Researching breastfeeding rates in Australia

Getting ready to work with families in NSW and this is the information I’m finding on breastfeeding rates in Australia:

*This is from the 2010 Australian national infant feeding survey:

Initiation, duration and intensity of breastfeeding

• Breastfeeding was initiated for 96% of children aged 0–2 years.
• Around 69% of infants were still receiving some breastmilk at 4 months of age, although only 39% were exclusively breastfed to 3 months (less than 4 months), and around 60% were still receiving some breastmilk at 6 months, but only 15% were exclusively breastfed to 5 months (less than 6 months).
• A total of 47% of infants were predominantly (fully) breastfed to 3 months (less than 4 months), dropping to 21% predominantly breastfed to 5 months (less than 6 months).

Introduction of non-human milk and other fluids/foods

• About 40% of infants aged 1 month old received non-human milk or infant formula, with the rate rising gradually to 55% at 6 months. Nearly 80% of children aged 12 months received non-human milk or infant formula.
• Less than 1% of infants aged 1 month old had consumed soft/semi-solid/solid food, rising to 35% of infants aged 4 months, 92% of infants aged 6 months and 95% of children aged 12 months.

Table 2.2: Proportion of children exclusively breastfed to each month of age

To month(a)	Equivalent duration	Per cent
0	Less than 1 month	61.4
1	Less than 2 months	55.8
2	Less than 3 months	48.0
3	Less than 4 months	39.2
4	Less than 5 months	27.0
5	Less than 6 months	15.4
6	Less than 7 months	2.1

1. ‘To’ indicates an infant’s age the month before a fluid other than breastmilk was introduced. This is effectively the month before another fluid was introduced. For example, a child who was introduced to water when they were aged 4 months (in their fifth month of life) was exclusively breastfed to 4 months of age (that is, they had 4 completed months of exclusive breastfeeding). Similarly, a child who was introduced to water at age 1 month (in their second month of life) was exclusively breastfed to 1 month. Or, a child who was introduced to water at 0 months (in their first month of life) was exclusively breastfed to 0 months (or for less than 1 month).