In Parliament this month, Mr Donnellan said Casey had the worst rate of breastfeeding in Victoria partly because MCH nurses were under pressure from milk formula companies to get babies off breast milk and onto formula.

In Casey, about 62 per cent of babies are fully breastfed once they leave hospital.

That compares with 82 per cent in Stonnington, 80 per cent in Cardinia and 71 per cent in Greater Dandenong.

The figure for Casey drops to 41 per cent when babies reach three months of age.

Last June, an independent investigation by Cathryn Curtin Consulting criticised the council for its management of the MCH service during a critical nurse shortage.

At the time, community services director Jennie Lee, who is now on indefinite leave, said Casey would be meeting with the department of human services to address the recommendations made by Ms Curtin.

Leonie Zuetins, group leader of the Australian Breastfeeding Association's Berwick Pakenham branch, said there were a number of reasons for the low breastfeeding rates in Casey.

"I believe that Casey has a substantial low socio-economic population and also a high proportion of single mums. Research shows that these two groups have a lower breastfeeding rate."