Canada's breastfeeding dashboard: 2024 edition

This dashboard presents a snapshot of data about breastfeeding in Canada. It includes outcomes by various socio-demographic factors known to influence breastfeeding.

  • Last updated: 2024-10-31

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Published: 2024-10-31

This dashboard presents data about breastfeeding in Canada. The data is from the 2022 Canadian Community Health Survey. It reflects information gathered from survey respondents who were between the ages of 15 and 55, identified as female, and had given birth in the previous 5 years.

Breastfeeding is important for the short-term and long-term health of babies, young children and parents. It is recommendedFootnote 1 that babies be fed:

Global breastfeeding targets aim to increase the rate of 6-month exclusive breastfeeding to at least 50% by 2025, and to 70% by 2030Footnote 2Footnote 3.

Key findings in Canada

91%

of parents started out breastfeeding

(No change from 91% in 2017-2018)

69%

of parents who breastfed did so for at least 6 months

(An increase from 62% in 2017-2018)

38%

of parents who breastfed exclusively did so for at least 6 months

(An increase from 35% in 2017-2018)

93%

of breastfed babies received vitamin D supplements

(An increase from 88% in 2017-2018)

Technical notes

Breastfeeding initiation

Most parents in Canada start out breastfeeding. The map shows the breastfeeding rates in each region.

Figure 1. Breastfeeding initiation by region

Figure 1: Data table with confidence intervals

Table 1. Breastfeeding initiation by region

Region Rate Confidence interval (CI)

The following charts and tables show the percentage of parents who breastfed their newborns by various factors known to influence breastfeeding rates.

Figure 2. Breastfeeding initiation by demographic factor

Highest level of education

Household income

Indigenous identity

Immigration status

Age

Pre-pregnancy BMI

Figure 2: Data table with confidence intervals

Table 2. Breastfeeding initiation by demographic factor

Reasons for not breastfeeding

The following chart shows the reasons given by parents who decided not to breastfeed their newborns.

Figure 3. Reasons given for not breastfeeding

Figure 3: Data table with confidence intervals
Table 3. Reasons given for not breastfeeding

Declines in breastfeeding

The sharpest drop in exclusive breastfeeding occurred during the first month. The rate of any breastfeeding (either exclusive or not) declined more steadily over time.

Figure 4. Breastfeeding rate by month (baby's age)

Figure 4: Data table with confidence intervals

Table 4. Breastfeeding rate by month (baby’s age)


Figure 5. Reasons given for stopping breastfeeding before 6 months

For those who stopped breastfeeding before 6 months, reasons for stopping included:

Figure 5: Data table with confidence intervals

Table 5. Reasons given for stopping breastfeeding before 6 months

Breastfeeding exclusively

Breastfeeding exclusively means that breast milk is the only food the baby eats. While most parents breastfed for at least 6 months, far fewer breastfed exclusively.

The following chart shows the percentage of parents in each region that breastfed for at least 6 months. It also shows the percentage who breastfed exclusively during those 6 months.

Figure 6. Percentage of parents who breastfed for at least 6 months by region

Figure 6: Data table with confidence intervals

Table 6. Percentage of parents who breastfed for at least 6 months by province and territory


The charts below show breastfeeding rates by factors known to influence breastfeeding rates.

Figure 7. Percentage of parents who breastfed for at least 6 months by demographic factors

Highest level of education

Household income

Rural or urban

Pre-pregnancy BMI

Age

Immigration status

Figure 7: Data table with confidence intervals

Table 7. Percentage of parents who breastfed for at least 6 months by demographic factors

Vitamin D supplements

In Canada, it's recommended that all breastfed babies be given extra vitamin D, and most parents follow this advice.

Figure 8. Percentage of breastfed infants given vitamin D supplements, by region

Figure 8: Data table with confidence intervals

Table 8. Percentage of breastfed infants given vitamin D supplements, by region

Region Rate Confidence interval (CI)

Figure 9. Percentage of breastfed infants given vitamin D supplements, by breastfeeding demographic factor

Age

Highest level of education

Household income

Figure 9: Data table with confidence intervals

Table 9. Percentage of breastfed infants given vitamin D supplements, by breastfeeding parent's age and education

Related resources

Footnotes

Additional breastfeeding data resources

Download data (.csv)

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