At a glance
Since 2001, the NIS-Child survey has included questions about breastfeeding to monitor rates at both national and state levels. Review the breastfeeding rates from the National Immunization Survey-Child (NIS-Child) for U.S. households with children aged 19 through 35 months.
Breastfeeding among U.S. children born 2016-2023, CDC NIS-Child
Percentage of U.S. children who were breastfed, by birth year1,2,3
Any breastfeeding
Exclusive breastfeeding
Percentage of U.S. children who were breastfed, by birth year, NIS-Child, United States (percentage ± half 95% confidence interval)1,2,3
| Breastfeeding duration | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ever breastfed | 83.8±1.2 | 84.1±1.0 | 83.9±0.9 | 83.2±1.0 | 83.1±1.0 | 84.1±0.9 | 85.7±0.9 | 86.1±0.9 |
| At 6 months | 57.3±1.6 | 58.3±1.4 | 56.7±1.2 | 55.8±1.3 | 58.2±1.2 | 59.8±1.1 | 62.1±1.1 | 62.8±1.2 |
| At 12 months | 36.2±1.5 | 35.3±1.4 | 35.0±1.1 | 35.9±1.2 | 37.6±1.2 | 39.5±1.1 | 40.8±1.1 | 40.8±1.2 |
| Exclusively through 3 months | 47.5±1.6 | 46.9±1.4 | 46.3±1.2 | 45.3±1.3 | 45.3±1.2 | 46.5±1.2 | 47.6±1.2 | 48.5±1.3 |
| Exclusively through 6 months | 25.4±1.3 | 25.6±1.2 | 25.8±1.0 | 24.9±1.1 | 25.4±1.1 | 27.2±1.0 | 27.9±1.0 | 29.8±1.2 |
- Data for 2016 births and onward were based on cellular telephone sampling. See Survey Methods for details and data prior to 2016 at Data, Trends, and Maps.
- Data from U.S. territories are excluded from national breastfeeding estimates to be consistent with the analytical methods for the establishment of Healthy People 2030 targets on breastfeeding.
- Exclusive breastfeeding is defined as ONLY breast milk—no solids, no water, and no other liquids.
Breastfeeding rates by state and sociodemographic characteristicsa
aTo access previous breastfeeding rates by state and sociodemographic characteristics, visit Data, Trends, and Maps.
Percentage of breastfed children who were supplemented with infant formula, by birth year, NIS-Child, United States1,2,3
Percentage of U.S. breastfed infants who were supplemented with infant formula, by birth year, NIS-Child, United States (percentage ± half 95% confidence interval)1,2,3
| Formula supplementation | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
| Before 2 days | 16.9±1.3 | 19.2±1.3 | 19.4±1.2 | 19.2±1.1 | 20.8±1.1 | 20.5±1.0 | 22.9±1.1 | 22.6±1.1 |
| Before 3 months | 29.1±1.7 | 30.9±1.6 | 31.3±1.4 | 31.2±1.4 | 33.3±1.4 | 32.1±1.2 | 33.9±1.3 | 33.6±1.3 |
| Before 6 months | 33.5±1.9 | 36.2±1.8 | 35.8±1.5 | 35.3±1.5 | 37.3±1.5 | 37.2±1.4 | 38.0±1.4 | 38.5±1.5 |
- Data for 2016 births and later were based on cellular telephone sampling. See Survey Methods for details and data prior to 2016 at Data, Trends, and Maps.
- Data from U.S. territories are excluded from national breastfeeding estimates. This is to be consistent with the analytical methods for establishing Healthy People 2030 targets on breastfeeding.
- Formula supplementation is defined as supplementation of breast milk with formula (with or without other supplementary liquids or solids) among infants breastfed before the age specified (2 days, 3 months, or 6 months). See Survey Methods for details.
Content Source
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP)
About This Page
Published: October 15, 2024
Updated: July 31, 2026
This page was last updated on this date. Updates may include minor edits, image changes, or other modifications to page content.
Reviewed: July 31, 2026
The information on this page was last reviewed by subject matter experts to ensure accuracy.