by Anne Eglash MD, IBCLC, FABM
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) just released its latest Breastfeeding Report Card. The report provides data on breastfeeding support indicators in each state, such as the number of lactation consultants per capita and the percent of births at Baby Friendly facilities. It also details the breastfeeding rates in each state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
The good news is that breastfeeding rates continue to rise. The United States government has goals for breastfeeding rates by 2020. These are just part of the Healthy People 2020 goals for our nation’s health.
The Healthy People 2020 aims to have 81.9% of new mothers initiate breastfeeding. We know that Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia are already there. Based on the new Report Card, how many states have met this goal?
- 29
- 35
- 40
- 42
See the Answer
Here is the CDC Breastfeeding Report Card
Milk Mob Comment by Anne Eglash MD, IBCLC, FABM
The report card is interesting. As a nation, 81.1% of new mothers initiate breastfeeding, but that falls to 51.8% at 6 months, and 30.7% at 12 months. The good news is that our high initiation rate indicates a growing desire among new mothers to breastfeed. But this data implies that moms are struggling to succeed. It takes more than a set of boobs to successfully nurse an infant.
Our nation is not good at nurturing our breastfeeding dyads! Lack of breastfeeding education in health professional training continues to be a BIG problem. I continually hear stories from colleagues and new mothers about worksites that make it difficult for their employees to take pump/nursing breaks, daycares that refuse to handle breastmilk, restaurants that still shun breastfeeding dyads, nursing mothers who are told by the pharmacy that they have to pump and dump their milk when given an antibiotic, and airport security personnel who don’t trust liquid gold.
We have a great deal of work to do. Join your local coalition, advocate for breastfeeding dyads at your worksite, tell your doctor and local pharmacist to take a breastfeeding course, and only recommend daycare providers who protect and support breastfeeding.