Latest infant feeding survey

[knopk@]

Just browsing as always and found this interesting.

I think it shows there just isnt enough support around as more women wanted to BF but still 1% (!!!) of babies were exclusively BF at 6 months.

It makes me sad, esp knowing how rubbish my postnatal care and BF support was and I am a very stubborn person

• The initial breastfeeding rate increased from 76 per cent in 2005 to 81 per cent in 2010 in the UK. This includes all babies who were put to the breast at all, even if this was on one occasion only, and also includes giving expressed breastmilk.
• The highest incidences of breastfeeding were found among mothers aged 30 or over (87 per cent), those from minority ethnic groups (97 per cent for Chinese or other ethnic group, 96 per cent for Black and 95 per cent for Asian ethnic group), those who left education aged over 18 (91 per cent), those in managerial and professional occupations (90 per cent) and those living in the least deprived areas (89 per cent).
• The prevalence of breastfeeding fell from 81 per cent at birth to 69 per cent at one week, and to 55 per cent at six weeks. At six months, just over a third of mothers (34 per cent) were still breastfeeding.
• Mothers continued to breastfeed for longer in 2010 than was the case in 2005. The gap in breastfeeding levels at birth between 2005 and 2010 was five percentage points (76 per cent in 2005 compared with 81 per cent in 2010) and by six months the gap became nine percentage points (25 per cent in 2005 compared to 34 per cent in 2010). This suggests that policy developments to improve support and information provided to mothers to encourage them to continue breastfeeding may have had an impact.
• Across the UK, 69 per cent of mothers were exclusively breastfeeding at birth in 2010. At one week, less than half of all mothers (46 per cent) were exclusively breastfeeding, while this had fallen to around a quarter (23 per cent) by six weeks. By six months, levels of exclusive breastfeeding had decreased to one per cent, indicating that very few mothers were following the UK health departments’ recommendation that babies should be exclusively breastfed until around the age of six months.
• There has been an increase in the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding at birth (from 65 per cent in 2005 to 69 per cent in 2010), but there has been little change thereafter up until six weeks. However, the fall-out rate in later months was lower in 2010 than 2005. For example, at three months, 17 per cent of mothers were still breastfeeding exclusively (up from 13 per cent in 2005) and at four months, 12 per cent were still breastfeeding exclusively (up from 7 per cent in 2005).

 

[Nurse 26]

Its shocking figures really, i also had no support but was lucky enough to mange to keep going. we are still going strong at nearly 10 month, def needs to be more support can see why many women give up, so sad

 

[knopk@]

It is indeed shocking, and I dont see it changing with NHS making cuts as well

 

[mummy2b19]

It is irritating that the government are spending so much into bf campaigns etc but yet i found there to be no help whars so ever where is all the money going on leaflets and stopping formula companys etc advertising it should be spent on more lactation consultants x

 

[knopk@]

NHS are only spending lie 9 p per person on BF advertising whilst formula companies are spending closer to £20 per baby. Which is shocking of course but NHS is funded by the government. I think they are trying to make changes but different trusts have different funding too. Very frustrating as my friend lives 15 mins away from me but a different postcode and she had very good postnatal care and I didnt

 

[Jajis]

I find it sad, but not surprising. The support I received was rubbish, my arms were pretty numb after Alex was born so I couldn't hold him properly. On the observation ward they stuck him down next to my boob but he wouldn't latch and just screamed and went red in the face. They said they'd come back and try and help later but they never did. It wasn't until I went up to the normal ward 24 hours later that one of the midwives asked what he'd had to eat so far... erm, nothing. They tried to get him to latch but when it didn't work they asked if I wanted to give him some formula. When I say 'asked' I mean they made me feel like I had no choice, and I'd be a terrible person if I said no because I would basically be starving my baby. I cried and couldn't look as my OH gave it to him

The second day they said they wouldn't let me go home that night as it would be irresponsible because they knew I wanted to breast feed and Alex still wasn't latching. They said if I'd said from the beginning that I was going to formula feed then they'd have let me go home. They said they'd help. Their help consisted of showing me where the breast pumping room was and leaving me too it. I sat and cried on my own in a horrible little room, but was so glad when something finally came out because it meant I could give him that rather than formula, and it meant they'd let me go home.

The midwives and health visitors who came to visit me at home were no better. They were lovely but basically because I was expressing and Alex was putting on weight they weren't particularly bothered about getting me to actually feed from the breast. One of them said they would normally have sent me to the baby cafe, but it was August so they were closed for the summer... well thanks, what a helpful comment

Thankfully after two weeks of expressing and constant help and support from my OH and my Mum, Alex did manage to latch (although he didn't get it quite right for another week or so and OMG the pain until he did was horrible, I cried every time) and we're still going strong twenty two weeks later I'm constantly amazed by those of you on here who manage to express long term, I really don't know how long I'd have been able to carry on.

EDIT - ha, sorry, that turned into a bit of a rant!

 

[cosmicgirl]

Sad sad stats but not surprising unfortunately.
I think it's the right move to stop formula being advertised and starting to stop giving it out in hospitals but more needs to be done.
I think women need to be given real information regarding the real ingredients of formula, the formula companies need to be clamped down on regarding manufacture and their underhand practices in other countries. I also think more should be done in schools. Educate girls at senior school level and get them thinking about bf for their children when they are older.
I'd love to see a real, supportive and open system where ladies could access 24hr help, regardless of postcode, and the full support as long as needed.
There will always be those who chose formula but what a shame that those who realise the benefits of bf find themselves without support.
Bf drives are pointless without the support structure to back it up x

 

[mrswoody]

In my area they are having a massive push on bf at the minute. The bf support workers,HVs and mws are getting assessed and they are to make sure there is abetted bfing education among health professionals ie. your gp and promoting bfing in local establishments. Sounds promising but who knows if it will make the difference.
My post natal care was ok, the ward was full and the mws were rushed off their feet so they didn't have the time to sit and help. I had a bfing support worker come help me try to get M to latch but she wouldn't so she helped me hand express. Thankfully M got the hang of it and hasn't looked back since.

 

[cosmicgirl]

I had the use of a wonderful service called bossom buddies. They came out to me when lo was 2 days old and came every week until he was 6 weeks old. They were available on the phone 24/7 too (and still are).
I also received goodies (like packs of nappies and veg boxes) as a "well done" each week I continued to bf! Made up with that and a nice little touch.
This is council funded and long may it continue. Hopefully more councils will get on board x

 

[Emamay]

When the MW came to see me the day after Bubba-Cay came home, I told her about the troubles I was having with BF.

She did what she could to help me, and was saying how much she wished there was more help for mums wanting to BF.

And that's coming from an area that has two BF clinics a week, and a MW that will come out if you're really stuck.

Considering how crap you're made to feel for having to go on to formula, there's really not enough help out there at all. X

 

[Nurse 26]

I had the use of a wonderful service called bossom buddies. They came out to me when lo was 2 days old and came every week until he was 6 weeks old. They were available on the phone 24/7 too (and still are).
I also received goodies (like packs of nappies and veg boxes) as a "well done" each week I continued to bf! Made up with that and a nice little touch.
This is council funded and long may it continue. Hopefully more councils will get on board x

wow this sounds amazing, theres nothing in my area at all

 

[cosmicgirl]

My sister lives 6 miles away and there is zero help for her to bf. she's looking to me to help her, which of course I will but there is no support in her area x

 

[Andreabrad]

I got a little support. Got loaned a breast pump but got it took off me last week!!! So had to buy my own. Wasn't happy at all. What if I diddnt have the money?? xx

 

[knopk@]

All I got when I went to BFing group is - you have tried everything, if he is still not gaining much, you will have to top up.
Nobody mentioned Domperidone as an option, I dont think they were that knowledgeable tbh

 

[tweetyfoo]

I found I really had to push and push and push for help in the hospital

I was initially in for 4 days with Aaron before we got home. My milk didn't come in till day three, up until then all he had was a few drops of colostrum. They were keeping an eye on his blood sugars, they were borderline, but they were happy for me to keep trying.

In the beginning though I didn't have a clue about hand expressing, I was shown very briefly, but in all honesty with the DS diagnosis my head was up my arse, and I was so sleep deprived I literally couldn't concentrate. I really struggled. I didn't know what to do and for the first day I actually did nothing ... I feel so guilty looking back now ... but I was so unaware of everything.

Eventually I realised I needed to ask for help. I wanted to know what I should be doing, how often and how I get my milk out. The mw that came handed me a book ...

a book, thats it. I sat and cried and text my SIL (who used to be a HV) and asked for help. She gave me some tips and I managed to get some colostrum.

I gave birth on Saturday, on Monday the lactation consultant was in and she was amazing, she spent all day with me getting me to a level that I could express for him.

I had never considered that I would exclusively express, it just happened. I still wonder now, if I had more support in those first few days could I have got him to latch.

I really hope with my next child (if I'm lucky enough to have another) that I will get the opportunity to bf.

 

[sallybee]

I sat and made a list of things that I think affected me not being able to bf, and a lot of it was to do with the birth and my aftercare while on the ward. I was given no skin to skin time at all (in fact I only held her briefly in the first hours of her life) and I wasn't shown how to latch her until 7 hours after she was born by which time she had been crying for hours.

I'm not shocked by the statistics though, I went to a baby and toddler group on weds and out of seven or eight ladies there only one bf (and she combi fed). So I was the only one EBF not that I mentioned it as I gave Cathy her bottle xx

 

[willowwisp]

I had no skin to skin, had my baby removed and bottle fed against my expressed consent, I had to fight tooth and nail to get any time with him the first 48 hours, I got told to express. Express? First baby, c-section at 35 weeks, blood loss and long illness? I needed my baby WITH me to stand any chance of expressing. I kicked up so much sh*t they gave in and allowed me to have him. It was so stressful that until I got home I didn't get much in the way of milk, and even when I got home I was told to stop by the mw as I 'wasn't well enough to do it'. I got a VERY rude message left on my answer machine by some lady who was meant to come and visit to check latch etc, she was so snotty and nasty I never bothered calling back.

I got no support, help, care, compassion or respect what so ever. Frankly it was disgusting. I'm expressing still and dropping my milk supply because my joints are horrific and I need to use what's in the freezer (I actually had massive over supply after being told I'd have no milk), I'm at 100% now with a whole seperate freezer full of milk. We will make 6 months through sheer bloody minded determination and luck that I had so much over supply.

FF is so frowned upon my by local healthcare service, yet they actively kept trying to stop me from BF'ing, I'm not at all suprised by those statistics.

 

[babymother]

Thanks for posting
1% needs improving.

 

[babymother]

I had no skin to skin, had my baby removed and bottle fed against my expressed consent, I had to fight tooth and nail to get any time with him the first 48 hours, I got told to express. Express? First baby, c-section at 35 weeks, blood loss and long illness? I needed my baby WITH me to stand any chance of expressing. I kicked up so much sh*t they gave in and allowed me to have him. It was so stressful that until I got home I didn't get much in the way of milk, and even when I got home I was told to stop by the mw as I 'wasn't well enough to do it'. I got a VERY rude message left on my answer machine by some lady who was meant to come and visit to check latch etc, she was so snotty and nasty I never bothered calling back.

I got no support, help, care, compassion or respect what so ever. Frankly it was disgusting. I'm expressing still and dropping my milk supply because my joints are horrific and I need to use what's in the freezer (I actually had massive over supply after being told I'd have no milk), I'm at 100% now with a whole seperate freezer full of milk. We will make 6 months through sheer bloody minded determination and luck that I had so much over supply.

FF is so frowned upon my by local healthcare service, yet they actively kept trying to stop me from BF'ing, I'm not at all suprised by those statistics.

I am so sorry o hear your story. It was disgusting the way you were treated!