World Breastfeeding Week 2011 Aug 2011

World Breastfeeding Week event takes place this week (1 – 7 August 2011). This annual event is endorsed by WHO and UNICEF and is celebrated in more than 170 countries worldwide. 

World Breastfeeding Week this year focuses on communication at various levels and between various sectors.  Communication is an essential part of protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding, and encourages the sharing of knowledge and experience, thus enabling wider outreach. 

National Breastfeeding Week occurred in the UK during June 2011 to increase the awareness of breastfeeding. A variety of events took place across the country, seeking to show that breastfeeding is everybody’s business.  

NHS health visitors and midwives, Children’s Centre staff, Breastfeeding Peer Supporters (mothers who have breastfed and been trained to support other mothers), and local businesses have all contributed to activities during the week. 

The preliminary results of the recent Infant Feeding Survey undertaken in 2010 have shown that initial breastfeeding rates in the UK have increased from 76% in 2005 to 81% in 2010 in the UK.  There were some regional variations with initial rates of 83% in England, 74% in Scotland, 71% in Wales, and 64% in Northern Ireland, which were significantly higher than rates recorded in 2005 in all but Northern Ireland. Whilst the preliminary results of the survey do not show the longer-term breastfeeding rates, this increase in the initial rate of breastfeeding is encouraging.  The full results will be published in 2012. 

BSNA welcome this support for breastfeeding and the increase in breastfeeding rates shown in the Infant Feeding Survey.  Clearly, providing support to mothers during the early days of breastfeeding helps in the establishment of feeding for mother and baby. 

Infant Feeding Survey 2010: Early Results can be accessed here.