Is it true that more mums are breastfeeding now than ten years ago?

Yes, breastfeeding rates have increased worldwide during the past decade. Globally, exclusive breastfeeding rates have increased by 10 percentage points over the past decade, reaching 48% in 2023. This significant progress puts us close to achieving the World Health Assembly target of 50% by 2025.

Several key points highlight this positive trend:

1. In low-income and middle-income countries, exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months of life increased by 0.70 percentage points per year, reaching 48.6% in 2019.

2. Twenty-two countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, and Oceania have documented increases in exclusive breastfeeding of more than 10 percentage points since 2017.

3. The rate of exclusive breastfeeding under 6 months increased from 36.5% in 2000-2009 to 46.6% in 2010-2018 in 44 available low- and middle-income countries.

4. High-income countries have seen significant gains in any breastfeeding at age 6 months and 1 year.

It's important to note that continued efforts are needed to achieve global targets. 

This is not medical advice. For medical advice, please consult your health professional.