Bfing stats

10 replies

GorgeousGus · 18/09/2018 17:22

Just pondering really... I don’t think anyone (HV etc) has actually asked me how I’m feeding for quite a few months now (I have an 8mo).

So how does anyone know how many mothers in the uk bf? Only as I frequently see on MN threads that bf rates in the uk are “woefully low” / “lowest in the world” etc, plus stuff in the media saying the same. How do they know 🤔?

OP posts:

ParadiseLaundry · 18/09/2018 17:38

They asked me at the 2 year check so perhaps that helps.

Drizzledrozzle · 18/09/2018 17:40

I assume they do polls and extrapolate their findings to approximate a whole country view

Original poster

GorgeousGus · 18/09/2018 17:44

paradise

So, did they ask you when you stopped or just if you were still bfing? If it’s the latter, I wonder where they get there ‘still bfeeding at a year’, ‘still bfeeding at 6 months’ etc stats from.

Maybe just as drizzle says.

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busybuildingdens · 18/09/2018 17:53

I’ve always wondered this. I wasn’t asked past my 6 week check with both of mine, and I fed them until 2 and 3 years. It’s surely an easy way to capture the data as the majority of children have these checks and it could easily be collated (although I’m sure with government interference it would be anything but easy!)

TillyTheTiger · 18/09/2018 17:58

I've wondered this too. At my son's 2 year HV check she asked 'did you have any issues weaning him off formula?' to which I replied 'I've never given him formula', and that was the end of the conversation. I am still breastfeeding him morning and night though!

TillyTheTiger · 18/09/2018 18:05

Also when I went for the booking in appointment with my current pregnancy I was asked how long I breastfed my first child for, and the system had no way of entering still breastfeeding. So maybe extended breastfeeding is more prevalent than the statistics show, because it isn't being recorded properly.

ParadiseLaundry · 19/09/2018 13:28

Well technically she saw me bf him so she didn't need to ask but she did comment on it and I'm sure there is a box she ticked in the red book. Although if not everyone gets asked at the 2 year check then it's not a very reliable method of collecting the data.

Sandstormbrewing · 19/09/2018 22:49

I was asked frequently by the health visitor, GP etc and also during my booking in for my second pregnancy.

Original poster

GorgeousGus · 20/09/2018 08:43

Oh interesting that you were asked sandstorm... I wonder if it’s regional then.

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DitchingTheDye · 20/09/2018 20:26

It's officially recorded in the red books at various intervals, the last being 1year I believe.

Flip