New report highlights perceived barriers to breastfeeding

Many new mothers are being put off breastfeeding after a few months, according to a new report from Public Health England.

The survey of 500 mothers of young children has indicated that almost three-quarters of women start breastfeeding when their child is born, but this drops to 44 percent within six to eight weeks.

In more than half of cases, this is at least in part due to concerns that breastfeeding could mean they would not be able to tell if their baby was getting too much or not enough milk, while a similar proportion thought they needed a special diet to breastfeed.

Meanwhile, nearly three in ten worried that breastfeeding could mean their baby might not receive the right nutrients. This is despite the fact that evidence shows breastfeeding boosts a baby's ability to fight illness and infection, while also lowering the mother's risk of ovarian and breast cancer.

In order to dispel some of these concerns, Public Health England's Start4Life programme has launched a new interactive Breastfeeding Friend chatbot on Facebook to offer personal support for mothers to help make breastfeeding a better experience.

Viv Bennett, chief nurse at Public Health England, said: "We can all help women feel comfortable breastfeeding their baby wherever they are. Creating a wider culture of encouragement and support will help make a mother's experience all the more positive."

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