Bits and Pieces. Breastfeeding - Any Amount at 6 months
May 20, 2025
This email completes the package of posts on breastfeeding rates at a variety of times. I admit to being a nerd about this information - one must have data to plan, elicit and follow change.
We were able to start our Baby-Friendly journey back in 1997 when we discovered we had a 6% exclusive breastfeeding rate on our maternity unit. You can say that something needs to improve but hard data from the unit drives home the point. I hope these data can be useful to you in talks you may be giving or committees you may work on.
The posts included:
Initiation - any amount of breastfeeding at birth
Any breastfeeding at 6 months
Any breastfeeding at 12 months
Exclusive breastfeeding at 3 months
Exclusive at 6 months
Next week we will look at the sobering data on % breastfeeding by racial groups.
2024 CDC NIS 6 Mo Any % (2021 Births) - Includes Guam, Puerto Rico and Washington DC
1. Vermont 74.4
2T. Alaska 73.0
2T. Washington 73.0
4. Oregon 72.5
5. Hawaii 71.9
6. Minnesota 70.0
7. Colorado 69.7
8. S Dakota 69.6
9. Maryland 69.5
10. Montana 68.3
11. California 67.8
12. Utah 67.3
13. N Hampshire 67.1
14. Kansas 64.9
15. Wyoming 64.7
16. New York 64.2
17. Maine 63.7
18. Massachusetts 63.0
19. Wisconsin 62.6
20. Iowa 62.2
21. N Dakota 61.0
22. Nebraska 60.8
23T. Illinois 60.7
23T. Ohio 60.7
23T. Wash DC 60.7
26. N Carolina 60.3
27T. New Jersey 60.2
27T. Virginia 60.2
29. Connecticut 59.9 US National Average 59.8
30. Delaware 59.7
31. Michigan 59.6
32. Georgia 59.2
33. Idaho 59.1
34. Guam 58.6
35. Pennsylvania 58.5
36. Rhode Island 58.0
37. Arizona 57.8
38. Puerto Rico 56.4
39. S Carolina 56.0
40. N Mexico 55.8
41. Missouri 54.6
42. Texas 54.0
43. Florida 53.3
44. Indiana 52.0
45. Tennessee 51.3
46. Kentucky 49.0
47. Arkansas 48.6
48. Alabama 48.4
49. Nevada 47.1
50. Louisiana 46.9
51. Oklahoma 46.7
52. Mississippi 43.6
53. West Virginia 31.4