Infant Feeding Survey

The Infant Feeding Survey has been conducted every five years since 1975. It provides estimates on the incidence, prevalence and duration of breastfeeding and other feeding practices adopted by mothers in the UK, from the birth of their baby up to around nine months. The survey also collects information on the smoking and drinking behaviour of mothers before, during and after pregnancy.

As well as national estimates, the last two surveys in 2005 and 2010 have provided individual estimates for the four countries of the UK. The survey uses a longitudinal panel design, with three stages of data collection being carried out over a 9-12 month period in order to capture feeding practices at different ages. Stage 1 is carried out when the babies are approximately 6-10 weeks old; Stage 2, when they are approximately 4-6 months old; and Stage 3 when they are approximately 8-10 months old. The 2010 survey was based on an initial representative sample of 30,188 mothers of babies born in the UK between mid-August and late November 2010. At Stage 1 a total of 15,724 mothers returned the questionnaire, representing a response rate of 52%. The 2010 headline results were published in June 2011. These focus on early results from Stage 1 of the survey only and cover two key topics, the initial incidence of breastfeeding and smoking during pregnancy. The final stage of the survey is currently underway and a complete report is expected to be published in the summer of 2012.