This afternoon I attended an event marking the start of National Breastfeeding Week and promoting the Breastfeeding Manifesto. Breastfeeding plays such an important part in a baby’s development, and yet Britain has one of the lowest rates of breastfeeding mothers in Europe. It is not only important in helping create the emotional and physical bond between mother and baby, but also has proven health benefits: children who are breastfed are less likely to get infections and visit hospital, whilst it also reduces the risks of breast and ovarian cancer in the mother.

Unfortunately, we have in Britain a bottle-feeding culture where new mothers either aren’t aware of the benefits of breastfeeding, or are worried about doing it in public. This culture needs to change. Mothers returning to work also find it difficult to continue breastfeeding and the Breastfeeding Manifesto looks to provide businesses with guidance on how best to accommodate mothers who wish to breastfeed.

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