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%

Percent Exclusively Feeding Breastmilk in the Hospital by City, 2008

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

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Percent exclusively feeding breastmilk in the hospital

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