2014 Breastfeeding Report Card Now Available

What

The 2014 Breastfeeding Report Card is now available. The report provides state and national data on breastfeeding rates as well as on supports for breastfeeding. Highlights of the report include:

• Rates of breastfeeding initiation and duration (at 6 and 12 months)
• Availability of International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs)
• Availability of Certified Lactation Counselors (CLCs)

Who

http://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/data/reportcard.htm

Data from the 2014 Breastfeeding Report Card show that in 2011, 79 percent of newborn infants started breastfeeding, 49 percent were breastfeeding at 6 months and 27 percent were breastfeeding at 12 months.

Professional breastfeeding support can help mothers start and continue breastfeeding to meet personal goals and national health recommendations.  CDC monitors professional breastfeeding support, and this year’s Breastfeeding Report Card shows that the number of IBCLCs – professionals who specialize in clinical management of lactation – nearly doubled from 2006 to 2013. Also, the number of CLCs, a relatively new profession that provides breastfeeding education and counseling, has increased rapidly since 2011. The availability of professional breastfeeding support varied by state. For more information about breastfeeding promotion and support, visit: http://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/index.htm.

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES