“Did you know”, rates of breastfeeding in the UK are the lowest in the world, an international study shows.
James Gallagher, Health editor of BBC News website states, In the UK, 81% of mothers had tried breastfeeding at some point, but only 34% were breastfeeding at six months and 0.5% at 12 months.
Life saver
Breastfeeding is good for the health of the baby and lowers the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
Prof Cesar Victora, report author from the Federal University of Pelotas in Brazil, said: “There is a widespread misconception that the benefits of breastfeeding only relate to poor countries.
“Nothing could be further from the truth, our work clearly shows that breastfeeding saves lives and money in all countries, rich and poor alike.”
The Lancet report said breastfeeding in developed countries reduced the risk of sudden infant deaths by more than a third.
And in poorer countries, half of cases of diarrhoea and a third of respiratory infections could be avoided by breastfeeding. Click the link to read the full story. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-35438049
