Raising parents: breastfeeding trends from 1900 to present day

Breastfeeding trends in the United States have varied considerably since the early 1900s. Medical and federal surveys representing comprehensive data on breastfeeding rates of American women show an inconsistency in breastfeeding trends over the course of the past 110 years. Some decades report a growth in breastfeeding rates of infants newborn to 6 months, whereas other decades report a decline. This report examines breastfeeding trends from the early 1900s to present day to suggest which factors have played a role in the decline and rise of breastfeeding in the United States.