More than a third of mums over 35

Friday 24 June 2016

Jersey mums are getting older. Figures show 1,021 babies were born in the Island last year – about the average over the past 15 years.

But, the proportion of older mums is steadily increasing. In 2000 about a quarter of all mums were over 35, that’s now risen to a third.

The Jersey Births and Breastfeeding Profile 2016 also reveals the proportion of caesarean births in the Island – again about a third - is higher than in England, and that older mothers are more likely to opt for a caesarean section. More than half of the mothers over 45 elected for caesareans.

Around two percent of Jersey mothers were teenagers., less than half the UK average.

The report also shows three-quarters of mothers breastfed their babies at birth in 2015, and over half of babies were being breastfed at 6-8 weeks.. At nine months only one in five babies who attended a check with a health visitor were receiving any breastmilk. Breastfeeding was more popular in rural parishes.

Head of the Breastfeeding Working Group Michelle Cumming said the report will help efforts to support and promote breastfeeding.

She says, “the percentage for initiation and continued breastfeeding rates enable us all, as a community, to see where we must focus our efforts most to ensure that mothers feel confident and supported to maintain breastfeeding,”

“Over time, the percentages decrease significantly and there are many factors that affect this, such as professionals giving consistent messages and advice, family and peer support, accessible breastfeeding facilities and venues and how breastfeeding is supported in the workplace.

It’s the first time figures in Jersey have been compiled in this fashion. Commenting on the report health says: “it does not seek to answer why the figures are as they are or what may need to be done about them, though these will be important questions to consider.”