Locations
Maine
Statistics on children, youth and families in Maine from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Maine Children's Alliance
Human milk or formula supplementation
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Why This Indicator Matters
Due to significant evidence demonstrating the benefits of human milk for infants (decreased rates of lower respiratory tract infections, severe diarrhea, otitis media, and obesity), the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breast milk feeding through six months of life, and continuing for two years or as long as mutually desired. Although most infants receive some breast milk, many are not exclusively breastfeeding or continuing to breastfeed as long as recommended. For more information, see Maine Breastfeeding Report from the United States Breastfeeding Committee.
What the data showsIn Maine, in 2022, 86.6% of infants were fed human milk at least once, compared to 16.9% of infants who received formula supplementation within the first two days of life, often while still at the hospital. The rate of "ever fed human milk" was the highest in 2020, the year of the pandemic, when there was a shortage of formula for a time. That year, 88.1% of infants were ever fed human milk.
For the measure, formula supplementation within first 2 days of life, in 2022, that rate of 16.9% was higher than any of the four previous time periods, 2014, 2016,2018 and 2020.
Definition and Source
PROVIDER
Definition
This indicator shows the percent of infants who were ever fed human milk and compares it to the percent of infants who were given formula supplementation in the first 2 days of life, as this can set the precedent for not being fed any human milk. The term, "fed human milk", includes breastfeeding, chest feeding and feeding an infant human milk through a bottle. The two terms "ever human milk" and "formula supplementation within first 2 days of life" are not mutually exclusive.
Data Source
The CDC Breastfeeding Report Card, 2022
Last Updated
April 2024