Young people's attitudes towards breastfeeding: A survey of 13–15-year-old pupils in a south London school

Abstract

As part of a larger study investigating why mothers in a socially disadvantaged area did not breastfeed, a survey of local schoolchildren was commissioned to establish the views of future parents. examining the attitudes of both boys and girls towards infant feeding, 81 pupils (60% female, 40% male) from Years 9 and 10 (aged 13–15) completed the questionnaire. The school pupils were asked to record whether they agreed or disagreed with a range of statements about breast and bottle feeding in general, with additional comments invited. The study showed that school pupils are aware that ‘breast is best’ but that this does not necessarily reflect future feeding intentions. Feeding in public was viewed as unacceptable and there appeared to be conflict between breastfeeding as ‘physiologically natural’ and bottle feeding as ‘socially natural’. Differences in attitude towards infant feeding between boys and girls or between different ethnic groups were not apparent.