The Evening Times ran an article about figures in a new report showing that women from Lanarkshire experience higher-than-average rates of stillbirth and neonatal deaths than other parts of Scotland. The region recorded the second-highest rate in Scotland with 6.42 deaths per 1,000 births. However it is worth noting that the figure of 7,096 Lanarkshire resident […]
Being breastfeeding friendly
Less than a quarter of newborns in Lanarkshire are exclusively breastfed at the time of their first health visitor visit.
The Lanarkshire statistics fall short of the Scottish totals of 49.3 per cent for mixed feeding and 35.6 per cent for exclusive breastfeeding.
AnneMarie Bruce, infant feeding development midwife, said: “The subject of breastfeeding is highly emotive because as so many families have not breastfed or have experienced the trauma of trying very hard to breastfeed and not succeeding.
“Within NHS Lanarkshire we are working hard to ensure mothers have the information and support they need to initiate and maintain breastfeeding. We have has invested in a breastfeeding support service to ensure families have the practical support they need.
“However, improving breastfeeding rates is not the responsibility of individual women. We have a collective responsibility to create an environment which is truly breastfeeding friendly and overcome the cultural norms that discourage breastfeeding.”
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