Breastfeeding expert welcomes new helpline

A pioneering Greater Manchester midwife has welcomed the launch of a new helpline that will provide practical support and information to breastfeeding mothers.

Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo has launched the national advice line, backed by a £150,000 a year, to help give new mums the support they need to breastfeed for longer.

The National Breastfeeding Helpline, on 0844 20 909 20, is staffed by trained volunteer mothers from the Breastfeeding Network and the Association of Breastfeeding Mothers who have all breastfed themselves.

The move has been welcomed by Val Finigan, infant feeding co-ordinator for Pennine Acute Trust, who said the helpline would help to keep mothers breastfeeding who may otherwise have stopped.

Val, who received a MBE in the New Year’s Honours list for developing systems to support breastfeeding, said: “Breast milk is the best source of nutrition for babies and this helpline, which is long overdue, will give mothers access to the 24-hour support and reassurance that they need.

“Locally, we are carrying out a great deal of post-natal and ante-natal work to support women with breastfeeding. Breastfeeding rates have doubled at the Royal Oldham Hospital and North Manchester General Hospital, which have both gained UNICEF’s prestigious Baby Friendly accreditation.

“In addition, we have a network of breastfeeding support groups run by a mix of hospital and community-based staff throughout Oldham, Middleton, Rochdale, Heywood, Bury and North Manchester. These groups are co-ordinated under the Baby Bistro banner.”

Studies have shown that breastfed babies are less likely to become ill and obese in later childhood and that breastfeeding can prevent mothers having health problems later in life, such as breast and ovarian cancers.

The recently launched obesity strategy outlines how the Government aims to make breastfeeding the norm by providing the helpline but also by investing in an information campaign, encouraging maternity units to promote and encourage breastfeeding and developing a best practice code for employers and businesses to facilitate breastfeeding.

The Department of Health recommends exclusive breastfeeding up to the age of six months, with continued breastfeeding alongside solid foods after six months. But a new report published by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition, shows that there needs to be more accessible and timely support for those mothers who do decide to breastfeed.

The report examines the Infant Feeding Survey of 2005 and shows that, although breastfeeding is up from 69 per cent in 2000 to 76 per cent in 2005 across the UK, the prevalence of mothers breastfeeding at six weeks is less than 50 per cent. The prevalence falls to 25 per cent at six months and, by this time, less than 1 per cent of UK babies are exclusively breastfed.

Dawn Primarolo said: "When it comes to feeding babies, breast is best. Our challenge is to help new mums, who choose to breast feed, through those early difficult weeks and months. That's why we have launched this new helpline to give new mums support so they can breast feed for longer.”