Take Infant Formula off the shelves (PRESCRIPTION ONLY) and help mothers to breastfeed.

A recent shocking report released by the BBC has highlighted that only 0.5% of U.K. mothers are still breastfeeding their infants at 1 year old and beyond, as opposed to 99% in Senegal and other such developing countries.

I am a proud breastfeeding mum of my 11 month old son, and have no plans to stop any time soon simply because of the immense health benefits for both baby and me. Some would say I'm a "natural" and that I'm "lucky" as it happened to "work for me". This may be the case now but at the beginning, it was quite the contrary.

Since before our son was born, I was determined to breastfeed despite horror stories I'd heard about cracked nipples, milk "not coming in", and mastitis etc. I thought I'd done my research but clearly hadn't as only 12 hours after my baby was born, a midwife advised me that my son was starving and needed topped up with formula since he was such a large baby (10lbs 7.5oz). So, my ignorant, tired, somewhat apprehensive self listened to the advice and gave him formula. I continued struggling to breastfeed and found myself getting into a rut of topping up with formula. Little did I know at the time, that this was the worst advice I could have been given.

My fear is that other mothers who are not as determined or strong willed as I was to breastfeed exclusively, may be given such advice which destroys any hope of mothers succeeding at the most natural (albeit not the easiest by any stretch of the imagination) thing in the world.

In my opinion, at antenatal classes not nearly enough emphasis is put on the importance of breastfeeding and the health benefits that it entails for both mother and baby in terms of breast and ovarian cancer, PND, brain development...the list is endless.

But equally as important, there is ABSOLUTELY no information given to expectant parents about the RISKS of formula feeding, which I find is a total and utter DISSERVICE. We often hear terms like "fed is best", and "happy mum, happy baby" which could not be further from the truth. The first quote suggests that so long as your baby is fed, all is well. So, in theory I could feed my baby the meat and innards from a rotting carcass, it doesn't matter that it's rotting, the baby will be fed! The second quote suggests that even if a mother who is addicted to heroin and alcohol gets her fix of both, baby will be happy. Just simply not true.

One other quote I've heard many people say is "if formula feeding wasn't safe, they wouldn't sell it". Many things aren't safe for us - alcohol, cigarettes, fireworks, glue and deodorant (if used for purposes out with their primary function) are all potentially life threatening products.

Did you know that only 1% of the world's population of women cannot physically breastfeed? 1%! And yet despite both the World Health Organisation and NHS recommending that we breastfeed our young for a minimum of 2 years, only 0.5% of us are still going after only 1 year. Shocking.

So, to get to the point, I'd like to start this petition to take Formula OFF the shelves, and put the emphasis ON breastfeeding. Formula should go back to what it was originally manufactured for which is the worst case scenario. It shouldn't be a choice, and certainly should NOT be the norm, but a Health Professional's decision. The NHS would be the first to be grateful as the health risks that formula brings to humans later in life such as diabetes and dimentia to name but a few, put a huge strain and drain on NHS resources.

Please help me make this wish come true. If you are as passionate about the health of our human race and the generations to come, please sign this petition. Your support is so greatly appreciated, not just by me, but by many babies in years to come.

Thank you for taking the time to read and consider this plea.