Overview

• Spain’s exclusive breastfeeding rate at six months rose to a record 47% in 2023, up from 39% in 2017 and closing in on the WHO’s 50% target.
• The Ministry of Health convened a working group with autonomous communities, the Equality and Social Rights ministries and IHAN under a €200,000 agreement to bolster national support systems.
• Short maternity leave of 90 days and widespread online misinformation drive roughly half of mothers to discontinue exclusive breastfeeding before the six-month mark.
• Early uptake remains strong at six weeks (75%) and three months (65%), highlighting challenges in sustaining breastfeeding through workforce reentry.
• Studies show six months of exclusive breastfeeding can boost cognitive development by 3–7%, reduce healthcare spending and shrink carbon emissions.