East Renfrewshire boasts one of the highest rates of breasfteeding in Scotland, but a lack of knowledge and a remaining stigma over the feeding is hampering progress.

Now however councillors look set to approve a report on East Renfrewshire Council’s (ERC) progress towards gaining Breastfeeding Welcome accreditation.

The report shows that breastfeeding rates fall steeply in areas where deprivation is higher.

Infact the numbers show that a woman who lives in a wealthy part of Giffnock is three times more likely to breastfeed her child than the poorest areas of the county, such as Dunterlie in Barrhead.

The report reads: “Breastfeeding is recognised as the preferred way to feed infants and is associated with improved health outcomes for both mother and child.

“The Scottish Government therefore, in line with the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of an infant’s life.

“Breastfeeding rates in Scotland are some of the lowest in the world and have remained low over the last decade.

“In 2013-14, less than half of all babies, 48.4 per cent, were breastfed at the health visitor first visit, with this figure falling to 37.9 per cent at the six to eight week review.

“There is a clear association between breastfeeding and deprivation with mothers in the least deprived areas nearly three times as likely to breastfeed compared with those in the most deprived areas.

“While breastfeeding rates in East Renfrewshire are generally higher than the national average at first visit, there is still a significant drop off rate and deprivation gradient.” The council hopes to combat the remaining stigma over the issue by increasing awareness of the benefits of breasftfeeding amongst its staff.

All members of council staff who deal with or work in public places have had Breastfeeding Welcome training.

It also says that it will be taking on “coordinated” action to encourage mothers in some of East Ren’s most deprived areas to take up breastfeeding and continue to do so for the first 6 months of the babies life.

The report continued: “Increasing breastfeeding rates is a key public health priority.

“Sustained and coordinated action is required to improve breastfeeding initiation and maintenance rates, particularly amongst mothers living in our most deprived areas.

“It is therefore a key priority area to progress in partnership, actions outlined in the Scottish Governments ‘Improving Maternal and Infant Nutrition Framework’ (2011), including increasing the public acceptability around breastfeeding.

“Breastfeeding in public places is supported in legislation.

“The Breastfeeding etc. (Scotland) Act 2005 makes it unlawful to prevent or stop a child being breastfed in any public area where children are normally allowed.

“Breastfeeding is further protected under the Equality Act (2010).

“There is consequently a need to ensure all our public places are fully supportive of breastfeeding through implementation of a corporate breastfeeding policy and ‘Breastfeeding Welcome’ accreditation.

“Progress has been made in a number of areas.

“This accreditation scheme acknowledges that public places welcome breastfeeding mothers and aims to support more mothers to feel confident to breastfeed when out and about with their baby.

“By displaying the ‘Breastfeeding Welcome’ logo, women can be assured that premises will provide a supportive environment in which they can feed their babies.

“Since autumn 2014 all Customer First staff, nursery and family centre staff have received ‘Breastfeeding Welcome’ training.

“All nurseries have been progressing this as part of their commitment to Family Friendly Accreditation, and actions within Parent Strategy.

“In order to progress with this scheme, East Renfrewshire is required to have an organisational breastfeeding policy in place.” The report will go before East Renfrewshire Council on Thursday when the cabinet meets at 10am in the council chambers in East Renfrewshire Council’s headquarters.