World Breastfeeding Week: August 1� 2007

World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated from August 1–7 each year. This year's theme emphasizes the importance of initiating breastfeeding within the first hour of life to save children's lives. Both mothers and babies benefit from breastfeeding during those first few hours of life. Breast milk is easy for newborns to digest and it contains antibodies that can protect infants from bacterial and viral infections.

In the United States, of infants born in 2004, almost three-fourths of mothers (73.8%) initiated breastfeeding shortly after birth. This represents an increase since the year 2000. ¹ Twenty-one states achieved the national Healthy People 2010 objective of 75% of mothers initiating breastfeeding.

A new mother's ability to successfully breastfeed her infant can be affected by the practices and policies of the hospital in which she delivers her baby and any delay in breastfeeding beyond the first hour of birth. Women who experience optimal in-hospital breastfeeding practices are eight times as likely to continue breastfeeding for at least six weeks when compared to women whose in-hospital experience was less favorable. ²

For more information, visit www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding.

CDC Highlights

U.S. National Immunization Survey

This nationwide survey provides current national, state, and selected urban-area estimates of vaccination coverage rates for US children aged 19 to 35 months. Since July 2001, breastfeeding questions have been asked on the NIS to assess the population's breastfeeding practices.

Breastfeeding Trends and Updated National Health Objectives for Exclusive Breastfeeding

The findings in the MMWR Weekly August 3, 2007, report (Breastfeeding Trends and Updated National Health Objectives for Exclusive Breastfeeding—United States, Birth Years 2000�04) indicate that although steady progress is being made toward achieving the Healthy People 2010 (HP2010) breastfeeding objectives for initiation and duration, rates of exclusive breastfeeding are far below desired levels, especially among black infants and infants born to women who are young, unmarried, low-income, less educated, or who live in rural areas. To reach all HP2010 breastfeeding objectives and eliminate disparities in breastfeeding rates, more research, policies, and practices to increase and support breastfeeding, especially exclusive breastfeeding, are needed.

Key Findings of the National Immunization Survey—Breastfeeding Practices Among Children Born in 2004

Initiation and Duration of Breastfeeding

• Twenty-one states achieved the national Healthy People 2010 objective of 75% of mothers initiating breastfeeding, nine states achieved the objective of having 50% of mothers breastfeeding their infant at 6 months of age, 12 states 25% of mothers breastfeeding their infant at 12 months of age, respectively.

• Eight states—Alaska, California, Hawaii, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, and Washington—achieved three of the five Healthy People 2010 objectives.

Exclusive Breastfeeding

• No state met the Healthy People 2010 objectives for exclusive breastfeeding

Breastfeeding Report Card

When health care professionals, legislators, employers, business owners, and community and family members work together, their efforts can increase the number of women who breastfeed their babies and the number of months that they breastfeed them. The Breastfeeding Report Card � United States, 2007 includes both outcome and process indicators, and is one important tool for assessing ways to improve breastfeeding nationwide.

• Breastfeeding Report Card, United States � 2007: Outcome Indicators. The importance of breastfeeding as a national health goal is evidenced by the inclusion of five breastfeeding goals in the Healthy People 2010 report. Each state's progress is measured through the CDC National Immunization Survey.

• Breastfeeding Report Card, United States � 2007: Process Indicators. The eight process indicators represent five different types of support for breastfeeding that can be compared across all states: hospital support, professional support, mother-to-mother support, legislation, and infrastructure (public facilities and services).

• More background and details about the Breastfeeding Report Card

Research to Practice Series

The health of American children is being threatened by overweight and the conditions that may stem from this problem, such as elevated serum lipid and insulin concentrations, elevated blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and psychosocial problems. This Research to Practice (R2P) brief explores the relationship between breastfeeding and pediatric overweight.

In addition to the practitioner's scientific review, newborn infant crib cards are being offered, that can be used by hospitals for recording newborn's vital information and help parents make this important infant feeding decision at the pertinent time.

Breastfeeding Information for Mothers and Other Caregivers

The benefits of breastfeeding children are well documented and include a lower risk for ear and respiratory infections, atopic dermatitis, gastroenteritis, necrotizing enterocolitis, type 2 diabetes, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and childhood obesity.

For mothers, benefits of breastfeeding include decreased risk of breast and ovarian cancer, and type 2 diabetes. Breastfeeding also benefits mothers by speeding the return of uterine tone, stopping post-birth bleeding, and temporarily suppressing ovulation, which aids the spacing of children.

CDC Travelers' Health Yellow Book: Breastfeeding and Travel
Travel need not be a reason to stop breastfeeding. A mother traveling with a nursing infant may find breastfeeding makes travel easier than it would be if traveling with a formula-fed infant.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Revises Regulations for Carrying On Breast Milk Without an Infant
In recognition of the unique needs of breastfeeding mothers and infants, TSA now recognizes expressed milk as equivalent to a liquid medication for an infant. Now, a mother flying without her child will be able to bring expressed milk through all domestic security checkpoints, as long as she declares it prior to screening. Liquid infant formula is only allowed in carry-on luggage when an infant is present; or must meet the requirements for other liquids and gels, if the infant is not present.

Women's Health.gov, Breastfeeding Hotline
The Department of Health and Human Services' National Women's Health Information Center has La Leche League International trained Breastfeeding Peer Counselors who can help mothers and families with common breastfeeding questions on issues ranging from nursing positions to pumping and storage, and can provide support to make breastfeeding a success.

Breastfeeding for Parents (La Leche League International)
La Leche League International offers information and resources about breastfeeding for mothers and families.

One-on-One Consultation (International Lactation Consultant Association)

¹National Immunization Survey of infants born in 2004
²DeGirolamo AM, Grummer-Strawn LM, Fein S. Maternity Care Practices: Implications for Breastfeeding. Birth. 2001, 28:94�0.