Rates in Connecticut for Breastfeeding Duration at 12 months of age have also continued to improve over time (click on Trend, below the graph; you can also toggle the data labels on and off by clicking on Labels, or simply hover the cursor over the data point to observe its values). 

Increasing breastfeeding duration requires continued efforts in support of breastfeeding in the workplace, educating moms, peer and family support, and in media and social marketing initiatives.

Comparing state and national breastfeeding duration rates (click on Trend Line Comparison, above the graph), once again, the national rates (in orange) generally track with Connecticut's more irregular rates (in blue) across this period, with both displaying an upward trend.  On the other hand, Connectiut has generally tracked below the national Healthy People Objectives of 34.1% (HP2020) and 25.0% (HP2010) over this period; see respective Note, below.

The CDC's National Immunization Survey's 2013 birth-year cohort data indicate that, nationwide, women with the following socio-demographic characteristics are less likely to continue breastfeeding their infant through 12 months of age:

• by Race/Ethnicity: non-Hispanic Black women (19.3%), compared to non-Hispanic White women (36.1%);
• by Maternal Education: high school graduate (21.2%), followed by less than high school (22.1%), compared to college graduates (44.2%);
• by Maternal Age: 20 to 29 years of age (22.1%), compared to women 30 years of age or older (37.2%);
• by Poverty Income Ratio [1]: less than 100 (21.1%), compared to 400 - 599 (42.6%), followed by 600 or greater (41.8%).

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

NOTES:

Data:  Connecticut breastfeeding data are current as of September 2018, as reported by the CDC on its Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity:  Data, Trends and Maps webpage:  https://nccd.cdc.gov/dnpao_dtm/rdPage.aspx?rdReport=DNPAO_DTM.ExploreByLocation&rdRequestForwarding=Form.  Note: "Breastfeeding duration" is estimated by the question, "How old was [child] when s/he completely stopped breastfeeding or being fed breast milk?"

Targets:  State-level targets for Breastfeeding Duration are based on the national breastfeeding objectives presented in Healthy People 2010 & Healthy People 2020: http://www.usbreastfeeding.org/p/cm/ld/fid=221 (scroll to the bottom of the webpage for the 2010 objectives).

National Healthy People Objectves:  HP2020:  MICH-21.3 [Revised].  Increase the proportion of infants who are breastfed at 1 year.  Target:  34.1%.  HP2010:  16-19.c.  Breastfeeding, At 1 year.  Target:  25.0%.

Data source:  The National Immunization Survey (NIS) uses random-digit dialing to survey US households with children and teens.  NIS breastfeeding rates for birth years 2000-2008 are based on a landline telephone sampling frame, and for birth years 2009 and beyond, on both a landline and cell phone (dual-frame) sampling frame.  All survey respondents with children aged 19 to 35 months are asked the breastfeeding quastions.  Additional information can be found at https://nccd.cdc.gov/NPAO_DTM/.  These later rates are NOT directly comparable to rates from 2008 and earlier.

Potential DPH Partners

Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH); Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO); Connecticut Breastfeeding Coalition (CBC) and their Ten-Step Collaborative; Connecticut Perinatal Quality Collaborative (CPQC); UConn Health Center for Public Health and Health Policy; Local CT WIC Programs; Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs); Connecticut Department of Labor (CT-DOL); Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS); Connecticut Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services (DMHAS); Connecticut Department of Children & Families (DCF); State Legislature; professional associations for businesses; community health centers; primary care providers; health professional associations for lactation consultants and nutrition; faith-based organizations; community service providers for family, youth, and child development; food industry; federal and state nutrition programs; other organizations and coalitions that focus on breastfeeding and nutrition for women, infants, and children; schools of public health, allied health, nursing, and medicine; and others.

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) has identified six (6) broad areas of intervention to improve breastfeeding rates in the U.S.: 1) maternity care practices; 2) support for breastfeeding in the workplace; 3) peer support; 4) educating mothers; 5) professional support; and, 6) media and social marketing.[1]

Through a five-year CDC grant, the Department of Public Health (DPH) is addressing four (4) of these key areas: 1) Increasing Access to Evidenced-Based Maternity Care Practices; 2) Ensuring Worksite Compliance with State and Federal Lactation Accommodation Laws; and, 3-4) Promoting Peer, and Professional, Support for Breastfeeding. The Connecticut WIC Program, under the auspices of DPH, continues to work in the remaining two (2) intervention areas: educating mothers, and media & social marketing.

The results are beginning to be reflected in the data.

[1] Shealy KR, Li R, Benton-Davis S, Grummer-Strawn LM. The CDC Guide to Breastfeeding Interventions. Atlanta: US Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2005.

Support and promote compliance with State and Federal breastfeeding legislation, including the Women's Health Provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and workplace lactation accommodation laws.

Support and promote the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI), strengthening hospital capacity and building on current activities in support of achieving BFHI designation.

Provide targeted technical assistance and support through established community networks, promoting consistent messaging and health equity in breastfeeding initiation, exclusivity and duration.