Infant feeding practices in Peel
- Exclusive breastfeeding has decreased
- One third of mothers attended a prenatal class in 2024
- Most infants were given a vitamin D supplement
- Most infants started solids within the recommended time frame
- References
- Appendix A: Methods and notes
- Terminology
Peel Public Health works to support parents to achieve their feeding goals while promoting healthy practices. Information and resources are available for families to learn more about feeding their baby. Families can also talk to a public health nurse.
The Peel Infant Feeding Survey was most recently conducted in 2024 and key findings are summarized.
The terms “mother”, “women”, and “breast milk” and “breastfeeding” are used throughout this report to stay consistent with the language used in the survey tools. People with various gender identities can get pregnant and have children and may be included in these data.
Exclusive breastfeeding has decreased
In 2024, mothers exclusively breastfeeding their infants was lower than in 2019 at all measured time points between hospital discharge and 5 months of age. (Refer to terminology for descriptions of these terms)
- Infants exclusively breastfed at hospital discharge decreased from 49% in 2019 to 32% in 2024.
- By 5 months of age, only 10% of infants were exclusively breastfed in 2024 vs. 17% in 2019.
The decline in exclusive breastfeeding was accompanied by other changes
Between 2019 and 2024:
- Infants who were given formula in hospital increased from 43% to 65%.
- Mothers who introduced formula to their infants within 2 weeks of hospital discharge or a home birth increased from 49% to 67%.
- Mothers who had intended to only feed breast milk for the first 4 weeks decreased from 73% to 64%.
Mothers felt like they didn’t have enough milk
In 2024, mothers feeling they did not have enough milk was the number one reason for:
- Introducing formula after discharge (55%).
- Introducing liquids other than breast milk in hospital (47%).
- Stopping breastfeeding (68%).
- Experiencing difficulties or concerns with breastfeeding (52%).
Latching was another commonly reported difficulty or concern with breastfeeding
This was also frequently reported as a reason for introducing liquids other than breastmilk in hospital and stopping breastfeeding.
Difficulty accessing breastfeeding services increased
Mothers who reported they were unable to access a breastfeeding service after hospital discharge or a home birth increased from 15% in 2019 to 31% in 2024.
- However, demand was similar as mothers who reported they would have benefited from a breastfeeding service was similar between 2019 (50%) and 2024 (53%).
- Mothers who reported they used a breastfeeding service after discharge or a home birth was also similar between 2019 (47%) and 2024 (47%).
Some breastfeeding practices remained consistent
Mothers who reported receiving support with breastfeeding in hospital was similar between 2019 (86%) and 2024 (85%). Refer to additional graphs.
Mothers who were providing any breast milk at all time points was similar.
- At 2 weeks of age, 96% of mothers were providing any breast milk in 2019 and 97% in 2024.
- At 6 months of age, 70% provided any breast milk in 2024 which was similar to 68% in 2019.
Most mothers who introduced formula within the first 2 weeks still reported providing breast milk for more than half of feedings (2019: 63%; 2024: 63%).
Breastfeeding has health, social and economic benefits
Breastfeeding reduces the incidence and severity of some infections and reduces the risk of infant mortality. Breastfeeding has also been associated with decreased risk of some chronic diseases among mothers (for example, certain types of cancer) and children (for example, asthma) (refer to reference 1-2).
Additionally, as the affordability of infant formula has declined with the monthly average retail price of infant formula in Canada increasing by 62% between 2017 and 2024 (refer to reference 3), breast milk continues to provide optimal nutrition at a lower cost.
Public health plays an important role in increasing the proportion of mothers exclusively breastfeeding
Mothers need support shortly after hospital discharge to address challenges with breastfeeding including not having enough milk and latching concerns.
Additionally, there continues to be a strong need for breastfeeding programs and services after discharge.
One third of mothers attended a prenatal class in 2024
Most prenatal classes had similar content and delivery
- 83% covered the topic of breastfeeding, according to those who attended.
- 65% were delivered online with an instructor, while less were delivered in person or online self-led.
In 2024, 16% of mothers reported receiving no prenatal care
- Among those who received prenatal care, most (81%) started receiving care in their first trimester.
- And among those who received this care, the most common primary provider was an obstetrician (60%).
Prenatal class attendance differed over time and by subgroup
- More mothers attended prenatal classes in 2024 (33%) than in 2019 (24%).
- More mothers pregnant with their first child (45%) attended a prenatal class compared to mothers with at least one previous live birth (13%).
Education and health care are important during the prenatal period
They support the best possible health outcomes and prepare for pregnancy, birth, and newborn care (refer to references 5 and 6).
Increasing prenatal education and supports matters
- Prenatal education and care can contribute to increased motivation, confidence, knowledge and skills around breastfeeding.
- Ensuring every mother has access to supportive prenatal care by addressing barriers and challenges is important for improving health outcomes.
Most infants were given a vitamin D supplement
In 2024, 84% of infants were given a vitamin D supplement every day or almost every day. This was similar to 2019 (78%). Refer to additional graphs.
Vitamin D supports healthy bone development
It’s recommended that infants less than one year of age receive at least 400 IU of Vitamin D per day which can be achieved through supplementation, formula, solid foods, or a combination of these sources.
For most breastfed infants, supplementation of 400 IU of Vitamin D per day is recommended (refer to references 4 and 7).
Vitamin D deficiency among infants in Peel is likely low
This is due to the high rate of vitamin D supplementation.
Reasons such as knowledge, cost, accessibility or other factors may impact Vitamin D supplementation. Understanding the role of these and other factors in Peel can inform how to support all infants in achieving the Vitamin D supplementation recommendations.
Most infants started solids within the recommended time frame
In 2024, 81% of infants were introduced solids within the recommended time of around 6 months (5 months to less than 7 months of age). This was similar to 2019 (76%). Refer to additional graphs.
Solid foods at around 6 months supports optimal health
Introducing solids too late can contribute to nutrient (for example, iron) deficiencies and introducing solids too early can impact the duration of breastfeeding (refer to reference 4).
Most infants were fed iron-rich foods
92% of infants who had started solid foods had been given iron-rich foods, similar to 2019 (90%).
Half of these infants were not receiving enough iron-rich foods
About 51% of infants who had been introduced to solid foods were given iron-rich foods twice a day or more while the other half were given iron-rich foods less than twice a day (49%). This was similar to 2019 (53% and 47%, respectively).
Iron is essential to growth and development
Iron supports growth and cognitive, neurological, motor, and behavioral development.
It’s recommended that infants who are eating solids are offered iron-rich foods at least two times per day (refer to references 4 and 8).
Understanding the impacts of knowledge, cost, accessibility or other factors on how often infants are offered iron-rich foods can inform strategies to support families in achieving this recommendation.
Other information