Breastfeeding guidance makes mothers feel guilty: research
Mothers are left feeling guilty, stressed and anxious by 'unrealistic' guidance which says they should exclusively breastfeed for six months, researchers have suggested.
Guidance on breastfeeding makes women feel guilty, researchers have warned.
By Rebecca Smith, Medical Editor
7:00AM GMT 15 Mar 2012
11 Comments
The World Health Organisation guidance says that women should breastfeed exclusively for the first six months and then continue for two years or more with the introduction of solid foods.
Researchers from the University of Aberdeen conducted a series of interviews with mothers and their partners which found that the guidance could damage the confidence of mothers.
Britain has one of the lowest rates of breastfeeding in the developed world and while most women start breastfeeding after the birth, the majority stop within six weeks. Figures from 2005 show that fewer than one per cent of babies were exclusively breastfed at six months.
The study, published in the journal BMJ Open, said promoting the WHO guidance was 'unhelpful' and it would be better to focus on targeted support for individual women immediately after the birth and in the weeks following.
Currently the approach was 'purist' and based on 'all or nothing', it was warned.
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Breastfeeding guidance makes mothers feel guilty: research
Mothers are left feeling guilty, stressed and anxious by 'unrealistic' guidance which says they should exclusively breastfeed for six months, researchers have suggested.
Guidance on breastfeeding makes women feel guilty, researchers have warned.
By Rebecca Smith, Medical Editor
7:00AM GMT 15 Mar 2012
11 Comments
The World Health Organisation guidance says that women should breastfeed exclusively for the first six months and then continue for two years or more with the introduction of solid foods.
Researchers from the University of Aberdeen conducted a series of interviews with mothers and their partners which found that the guidance could damage the confidence of mothers.
Britain has one of the lowest rates of breastfeeding in the developed world and while most women start breastfeeding after the birth, the majority stop within six weeks. Figures from 2005 show that fewer than one per cent of babies were exclusively breastfed at six months.
The study, published in the journal BMJ Open, said promoting the WHO guidance was 'unhelpful' and it would be better to focus on targeted support for individual women immediately after the birth and in the weeks following.
Currently the approach was 'purist' and based on 'all or nothing', it was warned.
Related Articles
• Mothers who breastfeed are slimmer into their 50s: study
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