NEW mothers are to receive a personalised plan that aims to improve rates of breastfeeding by 50 per cent and save the NHS millions on the treatment of illness in babies.

Guidelines published today by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence sets out recommendations for the improvement of postnatal care of women and babies, including checks for newborns, mothering skills and women’s health issues.

The authors said that the recommendations should become best practice nationwide, ending the “tick box” culture of postnatal care, the standards of which vary widely.

The guidelines are designed to increase breastfeeding rates significantly. Only about 22 per cent of women breastfeed at six months, despite Department of Health efforts to encourage the practice during the first year of a baby’s life.

The authors hope that this rate will be lifted by about half to 32 per cent of new mothers. Breastfeeding strengthens the baby’s immune system as well as the mother’s health.

The guidelines set out key contacts with health services in the first eight weeks of a baby’s life: an initial examination, a blood spot test for congenital diseases when the baby is 5 to 8 days old, a hearing screen within 5 weeks and a further full examination at 6 to 8 weeks.

Parents who give their child a dummy are advised against suddenly stopping this after research has suggested an increased risk of cot death.

Rona McCandlish, chairwoman of the guideline development group, said that it was imperative for mothers to be given a personalised care plan for themselves and their babies.

Implementation of the guidelines are expected to cost £6.8 million in 2006-07, but will save more than £1 million a year within six years.

Midwifery leaders said that the guidelines were unworkable unless the Government made a greater investment in staff.

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