INFANT FEEDING
Throughout the 1970's and early 1980's, the percentage
of mothers who began breastfeeding in the hospital
increased steadily to 61.9 percent, but then gradually
declined to 51.5 percent by 1990. Since 1991, the
breastfeeding initiation rates steadily increased
among black, Hispanic, and white women. In 2000, breastfeeding
rates in the hospital reached 68.4 percent, the highest
rate recorded since national breastfeeding data has
been collected.
Since 1990, rates of breastfeeding immediately after
delivery grew the most among groups of mothers that
have traditionally been the least likely to breastfeed,
such as black and Hispanic women. Over the past ten
years, the rate of breastfeeding initiation has more
than doubled among black women and has increased 48
percent among Hispanic mothers. These increases have
contributed to a substantial reduction in the gap
in breastfeeding rates between white and non-white
women.
Breastfeeding rates for women of all races decrease
substantially between delivery and 6 months postpartum,
the breastfeeding period recommended as most critical
for the infant's health by the Surgeon General of
the United States. The percentage of women who report
that they are still breastfeeding at 6 months postpartum
reached a high of 31.4 percent in 2000. At six months
postpartum, 33.8 percent, 27.7 percent, and 20.6 percent
of white, Hispanic, and black women, respectively
were still breastfeeding. These rates represent a
sharp decline from rates immediately after delivery
of 71.5 percent among whites, 70.8 percent among Hispanics,
and 50.8 percent among blacks.
Breastfeeding rates were highest among women over
35 years of age, white, college educated, not participating
in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) dietary
supplement program, and/or living in the western states.
Women were also more likely to initiate breastfeeding
with their first child, but women with more than one
child were more likely to continue breastfeeding at
6 and 12 months postpartum. Women least likely to
breastfeed were younger than 20 years of age, black,
low-income, and/or living in the southeastern United
States.
 [d]
 [d]
|
