From Infant feeding statistics Financial year 2025 to 2026 published two days ago, the above and:
Breastfeeding rates continue to rise and in 2025/26, 70% of babies in Scotland were breastfed for at least some time after their birth, compared with 63% in 2016/17.
Over the past 10 years the proportion of babies receiving some breastfeeding has increased at both the first visit (63% in 2025/26 vs 49% in 2015/16) and 6-8 week review (54% in 2025/26 vs 38% in 2015/16). In 2007, for the first visit it was 37%.
Breastfeeding is being maintained for longer. In 2025/26, among those who report breastfeeding at any point, just over one in five (23%) had stopped breastfeeding by 6-8 weeks. This compares with over a third (36%) who had stopped breastfeeding by 6-8 weeks in 2016/17.
Improving breastfeeding rates in Scotland would help to improve the health of babies and mothers, and reduce inequalities in health. There is good evidence that interventions can work to improve breastfeeding rates. These include ensuring good quality of breastfeeding support for mothers, as well as wider interventions, such as influencing public attitudes to breastfeeding, restricting the inappropriate promotion of formula milk, and ensuring supportive employment policies.
The increase in the percentage of babies receiving some breastfeeding at the first visit, in 2007 was only 37% but by last year it had risen to 63%, a 26% increase.
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