CDC Breastfeeding Report and State Scorecards

Breastfeeding has many known health benefits for infants, children, and mothers and is a key strategy to improve public health. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends infants are exclusively breastfed for about the first 6 months with continued breastfeeding while introducing complementary foods for at least 1 year. CDC’s Breastfeeding Report Card, 2020, provides data on breastfeeding practices and supports in all states, the District of Columbia (DC), Puerto Rico, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands. This year’s report highlights data from CDC’s 2018 national survey of Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care (mPINC) that assesses practices and policies affecting newborn feeding, feeding education and support, staff skills, and discharge support.