The Attached Mother

More than three out of four women in the U.S. are breastfeeding their infants at least briefly, according to a CDC survey released Wednesday, the New York Times reports. According to the Times, the percentage of new mothers who breastfeed for some period has gradually risen from 60% in 1993 and 1994 to 77% in 2005 and 2006

I read this news this morning and was excited to hear that 77% of mothers are breastfeeding, if only for a short while at least. Those first few days and weeks of breastfeeding is so important not only for the health benefits but also for the bonding experience breastfeeding creates. Unfortunately this huge increase of breastfeeding drops back off by 6 months of age.

Some breastfeeding experts said that they were happy with the report’s findings but noted that breastfeeding rates after six months of age have not changed and are significantly lower than the goals set by government agencies. According to the Times, the survey did not report breastfeeding rates for infants who are six months old because of lack of data

Breastfeeding has such great benefits for a child well past the first 6 months of age. In fact breastfeeding benefits continue well into the toddler years. The nutritional benefits alone are worth exploring continuing breastfeeding past 12 months. Early eaters are notorious for being picky, there isn’t a mom alive who hasn’t at least once worried that their child was getting enough to eat when their little one only wants to eat mac & cheese for a week straight. That is where the extra nutrition can come in handy. According to Kelly Mom:

• In the second year (12-23 months), 448 mL of breastmilk provides:
  • 29% of energy requirements
  • 43% of protein requirements
  • 36% of calcium requirements
  • 75% of vitamin A requirements
  • 76% of folate requirements
  • 94% of vitamin B₁₂ requirements
  • 60% of vitamin C requirements

  — Dewey 2001

One thing that was not discussed in the article is why these numbers are going up. I think it’s important to know what is happening to encourage more women to breastfeed so that we can do more of that. Are we getting better at educating parents on why breastfeeding is important, are more workplaces offering policies to allow new mothers time to breastfeed, or are we as a culture opening back up to the idea of breasts as feeding instruments? Laura Harding at Type-A Mom points out that the attitudes about breastfeeding are changing for the better. After a period where breastfeeding came out of fashion and was looked down on people are finally coming back to what breastfeeding can be.

breastfeeding