The surprisingly significant environmental benefits of breastfeeding

Women should always retain agency over their decisions around breastfeeding, but the environmental impact of formula milk is often overlooked, says Donnachadh McCarthy

Producing a kilogram of replacement milk formula involves the emission of about 4kg of CO2 (Getty)

While the health benefits of breastfeeding are relatively well known, for those who are able to breastfeed, the fact there can be significant environmental benefits is not.

Before delving into these advantages, it is crucial to note that some mothers and babies are unable to (or do not) breastfeed for health reasons or personal choice. Nobody should ever be pressured into doing so. And it’s important to understand the issue can be emotionally painful for those who wish to, but cannot.

There are many barriers to breastfeeding, too, such as unsupportive employers – the MP Stella Creasy was recently banned from parliament for breastfeeding in the chamber, for example.