Human milk or formula supplementation in Maine

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 shows
In 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.

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 shows
In 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.