48.20%
Suffolk 47.60% 50.50%
Nottingham 47.30% 49.20%
Northamptonshire 47.20% 48.80%
Worcestershire 47.20% 52.80%
Isle of Wight 47.20% 49.60%
Newcastle upon Tyne 46.90% 53.00%
Stockport 46.80% 50.00%
Southend on Sea 46.10% 51.60%
Leicestershire 44.90% 51.90%
Peterborough 44.60% 51.00%
Derby 44.40% 55.30%
Warwickshire 44.20% 52.20%
Solihull 44.10% 55.90%
East Riding of Yorkshire 43.10% 56.80%
Manchester 41.60% 58.40%
Derbyshire 41.20% 57.00%
Plymouth 40.30% 59.00%
Bolton 39.40% 57.10%
Sandwell 39.00% 57.80%
Nottinghamshire 38.80% 56.20%
Oldham 38.40% 60.10%
Warrington 37.90% 61.10%
Bury 37.40% 59.40%
Northumberland 36.70% 62.30%
Lincolnshire 35.20% 59.90%
Liverpool 35.10% 60.90%
Hampshire 35.00% 65.00%
Wirral 33.20% 66.20%
Wakefield 33.20% 62.20%
Rochdale 32.80% 65.10%
Darlington 31.90% 64.10%
Sefton 31.70% 65.40%
Essex 31.70% 68.30%
Tameside 31.20% 67.70%
Wolverhampton 30.60% 69.40%
Rotherham 30.40% 65.80%
Middlesbrough 29.80% 69.30%
County Durham 29.00% 69.70%
Wigan 28.30% 70.60%
North East Lincolnshire 28.00% 70.40%
Redcar and Cleveland 27.20% 72.70%
South Tyneside 26.20% 71.10%
Sunderland 24.60% 74.20%
Halton 20.20% 75.60%
Knowsley 18.90% 77.40%

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