Women need more breastfeeding support; 71% stopped earlier than hoped: Nutrition Center

Women in the Netherlands need more breastfeeding support, according to the Nutrition Center. A study commissioned by the center showed that 71 percent of women stopped breastfeeding earlier than they had hoped for, and two-thirds were disappointed that they felt forced to give up.

The main reason for stopping breastfeeding is that women worry their baby is not getting enough milk. The baby struggling to drink and painful breastfeeding were also commonly cited reasons to stop. According to the World Health Organization, babies benefit most from breastfeeding for at least six months.

“Breastfeeding can be challenging,” said Marije Verwijs, a nutrition and health expert at the Nutrition Center. “Especially in the beginning, it is sometimes difficult to find help for mother and baby. That is why it is important that women receive extra support.”

According to Verwijs, lactation consultants are currently only reimbursed for some additional health insurance policies. She believes it should be part of basic health insurance. “Now it is only available to people who have the money for additional insurance. That excludes people with a lower income,” she said. “It would help if a lactation consultant was accessible to everyone who needs it.” But midwives and maternity nurses can also help offer support.

The study commissioned by the Nutrition Center found that 53 percent of women start off exclusively breastfeeding their baby—the lowest percentage since the measurement started in 1997. 31 percent still exclusively breastfeed after six months, up from around 20 percent in previous years. The proportion of women who combine bottle and breastfeeding increased from 7 percent in 2015 to 23 percent now.

“Not enough research has been done into the reasons for and effects of combining formula and breastmilk,” Verwijs said. “But we see this gaining popularity, so we certainly call for more research into its effects.”