Most Moms Quit!
Most Moms Give Up on Breast-Feeding(thanks Catherine!)
Three out of four new moms try breast-feeding over the bottle, but most of them have quit by the time the baby reaches six months, a new study shows.
Breast or bottle? (Francesco Tonelli for The New York Times)
A report from Brigham Young University shows only 36 percent of babies are breast-fed through six months. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breast-feeding through the first year.The data are based on a weighted sample of more than 60,000 children, collected from national immunization surveys compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although the data are focused on childhood immunization rates, questions also were asked about breast-feeding, giving the researchers a representative sample of nursing patterns in the United States.
The researchers found that children who were most likely to be breast-fed for more than six months typically had mothers with higher levels of education and income. Married women and those who lived in Western states were also more likely to breast-feed. Hispanic women and women born in other countries were also more likely to breast-feed.
Returning to work, being a smoker or living in the Northeast decreased the likelihood of long-term breast-feeding. Notably, low-income women who participated in the subsidized Women, Infants and Children program, which provides food, milk and formula to mothers and young children, were also more likely to stop breast-feeding sooner.
“Breast-feeding promotion programs encourage women to start but don’t provide the support to continue,†said Renata Forste, co-author of the report, published in the August issue of the Journal of Human Lactation.
We knew it was true, but there’s something particularly distressing about seeing it in black and white.
xox,
Heather
sapphire_chan said,
August 15, 2008 @ 11:14 am
One question immediately springs to mind:
Are women who participate in WIC on the west coast more likely to continue breastfeeding than those who participate in WIC in the northeast?
If so, it should be pretty easy to boost the national 6 month breastfeeding rate.
mrs.mama21 said,
August 15, 2008 @ 11:48 am
Woohoo!
I’m “low-income”, on WIC, and have no college degree, yet I believe in full-term breastfeeding! Hooray for me for not being a sterotype! LOL
-Breastfeeding mama and breastmilk donor
MilkyMama07 said,
August 15, 2008 @ 4:09 pm
WIC needs to STOP giving out infant formula unless they have a prescription from a lactation consultant or LLL Leader! And they should have to prove that they have tried methods for boosting their milk supply or correcting latch problems etc. They should also give out SNS’s for women who must suppliment with formula. BTW, I was on WIC, have only some college, and was living in Ohio (somewhat North East) at the time I started breastfeeding. I guess that means I have successfully avoided becoming a statistic!
But in any case, of COURSE women are more likely to stop BFing if they’re on WIC. They’re more likely to not even start. As much as my WIC office tried to promote breastfeeding, women didn’t want to do it for the benefits to the child. They figured since the formula was free, it was just as good as breastmilk. After all, why would WIC give it if it were no good?? I’m pretty fed up with my tax dollars paying for other women’s formula. I don’t mind it going toward food for bfing moms, but seriously, FORMULA???? Ugh!!!
ddrplant said,
August 15, 2008 @ 6:54 pm
Breastfeeding takes commitment, obviously. I was sorely (no pun intended) tempted to use our free samples of formula when my nipples were cracked and bleeding. (My LC said my baby had a terrific latch… but I was sore for a couple weeks anyway.) Why go through that if you think formula is just as good?
Also, you need confidence to breastfeed. It was hard to be confident starting out, but DH is incredibly supportive and reminded me over and over again that I could do this! I can make enough milk for my baby! I just feel so badly that so many women feel like they can’t make enough when true milk supply problems are rare.
julie said,
August 16, 2008 @ 5:39 am
Quite the temper tantrum, Cow Goddess!
Well, a lot of the very committed breastfeeders I know have also delayed or refused immunizations.. so maybe the real average is a little higher? I immunize my child, but I know a lot who don’t. And they ALL breastfeed, and none of them would have participated in that survey.
Still, we really need to do more for these babies/ families.
Dea said,
August 16, 2008 @ 8:10 am
I think the biggest mistake that is made in the US is that new Moms are given the “breastfeeding success kit” as they leave the hospital. The lovely little diaper bag filled with formula and coupons, just in case *wink wink* Then they go to the doctor for the first time and get that all important first weigh in and who’s header is on the paper with all their babies info? Similac. Formula companies have bought out doctors and hospitals, so even if your doctor is encouraging you to nurse your baby there is that second hand message glaring at you that they believe formula to be better.
My last baby weaned a couple of months ago right after her 3rd birthday. Her brother also weaned right after his 3rd birthday. Not one ounce of formula passed either one of my kids lips. I had the support of LLL and generations of breastfed babies behind me, myself included. I always thought breastfeeding was the norm
birthblessed said,
August 16, 2008 @ 8:58 am
*hee hee* I can’t help but thinking part of the problem with their study is that women who breastfeed longer may be less likely to pursue the recommended immunization schedule therefore missing out on the opportunity to have been included in this “research.”
esper_d said,
August 16, 2008 @ 1:46 pm
Is hathor throwing her boob on the ground? I’m confused, lol
But I like the anger, I agree with you.
I’m bf strong and he’s 13 mo and am angry at those who stop early.
Oh, the WIC thing, I am a grad student and was on WIC all last year as a bf mom
ruthla said,
August 16, 2008 @ 5:14 pm
No, she’s not yanking her boob off her chest and stomping on it. She’s only stomping on her 3rd breast- the one attached to her “superhero” cow goddess headpiece.
I was also on WIC from early in my pg until my son turned 5. It probably would have been cheaper for me to FF, considering my breastpump, nursing bras, and all that extra food I was eating as a nursing mom (the food from WIC didn’t come close to covering my extra nutritional needs, especially considering I would have gotten WIC foods for 6m even if I hadn’t been nursing.)
Breastfeeding is about WAY more than money.
mrs.mama21 said,
August 16, 2008 @ 5:58 pm
Hathor-
Cant wait to see how you follow this one up!
Lots of love!
babyfingers said,
August 17, 2008 @ 12:26 pm
It frustrates me too. I work in a hospital shop and we rent breastpumps. Most women come bringing them back after less than two months, some stating they’ve “done their duty” or something to that effect. And most of them *are* the “educated, higher-income” women.
I was watching an old episode of House, MD last night with my husband. It was the second episode of the first season. A non-vaxing mother and her baby came in because the baby had the sniffles. They portrayed the mother as not wanting to vaccinate because the pharmaceutical companies jacked up prices and she didn’t want to get taken. (Ridiculous!) They went on to have Dr. House say that “yummy mummy” breastmilk would only protect a child for six months. He mocked her and scared her–and I know that mother was only an actress but it translates to scaring moms who are watching at home. I was literally yelling at the TV. This aired several years ago, but I don’t feel things have changed enough since then. It makes me so mad to think that some unsuspecting new mom might make up her mind to only breastfeed for six months because it’s such a widespread, though mistaken, notion that after that it does no good. It’s garbage like this on TV that helps to perpetuate it!
wiffersnapper said,
August 17, 2008 @ 5:34 pm
I worked as a checker one summer at a local grocery store to bring in some “pin money”, and it used to make me crazy to see moms on WIC using it to buy formula. If you’re not working, then you’re at home, right? So what’s stopping you from breastfeeding? I don’t understand how anyone can say that formula feeding is “easier”; my preemie couldn’t nurse for her first three months, so I had to pump and feed her bottles. She finally got a strong enough suck reflex at three months old, and what a relief! An example:
Midnight feeding for a bottle: Wake up. Find glasses. Go downstairs. Get milk from fridge. Get bottle from cabinet. Warm milk. Put milk in bottle. Go back upstairs. Get baby. Feed. Burp, burp, burp, because bottles give lots of air bubbles. Stagger back to bed. Time elapsed = 20 minutes
Midnight feeding while nursing: Wake up. Walk to baby. Feed. Burp once, maybe. Stagger back to bed. Time elapsed = 10 minutes
When we go out, I need a diaper in my purse and a little pack of wipes. I can’t understand how people think lugging bottles and fomula around is easier! I’ve never used a “diaper bag”, and I’m kinda proud of that fact.
My favorite is, “I don’t know if he’s getting enough.” Ummm… in my experience, hungry babies cry. Full babies generally stop crying. If your baby is crying, breastfeeds, and then is asleep, then he’s getting enough! Duh! Why is this so hard for people to grasp?
ruthla said,
August 18, 2008 @ 5:42 am
” it used to make me crazy to see moms on WIC using it to buy formula. If you’re not working, then you’re at home, right? So what’s stopping you from breastfeeding? ”
Not all WIC recipients are stay-at-home moms. Many of them work at low-income jobs that don’t provide much in the way of pumping breaks, private, clean places to pump (and not all of them have cars they can pump in) or space to store the pumped milk.
Yes, working and pumping is do-able in any of these situations, but it takes more energy and determination to succeed. Not all women are up to the challenge, especially without real support to continue. Societal messages that formula is “just as good” as breastfeeding furthur undermine these women- why put forth extra effort for something with no perceived advantages?
The problem is NOT the individual moms who choose to use WIC formula rather than breastfeed. Some of these women have legitimate reasons to supplement or not BF at all. Let’s keep the blame where it belongs- on the formula companies, medical professionals who SHOULD know better, etc.
I just thought of another factor in the “WIC moms less likely to BF” scenario. I think that formula feeding moms are more likely to apply for WIC. I’ve spoken to many BF women who probably qualified but didn’t think it was worth the effort to apply, as their families wouldn’t or couldn’t use many of the WIC foods. If they switched to formula, or needed to supplement, they’d go through the effort of WIC application because it was worth it to cover formula costs.
Julinda said,
August 18, 2008 @ 7:02 am
I have to say the WIC office in our county does a lot to promote breastfeeding. They don’t force women to breastfeed (and I don’t think they should try) but they do a lot of promotion and publicity and started a support group for BF moms.
What stops people from BF (I believe) is a lack of support in our society and a lack of role models, so change is going to be slow. I’m a working (outside the home) mom and pumping for over a year with each of my kids wasn’t easy. There is no arrangement where I work for pumping. I had to scope out a place on my own and it was actually kind of embarrassing for me discussing it with other people. (On the positive side, maybe it planted ideas in other people’s heads that this was something people do!) Outside work, many/most people seem supportive of BF at first but as time goes on (past a few months) negative comments or just negative “vibes” start coming in and it can make a mom question herself.
tgperg said,
August 19, 2008 @ 7:28 am
My favorite is, “I don’t know if he’s getting enough.†Ummm… in my experience, hungry babies cry. Full babies generally stop crying. If your baby is crying, breastfeeds, and then is asleep, then he’s getting enough! Duh! Why is this so hard for people to grasp?
Wiffersnapper: That’s not always the case. Full babies stop crying, but so do tired preemies, and immature babies with a poor latch who tire themselves out without getting adequate amounts. My one year old was like that. He would wake up crying, breastfeed, and then fall asleep, but he was most definitely not getting enough, or sometimes any. He was six weeks old and had fallen from 78th percentile to off the freaking growth charts before we figured out the problem and a fix. A friend’s premature baby was the same way. And both of these kids are STILL like that. They’ll cry, but if you’re busy and can’t drop everything right that instant and feed them, then they just go to sleep. It’s really scary dealing with a baby who doesn’t cue reliably for food. The first few weeks are really, really hard, even if you are committed to breastfeeding, even if you know that it’s best, and even if you’re an experienced mom. There were two times during the first few weeks when I begged my husband to go to the store and buy me formula and bottles because I was just so exhausted and discouraged (and a little PPD didn’t help I’m sure). That’s when the support factor comes in. My DH would take the baby and walk with him to calm him down, give me a backrub, get me something to eat and drink, and then remind me that if he did as I asked I would probably kill him in the morning.
I know if I could get to that place as a second time around mom with tons of experience, education and support, then anyone could get to that place, you know?
And just for the record, my one year old and my three and a half year old are both still nursing, and neither one has ever had a drop of formula. Wait, I take that back. The three and a half year old had formula once. He was eighteen months old, and swiped another kid’s bottle at playgroup.