The Office for National Statistics performs its Infant Feeding Survey every five years. The figures from the 2005 survey were published in March 2008. The 2005 figures show some significant improvements from the 2000 survey. Key findings were:
• The proportion of babies breastfed at birth in the UK rose by seven per cent.
• Initiation rates in both Scotland and Northern Ireland rose by eight per cent and those in England and Wales by seven per cent.
• Scotland showed the greatest increases in the prevalence of breastfeeding at ages up to nine months in 2000, but appears to have stabilised in 2005, with a small increase in the rate at four months and no increase at six and nine months. By contrast, the other countries show an increase at all ages.
• Overall, only 35 per cent of UK babies are being exclusively breastfed at one week, 21 per cent at six weeks, 7 per cent at four months and 3 per cent at five months.
• In 2005, for the first time, figures for Wales were separated from those for England. This will enable each country to see their individual progress in the next survey, which will take place in 2010 and results for which will be published in 2013.
The Office for National Statistics performs its Infant Feeding Survey every five years. The figures from the 2005 survey were published in March 2008. The 2005 figures show some significant improvements from the 2000 survey. Key findings were:
• The proportion of babies breastfed at birth in the UK rose by seven per cent.
• Initiation rates in both Scotland and Northern Ireland rose by eight per cent and those in England and Wales by seven per cent.
• Scotland showed the greatest increases in the prevalence of breastfeeding at ages up to nine months in 2000, but appears to have stabilised in 2005, with a small increase in the rate at four months and no increase at six and nine months. By contrast, the other countries show an increase at all ages.
• Overall, only 35 per cent of UK babies are being exclusively breastfed at one week, 21 per cent at six weeks, 7 per cent at four months and 3 per cent at five months.
• In 2005, for the first time, figures for Wales were separated from those for England. This will enable each country to see their individual progress in the 2010 survey.
• Early results from the 2010 survey, published in June 2011, indicate that breastfeeding initiation rates have risen to 81 per cent across the UK. The full results will be published in summer 2012, but you can read more about the early results here.
