Page Last updated 24-02-2011
There is clear evidence that breastfeeding has positive health benefits for the mother and the baby in both the short term and the long term. Low breastfeeding rates contribute to health inequalities and breastfeeding is one of the indicators in monitoring progress towards Infant Mortality targets. More recently, prevalence of breastfeeding at 6-8 weeks has been identified as a key indicator in the Child Health and Wellbeing Public Service Agreement (PSA). Evidence shows that breastfeeding has both short and long-term health benefits by reducing the risk of infections such as gastroenteritis in infancy and could help to reduce the risk of obesity in later childhood. Promoting breastfeeding is therefore a vital element of the Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives strategy to achieve both local and national childhood obesity targets.
The Department of Health recommends that breastfeeding is the best form of nutrition for infants and that an infant should be offered exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life.