A study has found that many new mothers in the Netherlands need more help breastfeeding their newborns. Many women reported difficulties with breastfeeding for as long as they would like to, and suffering with painful breastfeeding. 

Many new Dutch mothers stop breastfeeding earlier than they would like

The study found that many new mothers in the Netherlands stop breastfeeding earlier than they would like to. 70 percent of new mothers give up breastfeeding soon after they give birth because they are unsure if their baby is getting enough milk or because they feel pain while breastfeeding, the results of the survey show. 

Two thirds of mothers who had to stop breastfeeding early said they were unhappy that they had to stop. “Breastfeeding can be a challenge, particularly at the beginning,” Marije Verwijs of the Voedingscentrum told broadcaster NOS. “That is why we want extra help for these women and their babies.”

Experts want lactation consultations to be included in basic health insurance

Experts want access to lactation consultants to be available in the Dutch basic health insurance package. “That service is now only accessible to people who have the money to pay for extra insurance,” Verwijs said.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that babies are breastfed for at least the first six months for maximum health benefits. The study also showed that just 53 percent of mothers start out by breastfeeding alone, the lowest proportion of mothers in the Netherlands since 1997.