According to UNICEF Breastfeeding has the following benefits:
- Infant health: Breastfeeding protects children from a vast range of illnesses, including infection, diabetes, asthma, heart disease and obesity, as well as sudden infant death syndrome
- Maternal health: Breastfeeding also protects mothers from breast and ovarian cancers and heart disease
- Relationship-building: Breastfeeding supports the mother-baby relationship
- Cost savings: Breastfeeding contributes to significant savings to the NHS.(1)
- Supporting breastfeeding can help mitigate climate change: It is a “green” infant feeding practice compared to infant formula. (2)
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, among others, have called for breastfeeding to be taught in schools as one way to fill this knowledge gap and contribute to the ‘renormalisation’ of breastfeeding in the UK.
These materials were developed by a primary school teacher, ABM breastfeeding counsellor and lactation consultant alongside a volunteer from the Breastfeeding Network and are free for use in schools.
They contain lesson plans and resources for use in settings from Early Years Foundation Stage through to Key Stage 3. There is also a range of slides for use in Key Stage 2 as discussion and writing prompts if there isn’t the time for a full lesson.
View the resources at: https://abm.me.uk/resources-for-schools/
References: (1) Benefits of Breastfeeding: www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/about/benefits-ofbreastfeeding/
(2) Research on breastfeeding and climate change: www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/news-andresearch/
baby-friendly-research/research-supporting-breastfeeding/research-on-breastfeedingand-
climate-change/
