Breast milk has many known advantages: it’s often easily digested and adapts to meet the nutrient needs of babies as they grow. Breastfeeding also helps protect against multiple infectious diseases in infancy, as well as sudden infant death syndrome, and may also have a protective effect against breast and ovarian cancers for the mother. For these reasons and more, Health Canada and the World Health Organization recommend exclusively breastfeeding babies for their first six months.
However, parenthood differs for everyone, and parents must choose the best way to feed their baby depending on a variety of factors.
From 2017 to 2018, we asked women who had given birth over the previous five years about their breastfeeding experiences and challenges.
To mark World Breastfeeding Week, let’s look at some of the results from these questions.
Just over 9 in 10 women start breastfeeding soon after their child is born
Over 9 in 10 women (91%) who had a baby over the previous five years told us they breastfed or gave breast milk to their child, even for a short time, soon after giving birth.
Proportions were lower for women in the United States (84%) and the United Kingdom (81%), but higher in Australia (96%).
One-third of women exclusively breastfeed their baby for at least six months
Exclusive breastfeeding is the practice of feeding a child only breast milk, without the addition of water, breast milk substitutes, other liquids or solid foods.
While four in five women (80%) exclusively breastfed for at least one week, that percentage dropped to over half (56%) at four months. One-third (34%) of respondents told us they exclusively breastfed or gave breast milk to their baby for at least six months.
Breastfeeding increases with age
For example, just under one-quarter (24%) of women younger than 25 breastfed exclusively for at least six months. This percentage rose to one in three for women aged 25 to 29 (33%) and peaked at two in five for women aged 35 and older (40%).
Breastfeeding increases with level of education
A higher percentage of women with a postsecondary education (35%) breastfed exclusively for at least six months, compared with those who did not graduate high school (23%).
From a geographical perspective
Over two-thirds (68%) of women in Yukon exclusively breastfed their child for at least six months—the highest percentage nationally—while almost half (49%) of women in British Columbia did the same. The lowest proportions were observed in Newfoundland and Labrador (22%) and Quebec (25%).
Description - Proportion of women who exclusively breastfed for at least six months, by Province or Territory
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E – use with caution Estimates accompanied by the letter “E” indicate that the data should be used with caution. F – too unreliable to be published “F” appears in a data cell when a figure is “too unreliable to be published".
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Not having enough breast milk is the most common reason for stopping breastfeeding within six months
Among women who breastfed within the first six months but stopped, not having enough breast milk was the most common reason provided, reported by almost half (44%) of women from 2017 to 2018. Other reasons included difficulty with breastfeeding (15%), a medical condition of the woman or baby (15%), and the baby being ready for solids or weaning themselves (9%).
Description - Reason for stopping breastfeeding
E – use with caution
Estimates accompanied by the letter “E” indicate that the data should be used with caution.
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Reason for stopping breastfeeding |
Proportion of women who stopped breastfeeding within six months |
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Not enough breast milk |
44% |
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Difficulty with breastfeeding |
15% |
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Medical condition of the woman or baby |
15% |
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Child weaned themselves or ready for solids |
9% |
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Inconvenience or fatigue from breastfeeding |
8% |
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Other |
6%E |
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Returned to work or school |
3%E |
Contact information
For more information, contact the Statistical Information Service (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).