Breast/Chest feeding Duration

Children in Spanish-speaking households and children whose parent/caregiver had less than a high school education were among the most likely to have exclusively breast/chest fed for at least 6 months.

In King County, 38.7% of children were breastfed exclusively (i.e., no other foods, including formula) until at least six months of age in 2021 and 2023 combined. Breastfeeding a child for six months exclusively has health benefits for the infant, such as strengthening the immune system.  It also positively impacts the parent’s health and wellbeing.  

• Language spoken at home: At 49.9%, children in Spanish-speaking households were more likely to have been exclusively breastfed for six months than those in English-speaking households (36.0%)49.9. 

• Parent/caregiver’s education:  Parents and caregivers who had not graduated from high school were more likely than average to breastfeed for at least six months, at 55.3% 

• Race/ethnicity: Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander children were less likely to have been breast/chest-fed exclusively for six months (15.9%). Rates of breastfeeding through six months of age did not differ for other race/ethnicity groups in King County. However, parents of color are more likely to face barriers to breastfeeding including lack of paid leave and supportive workplace and childcare practices.