Rates of Any and Exclusive Breastfeeding by Socio–demographics among Children Born in 2021
(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 22912 84.1±0.9 59.8±1.1 39.5±1.1 22294 46.5±1.2 27.2±1.0
Gender
Male 11793 83.8±1.2 59.3±1.6 39.0±1.5 11485 45.8±1.6 26.5±1.3
Female 11119 84.4±1.2 60.3±1.6 40.1±1.6 10809 47.3±1.7 27.9±1.5
Race/Ethnicity
Hispanic 4528 83.4±2.1 56.1±2.6 37.0±2.5 4445 45.6±2.7 25.9±2.3
Non–Hispanic White 12735 86.2±1.0 63.4±1.4 42.5±1.4 12353 50.3±1.5 29.2±1.3
Non–Hispanic Black 2250 75.4±2.8 51.7±3.1 31.0±2.9 2202 39.0±3.0 24.4±2.7
Non–Hispanic Asian 1151 92.7±2.0 73.9±4.1 50.8±4.7 1102 46.0±4.7 30.2±4.3
Non–Hispanic Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 94 NR NR NR 90 NR NR
Non–Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native 275 NR NR NR 266 NR NR
2 or more races 1879 85.2±2.7 58.4±3.6 38.9±3.5 1836 43.2±3.6 23.2±2.9
Maternal Education
Less than high school 1330 72.5±3.7 47.6±4.0 34.1±3.9 1303 38.4±4.1 23.3±3.4
High school graduate 3772 75.8±2.2 46.4±2.7 27.6±2.4 3697 39.1±2.7 22.1±2.2
Some college or technical school 5433 84.0±1.8 54.8±2.3 37.0±2.2 5301 45.8±2.3 25.6±2.1
College graduate 12377 92.4±0.8 74.1±1.3 50.0±1.5 11993 53.9±1.5 32.3±1.4
Maternal Age
Under 20 141 NR NR NR 141 NR NR
20 – 29 6021 80.0±1.8 49.8±2.2 32.7±2.0 5884 43.9±2.2 25.2±1.9
30 or older 16750 86.1±1.0 64.8±1.3 42.9±1.3 16269 47.8±1.3 28.1±1.2
Poverty Income Ratio3
Less than 100 3926 76.4±2.3 48.9±2.6 33.0±2.5 3851 39.5±2.6 23.4±2.3
100 – 199 4291 79.1±2.2 50.6±2.6 32.6±2.4 4201 42.4±2.6 24.2±2.1
200 – 399 5854 86.5±1.6 62.8±2.2 41.5±2.1 5705 49.1±2.2 29.3±2.0
400 – 599 4102 90.2±1.5 70.6±2.4 48.7±2.5 3960 53.9±2.6 31.7±2.4
600 or greater 4739 93.8±1.0 75.2±2.0 48.0±2.4 4577 53.2±2.4 30.2±2.1
Marital Status4
Married 16567 90.1±0.8 69.9±1.2 47.3±1.3 16072 51.9±1.3 31.3±1.2
Unmarried 6345 74.6±1.8 44.0±2.1 27.4±1.9 6222 38.2±2.1 20.7±1.7
Geographic Location5
Metropolitan 19121 85.0±0.9 61.0±1.2 40.3±1.2 18599 46.6±1.2 27.2±1.1
Non–metropolitan 3791 76.8±2.5 50.8±2.8 34.0±2.6 3695 45.8±2.8 27.1±2.5
Birth Order
First born 9067 84.9±1.4 57.9±1.8 37.4±1.7 8842 42.2±1.8 23.4±1.5
Not first born 13845 83.6±1.1 61.0±1.4 40.9±1.4 13452 49.3±1.5 29.6±1.3
Receiving WIC6
Yes 7629 75.4±1.7 45.6±1.9 28.3±1.7 7481 36.6±1.9 20.2±1.6
No, but eligible 2144 84.6±2.5 63.0±3.5 45.4±3.6 2089 55.0±3.7 34.8±3.4
Ineligible 12967 92.4±0.7 73.0±1.3 49.1±1.4 12563 54.1±1.5 32.2±1.4
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.
5 Metropolitan 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.
NR = Estimate not reported because the 95% CI was mostly greater than 10 in these subgroups.
Source: National Immunization Survey–Child, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services