American babies were breastfed at birth, and of these
babies, only 5.4% of them were still breastfed at 6
months.
Demographics
In 1982, the United States experienced resurgence in
breastfeeding and rates have continued to increase. The
National Immunization Survey conducted by the Center
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2005
revealed that 72% of American babies were breastfed at
birth and 39% were still breastfed at 6 months.
The developing world has experienced a decline in
breastfeeding rates as well due to urbanization, social
change, and the promotion of formula. Mothers who
choose to feed their babies formula often encounter
unsafe hygienic conditions in which to prepare the
bottles, or they cannot afford to purchase the fuel
needed to heat the water. Two of the major causes of
infant mortality in developing countries are diarrhea
and acute respiratory infections. Both are conditions
that breastfeeding can protect against.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the
United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) are work-
ing together to bring about a change in the global
breastfeeding culture. In 2002, they developed ‘‘The
Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding’’,
which recommends that all babies are exclusively
breastfed for the first 6 months of life with continued
breastfeeding up to 2 years or beyond. Exclusive
breastfeeding means that breast milk is the child’s
only food source of nutrition for the first 6 months of
life and that no other solids or liquids such as formula
or water are introduced at this time, with the exception
of liquidvitaminsor medicines. Despite this recom-
mendation, only one-third of all babies in the develop-
ing world were exclusively breastfed for 6 months in- The highest rates of exclusive breastfeeding were
in the East Asia/Pacific region (43%) and the lowest
rates were in the Western/Central Africa region (20%).
Composition of Breast MilkBreast milk is the perfect food for an infant. It
contains all the nutrients a baby needs to grow and
stay healthy:
Fats: Breast milk contains omega-3 fatty acids essen-
tial for the growth and development of the brain and
nerve tissue. The amount of fat a baby receives
depends on the length of the feeding. The milk at
the beginning of the feeding is called the foremilk. It
is the low fat milk. The hind milk that comes at the
end of the feeding contains higher concentrations ofBenefits of breastfeedingBenefits for Infant Benefits for Mother- Perfect food for infant
- Guarantees safe, fresh milk
- Enhances immune system
- Protects against infectious and noninfectious diseases
- Protects against food allergies and intolerances
- Decreases risk of diarrhea and respiratory infections
- Promotes correct development of jaw, teeth, and speech patterns
- Decreases risk of childhood obesity
- Increases cognitive function
- Increases bonding with mother
- Promotes faster shrinking of the uterus
- Promotes less postpartum bleeding
- Promotes faster return to pre-pregnancy weight
- Eliminates the need for preparing and mixing formula
- Saves money not spent on formula
- Decreases risk of breast and ovarian cancer
- Increases bonding with infant
- Enhances self-esteem in the maternal role
- Delays the menstrual cycle
(Illustration by GGS Information Services/Thomson Gale.)
Breastfeeding rates around the worldCountry At birth At 4–6 months
Denmark 98%
Kenya 98% 12%
Nigeria 97% 1%
Sweden 97%
Haiti 96% 2%
Indonesia 96% 42%
Egypt 95% 56%
India 95% 43%
Turkey 95% 10%
Brazil 93% 29%
China 93% 64%
Australia 87% 48%
Canada 72% 31%
United States 70.1% 33.2%
United Kingdom 69% 21%
Scotland 50–63% 30%
France 50%
Ireland 31–54% 14%Statistics developed by La Leche League International (LLLI)
in 2003 revealed the percentage of women breastfeeding their
infants at birth and at 2-4 months.(Illustration by GGS Infor-
mation Services/Thomson Gale.)
Breastfeeding