Title: CDC Begins Tracking Statewide Support for Breastfeeding
Author:
Katherine Shealy, MPH, IBCLC, RLC, Breastfeeding Specialist, Department of Nutrition and Physical Activity, Centers For Disease Control and Prevention
Section/SPIG: Food and Nutrition
Issue Date:
Katherine Shealy, MPH, IBCLC, RLC; Breastfeeding Specialist, Department of Nutrition and Physical Activity, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Breastfeeding Report Card – United States, 2007 is an important tool for improving breastfeeding nationwide. It provides state and local community members with needed information on the current status of breastfeeding protection, promotion and support within a given state, while also allowing for direct comparisons across states. Over time, data from the Breastfeeding Report Card will allow advocates to examine change and growth in their communities relative to progress across the nation and in peer states.
The Breastfeeding Report Card includes key breastfeeding data for each state. These data identify successes and opportunities for more focused attention. This is a national snapshot of major indicators of breastfeeding support. As part of the Breastfeeding Report Card, each state has a State Profile, which provides specific information about each indicator from the Report Card for that state, as well as contact information for the state breastfeeding coordinator and state breastfeeding coalition.
The CDC breastfeeding Web site has two versions of the Breastfeeding Report Card so users can choose to either view it online or download it to print and share. This handy reference can be a useful way to share abundant, state-specific data in a succinct and approachable format.