New charts have been drawn by National Health Service (NHS). These charts will give correct idea about how much milk a breastfeeding mother should give a child.

According to experts, earlier charts gave wrong information because they were based on growth rates for formula fed babies. The new charts are based on the growth rate of breast-fed babies.

The Institute of Child Health’s Professor Tim Cole, said: “With the previous charts a breastfed baby could be growing perfectly normally but would appear to the health visitor not to be growing as fast as the charts recommended, so there might have been pressure to wean early.”

A Department of Health spokeswoman said that the new charts will not only provide more accurate data, but will also help professionals and parents to identify early signs of overweight or obesity and provide support.

Children gain weight more slowly when they breastfeed as compared when they are given formula. Health officials are striving hard to send message to mother to breastfeed at least up to six months.

According to data only one percent women breastfeed and avoid formula milk for the first six months of a baby’s life.