Intention to breastfeed by number of times mothers had previously given birth (parity)

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Year ( of 9 selected9 selectable options)

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Parity ( of 5 selected5 selectable options)

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Breastfeeding status ( of 5 selected5 selectable options)

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Data valuesData descriptionYearParityBreastfeeding status
20,049Number2024All womenTotal
12,622Number2024All womenBreastfeeding
6,945Number2024All womenNot breastfeeding
482Number2024All womenNot stated
19,567Number2024All womenRecords with valid data
8,328Number2024NulliparousTotal
5,568Number2024NulliparousBreastfeeding
2,545Number2024NulliparousNot breastfeeding
215Number2024NulliparousNot stated
8,113Number2024NulliparousRecords with valid data
6,348Number2024PrimiparousTotal
3,995Number2024PrimiparousBreastfeeding
2,204Number2024PrimiparousNot breastfeeding
149Number2024PrimiparousNot stated
6,199Number2024PrimiparousRecords with valid data
3,938Number2024MultiparousTotal
2,150Number2024MultiparousBreastfeeding
1,689Number2024MultiparousNot breastfeeding
99Number2024MultiparousNot stated
3,839Number2024MultiparousRecords with valid data
1,435Number2024Not statedTotal
909Number2024Not statedBreastfeeding
507Number2024Not statedNot breastfeeding
19Number2024Not statedNot stated
1,416Number2024Not statedRecords with valid data
26,355Number2023All womenTotal
16,955Number2023All womenBreastfeeding
8,918Number2023All womenNot breastfeeding
482Number2023All womenNot stated
25,873Number2023All womenRecords with valid data
11,463Number2023NulliparousTotal
7,827Number2023NulliparousBreastfeeding
3,406Number2023NulliparousNot breastfeeding
230Number2023NulliparousNot stated
11,233Number2023NulliparousRecords with valid data
7,981Number2023PrimiparousTotal
5,165Number2023PrimiparousBreastfeeding
2,679Number2023PrimiparousNot breastfeeding
137Number2023PrimiparousNot stated
7,844Number2023PrimiparousRecords with valid data
5,053Number2023MultiparousTotal
2,757Number2023MultiparousBreastfeeding
2,201Number2023MultiparousNot breastfeeding
95Number2023MultiparousNot stated
4,958Number2023MultiparousRecords with valid data
1,858Number2023Not statedTotal
1,206Number2023Not statedBreastfeeding
632Number2023Not statedNot breastfeeding
20Number2023Not statedNot stated
1,838Number2023Not statedRecords with valid data
27,163Number2022All womenTotal
16,930Number2022All womenBreastfeeding
9,645Number2022All womenNot breastfeeding
588Number2022All womenNot stated
26,575Number2022All womenRecords with valid data
11,390Number2022NulliparousTotal
7,545Number2022NulliparousBreastfeeding
3,602Number2022NulliparousNot breastfeeding
243Number2022NulliparousNot stated
11,147Number2022NulliparousRecords with valid data
8,397Number2022PrimiparousTotal
5,296Number2022PrimiparousBreastfeeding
2,921Number2022PrimiparousNot breastfeeding
180Number2022PrimiparousNot stated
8,217Number2022PrimiparousRecords with valid data
5,553Number2022MultiparousTotal
2,923Number2022MultiparousBreastfeeding
2,484Number2022MultiparousNot breastfeeding
146Number2022MultiparousNot stated
5,407Number2022MultiparousRecords with valid data
1,823Number2022Not statedTotal
1,166Number2022Not statedBreastfeeding
638Number2022Not statedNot breastfeeding
19Number2022Not statedNot stated
1,804Number2022Not statedRecords with valid data
27,657Number2021All womenTotal
17,360Number2021All womenBreastfeeding
9,656Number2021All womenNot breastfeeding
641Number2021All womenNot stated
27,016Number2021All womenRecords with valid data
10,575Number2021NulliparousTotal
7,156Number2021NulliparousBreastfeeding
3,133Number2021NulliparousNot breastfeeding
286Number2021NulliparousNot stated
10,289Number2021NulliparousRecords with valid data
9,343Number2021PrimiparousTotal
5,815Number2021PrimiparousBreastfeeding
3,349Number2021PrimiparousNot breastfeeding
179Number2021PrimiparousNot stated
9,164Number2021PrimiparousRecords with valid data
5,818Number2021MultiparousTotal
3,114Number2021MultiparousBreastfeeding
2,551Number2021MultiparousNot breastfeeding
153Number2021MultiparousNot stated
5,665Number2021MultiparousRecords with valid data
1,921Number2021Not statedTotal
1,275Number2021Not statedBreastfeeding
623Number2021Not statedNot breastfeeding
23Number2021Not statedNot stated
1,898Number2021Not statedRecords with valid data
Showing 1 to 100 of 450 rows
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Next update expected:July 2026

Updates

19th December 2025
Dataset first published.

Main information

Designation
Accredited official statistics
Data provider
Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW)
Data source
Maternity Indicators Dataset (MIDS)

Overview

Summary of dataset and variables

Number and percentage mothers intending to breastfeed broken down by the number of times mothers had previously given birth (parity).

These statistics are derived from the Maternity Indicators dataset where a mother’s intention to breastfeed prior to birth is recorded and are provided to the Welsh Government by Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW).

The Maternity Indicators 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.

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 data.

Data for each calendar year refers to when the baby was born.

Statistical quality

The Maternity Indicators dataset is a live database, 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. Not all records on the Maternity Indicators data set have complete records for breastfeeding status. The completeness rate decreases with the age of the baby and in 2024, 98% for intention to breastfeed data had complete records.

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.

From 1st April 2019 health service provision for residents of Bridgend local authority moved from Abertawe Bro Morgannwg to Cwm Taf. The health board names changed to Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board and Swansea Bay University Health Board. Data for Abertawe Bro Morgannwg and Cwm Taf are available for previous years in this table. More detailed information on the sources of data and analyses in this statistical release are provided in the quality report.

Related reports

Published by

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

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