.About 47 percent of mothers breastfed their babies for six months in 2009, the latest year for data, an increase of 44 percent from a year before. The rate at which moms decided to try breastfeeding also increased, from 75 percent in 2008 to nearly 77 percent in 2009 -- the biggest jump in the past decade.
"The big picture is that we've seen a really positive shift in policy and breastfeeding promotion, to where we're really talking about the system," said Dr. Alison Stuebe, an OB-GYN and assistant professor of maternal and child health at the University of North Carolina."The headlines 10 years back were, 'Mothers don't breastfeed enough; Is something wrong with mothers?'" she said. "We've recognized that this is crazy. Let's fix the system rather than going after moms.'"The 2012 report card tracks some of those efforts, measuring changes in hospital practices aimed at promoting breastfeeding.In 2008, less than 2 percent of births in the U.S. occurred in so-called"Baby-Friendly" hospitals
-- institutions that adopt 10 steps to promote breastfeeding. Those include ensuring that mothers attempt to breastfeed their babies within one hour of birth, and giving newborns only breast milk unless otherwise medically necessary.
But in the last four years, the number of births in Baby-Friendly hospitals tripled, jumping to 6 percent. "It's a steep rise, but that's still a small number," Stuebe said.The CDC's new report card also found general improvements in how well hospitals and birth centers support breastfeeding based on responses to an agency survey and sent to various institutions. In more than half of states in the U.S., scores increased by 5 or more points.However, there is still a ways to go before the U.S. hits government goals for breastfeeding.
The Healthy People 2020
agenda calls for 60 percent of babies to be breastfed at six months and 34.1 percent being breastfed at one year. According to new report, only a quarter of moms breastfed at 12 months.The report card also shows disparities in breastfeeding rates from state-to-state. Less than half the women in Mississippi ever breastfed, versus nearly 90 percent of women in Washington state.But experts like Stuebe said they are heartened by the increase, even if there are improvements to be made. "No mother sets out to not do the best thing for her child," she said.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends
that women breastfeed their babies exclusively for about six months, and for one year or longer with complementary foods.The World Health Organization also recommends
exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, with continued breastfeeding supplemented with other foods for up to two years and beyond. "Breastfeeding is one of the most effective ways to ensure child health and survival," it says.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/2012/08/02/breastfeeding-rates-cdc_n_1734381.html
Fantastic! We just had a story on Friday about improving rates in San Diego county.
http://www.kpbs.org/news/2012/aug/02/wide-disparity-breastfeeding-rates-san-diego-hospi/
This is a great step!
Educating all areas of the medical field is what i feel will be most beneficial especially those working on pedi units, labor and delivery, pediatricians, lactation consultants.
Quoting melindabelcher:This is a great step!
Educating all areas of the medical field is what i feel will be most beneficial especially those working on pedi units, labor and delivery, pediatricians, lactation consultants.
That is awesome!! It was interesting to read that 90% of women in Washington State breastfeed! I live in Washington State! When I was in the birthing center having my last child, I asked the Lactation Consultant how many new moms leave the birthing center as an exclusively bf'ing mom. She said 90-95% of them! At the birthing center I delivered at, their lactation consultants are AMAZING! They helped me get my DD latched on when I couldn't get her to! It was a rough road at first, but she was my longest nurser since I allowed my kids to self-wean. She made it to 17 months! : )
Great news!
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OMG no carseat OT
- annaica
on Aug. 5, 2012 at 11:48 AM