Mothers over 35 are most likely to breastfeed their children, a survey published to coincide with National Breastfeeding Week has found. Some 60 per cent of older mothers said they had breastfed their youngest child compared with 45 per cent of mothers aged 15-24.
Social class is also a significant factor influencing the likelihood of breastfeeding. Almost 70 per cent of women in the highest socioeconomic group breastfed their last child, compared with just one in four mothers from a working class background.
The research was carried out last month on a relatively small, but nationally representative, sample of mothers of children under five years of age for the Health Service Executive (HSE).
It was presented yesterday by Maureen Fallon, the HSE's national breastfeeding co-ordinator, at the launch of National Breastfeeding Week in Dublin.
Among the reasons respondents gave for not breastfeeding was not having the time and that it was inconvenient. Embarrassment at feeding a baby in public was a factor for 20 per cent of those surveyed. Of those mothers who had chosen to breastfeed, some 90 per cent said they did so because it was "better for the child's health and development".
Just over one-third of mothers kept breastfeeding for the minimum recommended time of six months, with 50 per cent breastfeeding until the child was three months old. The main reason women gave for stopping breastfeeding was a difficulty fitting the regime in with their lifestyles or a need to return to work.
The Republic has a low rate of breastfeeding with about 50 per cent of women breastfeeding on leaving hospital. This compares with initiation rates of up to 98 per cent in other European countries.
With this year's campaign aiming to increase support for mothers who choose to breastfeed, the survey found that emotional support from a partner, friends and family was very important for newly breastfeeding women. Some 70 per cent of respondents said attending a breastfeeding support group nearby helped them continue.
As part of National Breastfeeding Week, the HSE has produced a wallet-sized Breastfeeding Support Network card.
Catherine Murphy, HSE assistant national director of Population Health, said: "The Breastfeeding Support Network Card has been developed to ensure that women who are breastfeeding or considering breastfeeding will know just where to seek support, particularly in the weeks following the baby's birth."
Eamon Ryan, Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, who launched the initiative, said breastfeeding was not just a lifestyle choice but an important health issue. "It is also a social, economic and environmental issue that has positive implications for our society and its future."