Campaign to support mums who want to breastfeed

Every woman is unique so it will ultimately what they feel is right for them and their baby.

It's World Breastfeeding Week which aims to ensure mothers who want to breastfeed get all of the support they need to do so successfully.

Breastfeeding has many long-term benefits for the baby, lasting right into adulthood, and lowers the risk of breast and ovarian cancer for women.

For some women it may not be possible to nurse due to health reasons while others may simply choose not to.

But there are concerns that many women start off breastfeeding but then stop before they want to.

And experts believe that in many cases the main reason will be that they have tried very hard but have not succeeded.

Mother and business owner Lucy Rook, from Wolverhampton has joined the World Breastfeeding Week campaign to highlight the need for high-quality support to enable successful breastfeeding.

She also believes there is still "an unacceptable stigma" about mothers feeding their babies in public.

"This is not about militancy and a war against parents who choose to bottle feed, or simply have to. What it is about is the positive message of more information about the overwhelmingly compelling health benefits that come with breastfeeding and much better support for mums who want to do it, ” says Lucy.

"I’m passionate about doing what I can to help mums fully understand their options. I’m definitely pro-choice. Breastfeeding isn’t for everyone and it doesn’t need to be. The amazing benefits of breastfeeding our babies, on the other hand, are still chronically underreported.

"According to a recent study published in The Lancet medical journal, only one in 200 women in the UK are breastfeeding their children after they reach their first birthday. This is despite the World Health Organisation recommending that we breastfeed our children up to the age of two years or beyond."

As part of World Breastfeeding Week, Lucy is joining those calling for two key changes to help mothers in the UK.

The first 'return to work’ protections, enshrined in law, as in other countries. These include guaranteed breastfeeding breaks and - when practically possible – employers being compelled by regulation to provide clean, private areas, mains electricity and a refrigerator to allow mothers to express their milk at work

The second is a co-ordinated effort nationwide to ensure continuity of after-care and support to guarantee breastfeeding help for mums – wherever they live.

Lucy says: "People are surprised when I explain that breastfeeding breaks are not necessarily available to new mums who choose to return to work, or simply have to return to make ends meet. The absence of that protection – and those simple, practical aids of privacy and the ability to express and store milk - mean there are a very large group of mothers who feel they have to give up breastfeeding because those barriers make it impossible

"As for breastfeeding support, even without Covid-19 and the challenges that presents, it has long been a postcode lottery.

"I believe the low number of breastfeeding mums here in the UK must have a lot to do with a lack of support in those critical early weeks, as well as a lack of knowledge. I also think there’s still some stigma attached to it – particularly around feeding our babies in public. Let's face it, while you may feel some "mum guilt" when you hear breast is best, no-one has ever been kicked out of a restaurant for bottle feeding their baby.

"It can be a daunting experience feeding when you’re out. That’s made worse, I think, because there aren’t many clothes available that keep you covered up.

"What is on offer is often overpriced – and nearly always maternity wear."

Lucy has recently started an online clothing company - Discreet Bowtique - offering affordable fashion for feeding mums inspired by her own experiences as a mum.

"As a new breastfeeding mum, I could not believe how hard it was to find clothes I wanted to wear that were also easy to feed in. I absolutely take the view that we shouldn’t have to be discreet, but I wasn’t always very comfortable breastfeeding – in dresses particularly. I wanted more affordable, fashionable options for women, like me, who want to wear dresses and feed their babies without feeling exposed. Just as importantly, after months of maternity outfits, I wanted clothes that I’d want to wear whether I was feeding or not. Clothes that helped give me a bit of my identity back. Clothes to feel good in,” she explains.

To find out more about World Breastfeeding Week go to waba.org.my/wbw