The number of women breastfeeding in the UK is rising. In 2010, NHS statistics showed 55 per cent of women in England were breastfeeding six weeks after birth at least some of the time, compared to 48 per cent in 2005. Breastfeeding campaigners say this is significant because research has shown breastfeeding protects mothers from breast cancer in later life and helps to reduce the risk of eczema, asthma and obesity in children. Charity Unicef says even moderate increases in breastfeeding could lead to cost savings of £40m for the NHS.
Such findings prompted Bedfordshire's NHS Trust to undertake a three-year project in 2010, aimed at improving the low breastfeeding rates in the county. They followed the Baby Friendly Initiative, a global programme set up by Unicef and the World Health Organisation in the 1980s to improve breastfeeding rates.
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