THE majority of women in this country start off breastfeeding their baby but because we live in a culture that associates babies with bottle feeding, they don't always continue as long as they would like to.

Images of bottle feeding are used visually in books, newspapers, on new baby' cards and even in baby changing rooms so it's hardly surprising that bottles are perceived by many as the normal way to feed a baby.

For Breastfeeding Awareness Week (May 8-14), the National Childbirth Trust (NCT) is hoping to encourage mothers to feel proud of breastfeeding their baby whether it's for one day, one month or one year. Breastfeeding is back in fashion which is largely due to a better understanding of the health benefits to both mother and baby through infancy and beyond.

Just one day of breastfeeding makes a difference to a baby's health by stabilising their blood sugars, protecting their gut and providing natural antibodies against disease. Breastfed babies are less likely to develop gastro-enteritis, chest, ear and urinary infections and at least five times less likely to need hospital care in their first year than babies who are fed formula under three months old. Breastfeeding helps mothers too, lowering their risk of developing breast cancer, ovarian cancer and osteoporosis in later life.

To find out how Bucksl mothers feed their babies I conducted a survey and found that a whopping 92 per cent of us start off breastfeeding our babies, well above the national average of 70 per cent. Women stop breastfeeding for a variety of reasons but studies have shown that we are much more likely to continue if supported by an encouraging partner. Locally, 87 per cent of us have that support so it comes as no surprise that half of us will still be breastfeeding our babies at six months old.

One of the reasons I started training as a Breastfeeding Counsellor was because I wanted to encourage mothers (and fathers) to make an informed choice about how to feed their babies and to help them at those moments when they need support the most. Every new mother should have enough information to make the decisions that are right for her and it is crucial that women who choose not to breastfeed, or who want to but don't get the right support, aren't left feeling guilty.

Breastfeeding may be the natural way to feed a baby but that doesn't mean that it comes naturally to everyone. With support at the right time though, nearly all women can be helped to breastfeed for as long as they want. Contacting a breastfeeding counsellor is a great way to find out about options and up to date information. We're available to all mothers, free of charge.

All too often I hear, "it never occurred to me to give him breastmilk in a bottle so I only breastfed for" or "I didn't realise you could use formula and breastfeed at the same time" or "if I hadn't had to go back to work I'd have carried on, I loved feeding her myself. No-one told me about expressing and how easy it is". Information about the options available to women who breastfeed contributes significantly to their ability to continue for as long as they want which is great news for babies and great news for families as a whole.

Given how important support from fathers is, especially in those early shell-shocked' days of motherhood, it's worth remembering that fathers can share in feeding breastfed babies too by giving bottles of breastmilk good bonding time for dad and baby plus a welcome rest for mum. Dads can help in other ways too so that the caring is shared by encouraging mum to eat and drink regularly so that she feels more able to cope, by helping with household chores so that mum can concentrate on feeding the baby and by listening and talking honestly about life with a new baby.

Miriam Blazey, Chair of the Maidenhead and Marlow NCT branch says, "Nine out of ten women who stop breastfeeding in the first six weeks say they would like to have continued for longer. Because of lack of support and accurate information, many of these women are unable to continue for as long as they would like. They can then feel that they have failed'. It's vital that we tackle this sense of failure and remind women and those that support them to celebrate every day that they breastfeed their baby."

Alice Willitts is a local mother of two and trainee Breastfeeding Counsellor with the NCT. NCT Breastfeeding help line 0870 444 8708 Maidenhead and Marlow NCT 07020 963850