Changes in Scottish infant feeding policy and breastfeeding habits between 2004 and 2011

Mothers from advantaged backgrounds are far
more likely to try breastfeeding at least once,
when compared to mothers from disadvantaged
backgrounds.

The total number of women who breastfed their
babies at least once has increased by only three
per cent between 2005 and 2011.

Mothers from disadvantaged backgrounds are
breastfeeding for longer. Mothers with few or no
educational qualifications who gave birth in 2011
had a 150 per cent higher chance of continuing to
breastfeed for between 6 and 10 months than their
peers did in 2005.

There remain a significant proportion of women who
stop breastfeeding within the first month, although
this may, in part, be due to more women giving
breastfeeding a go. Not having enough milk was the
most commonly given reason by mothers for stopping
so early.

Mothers in households where a language other than
English was spoken had a four times higher chance
of breastfeeding their child compared with mothers
in households where only English was spoken.

Policies supporting breastfeeding, which were
introduced in Scotland during the last decade, may
have contributed to longer breastfeeding spells
among families facing disadvantage.