Rates of Any and Exclusive Breastfeeding by Socio-demographics among Children Born in 2016 (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
U.S. National 17604 83.8±1.2 57.3±1.6 36.2±1.5 17059 47.5±1.6 25.4±1.3
Gender
Male 9089 83.7±1.7 57.2±2.2 35.4±2.1 8819 47.6±2.2 25.3±1.8
Female 8515 83.9±1.6 57.3±2.2 37.0±2.2 8240 47.5±2.2 25.4±1.8
Race/Ethnicity
Hispanic 4030 82.9±3.0 51.6±3.9 32.1±3.6 3954 42.0±3.9 20.4±2.9
Non-Hispanic White 9667 86.6±1.2 61.5±1.8 39.6±1.8 9310 52.9±1.9 29.1±1.7
Non-Hispanic Black 1587 74.0±3.6 48.6±3.8 27.1±3.4 1555 39.1±3.7 20.7±3.2
Non-Hispanic Asian 685 88.2±3.4 72.1±5.7 51.6±7.2 655 48.1±7.6 31.8±7.9
2 or more races 1304 84.2±3.4 58.0±5.3 38.5±5.6 1260 46.6±5.5 24.1±4.2
Maternal Education
Less than high school 1749 70.5±4.7 41.4±4.6 26.2±4.2 1720 32.1±4.5 16.3±3.5
High school graduate 3183 75.5±2.8 42.0±3.3 24.0±2.8 3100 38.5±3.3 18.7±2.4
Some college or technical school 4408 85.2±1.9 56.3±2.9 35.0±2.9 4280 49.4±2.9 26.0±2.5
College graduate 8264 93.4±0.9 73.9±2.1 48.6±2.3 7959 58.2±2.3 32.9±2.2
Maternal Age
Under 20 224 70.5±11.0 27.9±9.3 17.8±7.6 214 37.8±14.6 8.3±3.9
20 - 29 5859 80.0±2.1 48.2±2.5 28.1±2.2 5712 44.4±2.5 22.8±2.0
30 or older 11521 86.3±1.4 63.2±1.9 41.3±2.0 11133 49.6±2.0 27.3±1.7
Poverty Income Ratio3
Less than 100 3940 74.5±2.8 43.0±3.3 24.3±2.8 3866 36.4±3.2 17.1±2.3
100 — 199 3331 81.6±2.6 51.4±3.3 33.9±3.1 3244 46.3±3.3 23.9±2.8
200 — 399 4528 87.9±1.6 64.2±2.8 43.6±3.0 4372 54.9±2.9 31.8±2.7
400 — 599 2787 90.5±1.9 67.8±3.7 42.7±3.7 2661 52.5±3.9 29.5±3.4
600 or greater 3018 93.5±1.4 74.3±3.1 46.0±3.8 2916 56.8±3.8 31.0±3.5
Marital Status4
Married 12381 89.4±1.1 67.3±1.7 45.0±1.8 11948 53.8±1.8 30.8±1.7
Unmarried 5223 75.1±2.4 41.8±2.7 22.6±2.3 5111 38.0±2.7 17.2±2.0
Birth Order
Not first born 10686 83.3±1.4 57.2±2.0 36.2±1.9 10346 48.5±2.1 26.0±1.7
First born 6918 84.6±1.8 57.3±2.3 36.0±2.4 6713 45.9±2.4 24.4±2.0
Receiving WIC5
Yes 7119 75.5±2.1 43.0±2.4 24.9±2.2 6975 36.8±2.4 17.7±1.8
No, but eligible 1503 89.0±2.3 66.5±4.7 45.3±4.6 1448 59.6±4.7 34.1±4.5
Ineligible 8871 92.7±1.0 72.3±2.0 47.6±2.2 8534 57.9±2.2 33.0±2.0

1Data from U.S. territories are excluded from national breastfeeding estimates to be consistent with the analytical methods for the establishment of Healthy People 2020 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.

5WIC = 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, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services