Breastfeeding by age of baby and age of mother

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Data description ( of 2 selected2 selectable options)

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Year ( of 9 selected9 selectable options)

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Age of mother ( of 10 selected10 selectable options)

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Age of baby ( of 5 selected5 selectable options)

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Breastfeeding status ( of 5 selected5 selectable options)

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Data valuesData descriptionYearAge of motherAge of babyBreastfeeding status
20,049Number2024All agesIntentionTotal
12,622Number2024All agesIntentionBreastfeeding
6,945Number2024All agesIntentionNot breastfeeding
482Number2024All agesIntentionNot stated
19,567Number2024All agesIntentionRecords with valid data
26,944Number2024All agesBirthTotal
15,923Number2024All agesBirthBreastfeeding
8,942Number2024All agesBirthNot breastfeeding
2,079Number2024All agesBirthNot stated
24,865Number2024All agesBirthRecords with valid data
26,819Number2024All ages10 daysTotal
13,503Number2024All ages10 daysBreastfeeding
10,067Number2024All ages10 daysNot breastfeeding
3,249Number2024All ages10 daysNot stated
23,570Number2024All ages10 daysRecords with valid data
27,067Number2024All ages6 weeksTotal
9,434Number2024All ages6 weeksBreastfeeding
11,946Number2024All ages6 weeksNot breastfeeding
5,687Number2024All ages6 weeksNot stated
21,380Number2024All ages6 weeksRecords with valid data
27,476Number2024All ages6 monthsTotal
6,975Number2024All ages6 monthsBreastfeeding
14,508Number2024All ages6 monthsNot breastfeeding
5,993Number2024All ages6 monthsNot stated
21,483Number2024All ages6 monthsRecords with valid data
12Number2024Under 16IntentionTotal
4Number2024Under 16IntentionBreastfeeding
8Number2024Under 16IntentionNot breastfeeding
0Number2024Under 16IntentionNot stated
12Number2024Under 16IntentionRecords with valid data
14Number2024Under 16BirthTotal
5Number2024Under 16BirthBreastfeeding
8Number2024Under 16BirthNot breastfeeding
1Number2024Under 16BirthNot stated
13Number2024Under 16BirthRecords with valid data
14Number2024Under 1610 daysTotal
2Number2024Under 1610 daysBreastfeeding
12Number2024Under 1610 daysNot breastfeeding
0Number2024Under 1610 daysNot stated
14Number2024Under 1610 daysRecords with valid data
14Number2024Under 166 weeksTotal
2Number2024Under 166 weeksBreastfeeding
10Number2024Under 166 weeksNot breastfeeding
2Number2024Under 166 weeksNot stated
12Number2024Under 166 weeksRecords with valid data
18Number2024Under 166 monthsTotal
0Number2024Under 166 monthsBreastfeeding
15Number2024Under 166 monthsNot breastfeeding
3Number2024Under 166 monthsNot stated
15Number2024Under 166 monthsRecords with valid data
603Number202416 to 19IntentionTotal
215Number202416 to 19IntentionBreastfeeding
374Number202416 to 19IntentionNot breastfeeding
14Number202416 to 19IntentionNot stated
589Number202416 to 19IntentionRecords with valid data
794Number202416 to 19BirthTotal
282Number202416 to 19BirthBreastfeeding
447Number202416 to 19BirthNot breastfeeding
65Number202416 to 19BirthNot stated
729Number202416 to 19BirthRecords with valid data
781Number202416 to 1910 daysTotal
174Number202416 to 1910 daysBreastfeeding
488Number202416 to 1910 daysNot breastfeeding
119Number202416 to 1910 daysNot stated
662Number202416 to 1910 daysRecords with valid data
794Number202416 to 196 weeksTotal
100Number202416 to 196 weeksBreastfeeding
536Number202416 to 196 weeksNot breastfeeding
158Number202416 to 196 weeksNot stated
636Number202416 to 196 weeksRecords with valid data
800Number202416 to 196 monthsTotal
46Number202416 to 196 monthsBreastfeeding
581Number202416 to 196 monthsNot breastfeeding
173Number202416 to 196 monthsNot stated
627Number202416 to 196 monthsRecords with valid data
2,785Number202420 to 24IntentionTotal
1,381Number202420 to 24IntentionBreastfeeding
1,346Number202420 to 24IntentionNot breastfeeding
58Number202420 to 24IntentionNot stated
2,727Number202420 to 24IntentionRecords with valid data
3,740Number202420 to 24BirthTotal
1,713Number202420 to 24BirthBreastfeeding
1,741Number202420 to 24BirthNot breastfeeding
286Number202420 to 24BirthNot stated
3,454Number202420 to 24BirthRecords with valid data
3,702Number202420 to 2410 daysTotal
1,339Number202420 to 2410 daysBreastfeeding
1,874Number202420 to 2410 daysNot breastfeeding
489Number202420 to 2410 daysNot stated
3,213Number202420 to 2410 daysRecords with valid data
3,740Number202420 to 246 weeksTotal
806Number202420 to 246 weeksBreastfeeding
2,194Number202420 to 246 weeksNot breastfeeding
740Number202420 to 246 weeksNot stated
3,000Number202420 to 246 weeksRecords with valid data
3,803Number202420 to 246 monthsTotal
508Number202420 to 246 monthsBreastfeeding
2,420Number202420 to 246 monthsNot breastfeeding
875Number202420 to 246 monthsNot stated
2,928Number202420 to 246 monthsRecords with valid data
Showing 1 to 100 of 4,500 rows
Page 1 of 45

Next update expected:July 2026

Updates

19th December 2025
Dataset first published.

Main information

Designation
Accredited official statistics
Data provider 1
Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW)
Data source 1
Maternity Indicators Dataset (MIDS)
Data provider 2
Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW)
Data source 2
National Community Child Health Database (NCCHD)

Overview

Summary of dataset and variables

Number and percentage of babies breastfed by age of baby broken down by local health board, age of mother and ethnic group.

These statistics are derived from two data sources: the Maternity Indicators dataset where a mother’s intention to breastfeed prior to birth is recorded and the National Community Child Health Database (NCCHD) where data for breastfeeding at birth and for babies turning 10 days, 6 weeks and 6 months is recorded and refers to records where there was any breastfeeding.

Both data sources are provided to the Welsh Government by Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW).

The Maternity Indicators dataset combines records from a mother’s initial assessment with a child’s birth record. The Maternity Indicators dataset allows us to analyse characteristics of the mother’s pregnancy and birth process, of which ‘intention to breastfeed’ is one.

The NCCHD was established in 2004 and consists of anonymised records for all children born, resident or treated in Wales and born after 1987. The database brings together data from local Community Child Health System databases which are held by local health boards (LHBs), and its main function is to provide an online record of a child’s health and care from birth to leaving school age. The statistics used in this release are based on the data recorded at birth and shortly after birth.

Full details of every data item available on both the Maternity Indicators dataset and National Community Child Health Database are available through the NHS Wales Data Dictionary.

Data collection or calculation

Data from the Maternity Indicators dataset only includes initial assessment data where the initial assessment and birth both occurred in the same health board, in Wales only.

Births to Welsh resident mothers who gave birth in England or in any other country outside of Wales are not included in the intention to breastfeed data.

Data for each calendar year refers to when the baby was born. The NCCHD includes records of all children born in, resident in or receiving services in their relevant local health boards. This means the database contains some information for some children not currently residing in Wales; however, unless otherwise stated, all statistics produced from data sourced from this database is filtered to only include those children born in Wales.

Data on breastfeeding at birth, 10 days, 6 weeks and 6 months refers to the time period in which the activity occurred, rather than when the child was born.

The percentages are of the total number of records with stated breastfeeding status.

The total number of records for percentage calculations at each point are:

  • the number of women due to give birth for 'Intention to breastfeed'
  • all live births for 'birth'
  • and of babies turning the reference age for all other age points.

The NCCHD records both live and stillbirths, however this analysis refers only to live births.

Statistical quality

The Maternity Indicators dataset and NCCHD are live databases, meaning health boards can amend data for any period.

For the statistics in this release, DHCW take data extracts from a single point in time, for the latest calendar year. Welsh Government will not make revisions to historical data unless errors are discovered.

Breastfeeding data at all points in time are subject to data quality issues as some mothers and babies have incomplete records.

Breastfeeding data at 10 days, 6 weeks and 6 months is collected when the children have health visitor and GP appointments through the Healthy Child Wales Programme. If a child does not receive a contact, their breastfeeding data may be missing at that contact point.

The completeness rate decreases with the age of the baby and in 2024, was as follows:

  • 98% for intention to breastfeed
  • 92% at birth
  • 88% at 10 days
  • 79% at six weeks
  • 78% at 6 months.

A completeness table for all data items used in this release from both data sources is available in the quality report.

Aneurin Bevan have not provided correctly recorded data for the intention to breastfeed data item in 2024 so have been excluded from the intention to breastfeed analysis. All health boards are included for the other age points.

Related reports

Published by

Organisation
Welsh Government
Contact email
stats.healthinfo@gov.wales

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