Keep Haringey Breastfeeding campaigners including Sarah Cope (top right)

PARENTS have accused NHS Haringey of “failing women and babies” as figures reveal a large divide in breastfeeding rates across the borough.

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The Keep Haringey Breastfeeding campaign has demanded health chiefs bring back a specialist breastfeeding midwife - as figures show far fewer mums breastfeed in the east of Haringey than in the more affluent west of the borough.

NHS Haringey statistics for 2009-10 reveal 64.3 per cent of babies in Highgate are exclusively fed on breast milk, the highest figure in Haringey.

Across the borough, St Ann’s ward in South Tottenham languished at the bottom of the table with just 26.7 per cent of babies exclusively breast fed.

Campaigner Sarah Cope, 32, of Highgate, said: “We knew there was a health divide in the borough, but this shows conclusively that the poorest babies are disadvantaged from birth because they’re not having the best start in life. We need support across the borough for new mums.”

The Haringey Breastfeeding Support Review, published in November, was carried out by NHS Haringey and looked at the number of babies in each ward who are exclusively breastfed at six to eight-weeks-old.

Crouch End, Muswell Hill, and Fortis Green in the west of Haringey took the top spots, while White Hart Lane, Tottenham Green, Northumberland Park and Noel Park in the east were at the bottom.

The review also found that bringing back a specialist midwife to support breastfeeding would be “ineffective” in reducing this divide.

But the finding was slammed by campaigners who said they were “dismayed no money has been allocated for breastfeeding support”.

Sara Hall, 32, of Noel Park, Wood Green, said: “I struggled to get the support I needed to help me breastfeed my six-month-old baby when he was born. The review shows that my situation is typical for many mums in the area.”

NHS Haringey said breastfeeding rates will be monitored quarterly.

A spokesman said: “We are working to redress the lower breastfeeding rates in the east of the borough, with additional breastfeeding support planned in the Northumberland Park area to address low exclusive breastfeeding rates and high levels of mixed feeding.

“We are focussing attention on improving breastfeeding training for midwives and health visitors to ensure universal high quality breastfeeding support for all women.”

FACT BOX: Percentage of babies in Haringey exclusively breastfed at six to eight weeks in 2009-10

(Ward/Percentage)

Highgate: 64.3

Crouch End: 58.5

Muswell Hill: 57.8

Fortis Green: 56.0

Alexandra: 55.7

Harringay: 48.7

Stroud Green: 43.8

West Green: 43.0

Bounds Green: 42.6

Hornsey: 40.0

Tottenham Hale: 39.3

Woodside: 38.7

Seven Sisters: 36.8

Bruce Grove: 34.6

Noel Park: 33.9

Northumberland Park: 33.6

Tottenham Green: 33.2

White Hart Lane: 32.8

St Ann’s: 26.7