Breastfeeding moms quitting too soon, officials say

Nearly three-quarters of new mothers in the United States are breast-feeding their babies, but they are quitting too soon and resorting to infant formula too often, federal health officials said Thursday.

A government survey found that about 30 per cent of new moms are nourishing their babies exclusively on breast milk three months after birth. At six months, only 11 per cent are breastfeeding exclusively.

Formula isn't as good at protecting babies against diseases, eczema and childhood obesity. Ideally, nearly all mothers should breastfeed their babies for six months or more, said Dr. David Paige, a Johns Hopkins University reproductive health expert.

But many do not because of their jobs, the inconvenience and perhaps because of convincing advertising for baby formula.

What's wrong with giving a baby a bottle every once in a while? Not much, except it can begin a pattern as a child sucks at the breast less, causing less stimulation needed to produce milk, Paige said.

"It creates a downward spiral," he said, adding that often a woman then moves away from breastfeeding altogether.

The annual random-digit-dial survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that the percentage of women who started breastfeeding rose slightly from 2000 to 2004, from 71 per cent to 74 per cent. That's a new high, CDC officials said, and is based on nearly 17,000 responses.

Health Canada recommends women breastfeed exclusivelyfor six months.