Teach all girls of 11 how to breastfeed say doctors
PUPILS as young as 11 could have lessons in breastfeeding to make it more widespread.
Leading doctors say this is needed because only 0.5 per cent of UK women are still breastfeeding after a year – the lowest rate in the world.
Girls – and boys – would be taught the basics in sex and relationship classes at secondary school.
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, which made the recommendation, said many women in the UK were too embarrassed to breastfeed in public places and worry they might be judged by other mothers for doing it wrong.
Justine Roberts, founder of website Mumsnet, described breastfeeding as ‘a skill’ and said most mothers who do it ‘need support’.
The royal college believes that educating girls and boys about breastfeeding from an early age will help ‘normalise’ the practice and remove stigma. ‘Regrettably the attitudes of a large part of
society mean breastfeeding is not always encouraged,’ said Professor Neena Modi, its president.
‘Support is patchy, advice is not always consistent and often overly dogmatic, support at work not always conducive to continued breastfeeding and, perhaps most worryingly, breastfeeding in public is often stigmatised.’
Breastfeeding has numerous benefits for mother and child and it is known to prevent infections, stave off obesity and boost IQ. Yet despite numerous ‘breast is best’ campaigns by the Government and the NHS, rates have barely improved.
The royal college said that the Government should ‘ensure familiarity with breastfeeding is included as part of statutory personal, health and social education in schools’. These lessons are taught from the age of 11. The royal college is also calling for ‘breastfeeding breaks’ at work as well as designated rooms and fridges. And if women choose to take breastfeeding breaks, their salaries and career should not be affected.
A survey of 1,000 mothers by Mumsnet found many gave up early because they lacked support or worried their baby was not getting enough milk. According to the study, 27 per cent of women who stopped after one day felt they did not know what they were doing.
Among women who stopped after six weeks, 42 per cent were worried they were not producing enough milk and 34 per cent were just exhausted.
‘There’s no sense in endlessly telling women that they must breastfeed, but letting them down when they have a baby in their arms,’ said Miss Roberts. ‘Breastfeeding is a skill, and most mothers need support when they hit a problem, especially given that they are often shattered, sore and sleep-deprived.’
The NHS advises women to breastfeed exclusively for six months – with no formula milk – but only 1 per cent manage this. Research by Unicef in 2012 found that modest increases in breastfeeding could save the NHS £40million a year in GP and hospital appointments.
But Chris McGovern, of the Campaign for Real Education, said: ‘Breastfeeding should not be part of the national curriculum. We’ve got a situation where 20 per cent of school leavers can’t read or write and are essentially unemployable... schools should be focused on doing what they’re supposed to do. ‘This is just being politically correct and schools have other priorities.’
A Lancet study in January showed that only 0.5 per cent of UK babies still have breast milk after a year compared with 23 per cent in Germany and 56 per cent in Brazil.
Sixty-three per cent of women said they would be worried about breastfeeding in front of strangers and 44 per cent with friends.
‘This is just being politically correct’