Birthplace May Affect Whether Or Not Mom Breastfeeds

A new study in the October issue of theAmerican Journal of Public Health reports that there are major regional differences in whether or not a woman will breastfeed her baby. It appears that women in the western and northwestern United States are more likely to breastfeed their children than mothers in the south. According to this study, other factors may have an impact on whether mothers breastfeed. These include: maternal age, education, income, race, and state laws that may facilitate breastfeeding.

The findings came from information from the National Survey of Children's Health, which included the parents of 33,121 children from the ages six months through 71 months from January 2003 to January 2004. The authors recognize that there were some limitations of the study. Michael D. Kogan, Ph.D, of the Health Resources and Services Administration, said further research should explore the rates of breastfeeding in a state before and after the adoption of breastfeeding legislation.