The Department of Health (DoH) has announced the launch of a new campaign aimed at increasing the numbers of breastfeeding mothers in England. The start of National Breastfeeding Awareness Week has been marked by the airing of a new television commercial.

Information from the Infant Feeding Survey reveals that 78 per cent of new mothers in England breastfeed their child when he or she is born, but notes that those mothers in disadvantaged communities are less likely to do so.

Furthermore, this study showed that a number of women stop breastfeeding their child within six months, sooner than is recommended by health experts.

Caroline Flint, public health minister, said: "We've made good progress over the last 30 years encouraging more and more women to breastfeed.

"However, we cannot be complacent."

She added that more work must be done to close the health inequalities gap and ensure that newly-born children are breast-fed to guarantee they receive the best nutritional start in life available.

The government has set a target of increasing the starting of breastfeeding by two per cent each year, with women in disadvantaged groups being especially targeted by this campaign.

In December 2006, the National Childbirth Trust called for the NHS to do more to aid mothers that want to breastfeed their child but are having difficulties in doing so.