Infant feeding and breastfeeding 

The benefits to both mother and baby of breastfeeding are well established (NHS). 

The following data are drawn from the Infant Feeding Statistics Scotland report 2021/22: 

• 65% of babies born in Scotland were breastfed for at least some time after birth. 
• 46% of babies were still being breastfed by the time of their 6-8 week review: 32% were being exclusively breastfed and 14% were receiving mixed breast and formula feeding. 

• 81% of babies had been introduced to solid food at six months of age or older. Less than 1% had been started on solids at less than four months of age. 

Inequalities: 

• Breastfeeding is more common among older mothers and those from less deprived areas. 
• White Scottish babies are less likely to be breastfed than babies from any other ethnic group: 

• 90% of babies of Black, Caribbean or African ethnicity were breastfed (exclusive or mixed) at the time of their 6-8 week review, compared to 38% of White Scottish babies. 

Note: Breastfeeding rates from self-report surveys are usually higher than those reported above (taken from the health visitor child health review). This may be because surveys tend to over represent older and less deprived mothers.  

The ScotPHO health and wellbeing profiles include an indicator showing trends in the proportion of babies exclusively breastfed at their 6-8 week health visitor review, from national to intermediate zone level (see online profiles).