The percentage of U.S. breastfed babies continues to rise, which could improve future generations' health. Mexico has basically the lowest breastfeeding rate out of the larger nations, and the highest infant mortality rate.
The jump took place over the past decade, since 2000 breastfeeding rates in early postpartum stages have increased from 71 percent to about 77 percent, LiveScience reported.
Mothers have also been breastfeeding their babies for longer than they did in the past. The amount of women who breastfed their infants until they were six months old went from 34 percent to about 50. Twenty-seven percent of women were still breastfeeding after a year, 10 years ago this statistic was at only 16 percent.
"This is great news for the health of our nation because babies who are breastfed have lower risks of ear and gastrointestinal infections, diabetes and obesity, and mothers who breastfeed have lower risks of breast and ovarian cancers," Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said in a statement. "It is critical that we continue working to improve hospital, community and workplace support for breastfeeding mothers and babies," Frieden said.
In Mexico, the breastfeeding rate has actually dropped dramatically over the past six years. Now only one in seven Mexican mothers breastfeed their babies, Leader Post reported.
Experts have gone as far as to refer to the drop as a "public health crisis." Mexico also has the highest infant mortality rate among the world's larger economies.
"Mexico has become the example of what not to do. It's the strongest case of a setback in breast-feeding," Marcos Arana Cedeno, a child nutrition expert and health adviser for the state of Chiapas, said.
Experts are blaming increased baby food advertising, little formula regulation, and lack of breastfeeding recommendations from doctors, for the dramatic drop.
A rigorous work force could also be responsible for the low breastfeeding rate.
"I had to go back to work and I wasn't going to be able to breast-feed him for long. That's why I chose formula," Ruth Gonzalez, a clothing company manager, said.
