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Breastfeeding
Description of Indicator
This indicator measures the proportion of mothers who fed their baby with only breast milk and no other supplements while in the hospital (e.g. infant formula).
Human milk is the optimal source of nutrition for infants and provides many benefits for healthy growth and development (17). Breastfeeding prevents or reduces the severity of infectious diseases, childhood asthma, ear infections, childhood obesity, and urinary tract infections, among other conditions (18). Mothers benefit from reduced risk of breast and other cancers (19). The initiation of exclusive breastfeeding in the hospital, as well as prenatal preparation, increases the longterm success of breastfeeding (20).
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has created a guide to approaches that promote breastfeeding. The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative has increased breastfeeding rates through in-hospital policy changes.
Why is this Important to Health?
Resources
Laguna Beach Villa Park Yorba Linda Seal Beach Newport Beach Brea San Clemente Aliso Viejo Irvine Los Alamitos Huntington Beach California Dana Point Rancho Santa Margarita Laguna Niguel La Palma Fountain Valley Orange Placentia Costa Mesa Tustin Mission Viejo Fullerton Cypress Laguna Hills Orange County La Habra Lake Forest Buena Park Anaheim San Juan Capistrano Westminster Garden Grove Santa Ana Stanton 61.6% 60.9% 57.4% 56.3% 54.2% 53.3% 53.2% 53.1% 51.3% 51.1% 51.1% 49.7% 49.1% 48.6% 48.6% 47.7% 46.6% 46.4% 45.0% 44.8% 44.3% 43.4% 42.5% 41.7% 41.7% 38.2% 38.2% 38.1% 33.0% 29.5% 29.0% 28.7% 28.0% 27.0% 24.9%
Source: California Department of Public Health, California Newborn Screening Program, (www.cdph.ca.gov/data/statistics/Pages/BreastfeedingStatistics.aspx).
Exclusive Breastfeeding by Zip Code, 2008
LOS ANGELES
La Habra
Fullerton
La Palma Buena Park Brea
Placentia
SAN BERNARDINO
Yorba Linda
Cypress Los Alamitos Anaheim
Stanton
Garden Grove Orange Villa Park
Seal Beach Westminster
Santa Ana
Fountain Valley Huntington Beach
Costa Mesa Tustin
Irvine Unincorporated
Lake Forest
RIVERSIDE
Newport Beach Rancho Santa Margarita
Laguna Woods Mission Viejo
Laguna Hills Aliso Viejo Unincorporated
µ
21% - 33% 34% - 45% 46% - 53% 54% - 62% Data missing or unstable
Laguna Beach Laguna Niguel
San Juan Capistrano
Dana Point
San Clemente
SAN DIEGO
0 2.5 5 10 Miles