Rates of Any and Exclusive Breastfeeding by Socio-demographics among Children Born in 2023 (Percentage +/- half 95% Confidence Interval)1,2
  Any Breastfeeding Exclusive Breastfeeding
Ever Breastfed Breastfed at 6 Months Breastfed at 12 Months Exclusive Breastfeeding through 3 Months Exclusive Breastfeeding through 6 Months
Socio-demographic Factors n % ± half 95% CI % ± half 95% CI % ± half 95% CI n % ± half 95% CI % ± half 95% CI
US National 18226 86.1±0.9 62.8±1.2 40.8±1.2 17867 48.5±1.3 29.8±1.2
Sex
Male 9451 86.0±1.3 62.1±1.7 39.9±1.7 9276 46.5±1.7 28.6±1.6
Female 8775 86.3±1.2 63.6±1.7 41.7±1.7 8591 50.6±1.8 31.1±1.7
Race/Ethnicity
Hispanic 4437 85.6±1.8 59.7±2.6 40.2±2.6 4390 45.7±2.7 28.0±2.5
Non-Hispanic White 9634 88.2±1.0 66.2±1.5 43.1±1.6 9401 53.1±1.6 31.8±1.5
Non-Hispanic Black 1617 79.4±3.3 55.3±3.9 31.6±3.3 1591 42.0±3.8 26.2±3.2
Non-Hispanic Asian 789 91.0±2.8 73.3±4.5 48.4±5.2 768 44.0±5.2 32.2±5.0
Non-Hispanic Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 62 86.0±12.7 65.4±18.6 34.7±22.4 62 58.4±22.7 44.9±24.0
Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native 247 79.1±8.2 53.4±10.4 38.8±9.7 245 50.5±10.3 28.1±8.8
Non-Hispanic 2 or more races 1440 85.5±3.1 63.1±4.2 40.7±4.2 1410 47.2±4.2 30.5±3.9
Maternal Education
Less than high school 1300 74.2±4.0 49.3±4.3 31.7±4.0 1275 35.8±4.3 22.6±3.7
High school graduate 3511 80.9±2.1 51.3±2.9 31.6±2.7 3447 42.8±2.9 25.7±2.7
Some college or technical school 4175 87.7±1.5 59.8±2.4 38.9±2.4 4111 50.3±2.5 30.3±2.3
College graduate 9240 92.2±0.9 75.7±1.4 50.3±1.6 9034 55.0±1.6 34.4±1.6
Maternal Age
Under 20 134 74.6±9.9 32.6±11.4 17.2±8.3 130 27.0±11.7 9.8±6.9
20 - 29 5401 83.9±1.8 54.0±2.4 34.2±2.2 5306 47.0±2.4 28.1±2.1
30 or older 12691 87.5±1.0 67.8±1.4 44.5±1.4 12431 49.6±1.5 31.1±1.4
Poverty Income Ratio3
Less than 100 3913 81.9±2.0 54.4±2.7 35.2±2.6 3854 41.3±2.7 26.2±2.6
100 – 199 3416 81.3±2.4 54.2±2.8 34.3±2.5 3350 45.2±2.8 26.1±2.3
200 – 399 4617 89.1±1.4 67.3±2.3 45.0±2.4 4515 54.2±2.4 34.2±2.3
400 – 599 3245 90.5±1.6 71.0±2.5 46.4±2.7 3173 54.7±2.7 32.7±2.6
600 or greater 3035 93.0±1.4 77.8±2.4 49.8±3.0 2975 53.2±3.0 33.3±2.8
Marital Status4
Married 12701 90.4±0.8 71.7±1.3 48.3±1.4 12412 53.2±1.4 33.7±1.4
Unmarried 5525 79.8±1.8 49.4±2.3 29.5±2.1 5455 41.5±2.3 24.0±2.0
Geographic Location5
Metropolitan 14945 86.6±1.0 63.8±1.3 41.2±1.3 14656 48.5±1.4 29.9±1.3
Non-metropolitan 3281 82.4±2.2 55.8±2.9 37.4±2.7 3211 48.8±2.9 29.4±2.5
Birth Order
First born 7447 86.9±1.3 60.1±1.9 37.5±1.8 7304 44.3±1.9 26.7±1.7
Not first born 10779 85.6±1.2 64.6±1.6 42.9±1.6 10563 51.3±1.6 31.9±1.5
Receiving WIC6
Yes 7139 80.4±1.5 51.7±2.0 32.0±1.9 7034 40.0±2.0 23.4±1.8
No, but eligible 1454 86.6±3.4 64.8±4.5 43.6±4.3 1418 57.0±4.4 37.2±4.3
Ineligible 9520 92.6±0.8 74.9±1.4 49.9±1.6 9309 56.3±1.6 35.5±1.6

1Data from the U.S. territories are excluded from the national breastfeeding estimates to be consistent with the analytical methods for the establishment of Healthy People 2030 targets on breastfeeding.

2Exclusive breastfeeding is defined as ONLY breast milk — no solids, no water, and no other liquids.

3Poverty Income Ratio = Ratio of self-reported family income to the federal poverty threshold value depending on the number of people in the household.

4Unmarried includes never married, widowed, separated, divorced and living with partners.

5Metropolitan area is defined by the Census Bureau.

6WIC = Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. Individuals who did not provide information on WIC status were excluded from analysis of this variable.

Source: National Immunization Survey—Child, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services