Breastfeeding rates climb short term

According to the latest report card from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), a major milestone has been reached when it comes to breastfeeding, but we still fall short when it comes to more long term goals.

The good news: three out of four new moms start out breastfeeding.  That meets the nation's Healthy People 2010 goal.  But while initiation rates have risen consistently, sustaining breastfeeding rates is a tougher challenge.  According to the report, only 43 percent of moms continue breastfeeding at six mnths and only 22 percent are doing it at 12 months.

The report states that hospitals need to do more to encourage breastfeeding after a mother leaves the maternity ward.  CDC officials are urging more hospitals to become "baby-friendly."  What does that mean exactly?  Well, one of the things it means is providing lactation consultations.  Excellent.  Another thing they suggest is that hospitals not hand out formula samples in the diaper bags new moms are given when they leave.  That's ridiculous.

It is not the tiny can of formula in those diaper bags that causes new moms to stop breastfeeding after the three month or six month or 12 month mark.  We need a reality check here.  What influences that decision are real life circumstances such as the need to go back to work, workplaces that aren't conduscive to pumping, short maternity leaves, unpaid maternity leaves etc. 

If we really want moms to continue breastfeeding until their child is six months or a year old, we need to address the obstacles that really stand in the way and not some token formula sample.

The CDC's report card also measures every U.S. hospital's maternity practices in infant nutrition and care.  To see how your hospital stacks up, check out the report card.