Be careful of "breastfeeding stats by country".  They do not really
mean much.  Take Canada, for example.  The breastfeeding *initiation*
rate is often quoted as 70%.  However, geographically, it varies from
90% in British Columbia to about 50% in Quebec.  But, if you were to
take women who are part of a family with an income of $40,000 or more,
you would probably get a breasfeeding initiation rate of 90% in Quebec
as well, whereas if you looked at women who were on welfare in British
Columbia, the rate is probably 15% or less.  The same is true with
regard to education, the more the mother has, the more likely she is
to breastfeed, and so on.

Furthermore, breastfeeding *iniation* is not the same as continuation.
And dropoff rates are rapid.  And, as there is not yet a single baby
friendly hospital in all of Canada, you can imagine that hospital
routines are no great shakes and support for breastfeeding in general
is pretty awful.

Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC