Babies looked after by friends and family less likely to be breastfed

Babies looked after by friends and family when their mothers return to work are less likely to be breastfed than those in formal childcare.

Research published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood found that babies not left in a nursery, crèche, or with a childminder were 50 per cent less likely to be breastfed than those who were.

The findings were based on 18,050 babies taking part in the UK Millennium Cohort Study which is tracking the long term health of children born between 2000 and 2002.