The Ministry of Health has published the report of a national survey on feeding infants in Luxembourg.
The ALBA 2015 survey, carried out in collaboration with the National Committee for the Promotion and Support of Breastfeeding, has established an inventory of the feeding of babies aged 4, 6 and 12 months in Luxembourg.
The ALBA report analysed the differences that may exist in relation to babies' dietary habits, based on demographic, socio-economic and maternal health indicators, or on the working situation of the children’s mothers.
A primary objective of the survey was to study the prevalence and duration of breastfeeding and the general feeding characteristics of babies aged 4, 6 and 12 months in a representative sample. In addition, the survey identified factors associated with breastfeeding initiation, exclusive breastfeeding, and continued breastfeeding up to the age recommended by current guidelines.
Finally, the comparability of the data collected with those of previous national surveys was ensured, as well as a demonstration of the evolution of breastfeeding practices. The survey also provided data for comparisons at the international level.
The survey questionnaire was made available to mothers in French, German, Portuguese and English. Of the 4,745 questionnaires sent, 3,375 were returned, representing a response rate of 71.1%. The final analysis sample, considered representative, included 3,375 babies born from 3,309 mothers.
The main results showed that the rate of initiation of breastfeeding at birth was 90.2%, of which the rate of exclusive breastfeeding, when leaving the maternity hospital, was 62.3%. The 4-month breastfeeding rate was found to be 59.1% and the exclusive breastfeeding rate is 33.1%, whilst the 6-month breastfeeding rate was 45.0% and the exclusive breastfeeding rate 2.6%, and the 12-month breastfeeding rate is 23.7%.
32% of babies were found to be weaned before 4 months. The reasons most often mentioned for weaning were the perception of a lack of milk (53%), the return to professional activity (23%), fatigue (18%), refusal of the breast (18%) and breast problems (13%).
With regard to the evolution of breastfeeding in Luxembourg, the stability of the initiation rate and breastfeeding rate at 6 months was maintained, as well as an increase in breastfeeding rates at 4 and 12 months, compared to previous surveys. The 4-month exclusive breastfeeding rate was up from 2008, returning to the 2001-2002 level.
As for the main breastfeeding difficulties cited by mothers, these mainly concerned the practice and progress of breastfeeding (38%), breast problems (28%) and personal and social difficulties (19,1%).
Despite the reassuring results of the 2015 ALBA study, Luxembourg continues to be well below breastfeeding rates in other countries, especially in the Nordic countries, where breastfeeding is much more common form of nutrition for babies.
