Contact Info

Minnesota State Office - WIC Program

800-657-3942 (toll-free)

651-201-4444 (state office)

Breastfeeding Among Infants Born in Minnesota

Data on breastfeeding initiation from Minnesota birth records (residents and non-residents born in Minnesota birthing facilities).

On this page:
Breastfeeding Initiation
Trends by Cultural Identity
Maps by Cultural Identity
Data Tables

Breastfeeding Initiation

Minnesota exceeded the Healthy People 2020 breastfeeding initiation goal (81.9%) in every year reported. After declining during the pandemic, rates among most communities improved in 2022 but slipped again in 2023. Wide disparities in rates remain across cultures and communities.

Hmong breastfeeding initiation rates (57.5% in 2023) remain the lowest among the reported groups and slipped 2.3 percentage points from 2021.
American Indian rates improved in 2023 to 77.7%, and are close to pre-pandemic levels. They varied widely by region, with the highest rate (84.0%) in the Metro region and lowest (59.9%) in the Northwest.
The Black (African American) rate was 81.6% in 2023, surpassing the previous high of 80.4% in 2018 but slightly lower than 2022. The Metro region 2023 rate was down half a point from 2022 (at 82.2%) and the Southeast region reported the lowest rate (74.4%).
Hispanic infants have high rates overall (89.4%), but rates vary between regions. The Metro had the highest rate (91.7%, 1.1 points lower than 2022). South Central had the lowest rate (79.5%). The Northeast declined from 95.4% in 2021 to 87.6% in 2023.
White infants met and exceeded the Healthy People 2020 goal in all regions, with the highest rate in the Metro (93.5%).
This report includes information on all infants born in Minnesota. Find breastfeeding data among Minnesota WIC participants (regardless of place of birth) in the WIC Breastfeeding Reports.

Trends by Cultural Identity

Maps by Cultural Identity

Benchmarks for Breastfeeding Outcomes (PDF)

Suggested citation: Minnesota WIC Information System. Breastfeeding Initiation Among Infants Born in Minnesota Birthing Facilities During Selected Time Period by Location and Cultural Identity. Minnesota WIC Program: 2024.

* Percentages are not calculated for locations with < 30 participants. For locations with small numbers of participants with a given cultural identity, participants are grouped with those of unknown identity under the ‘unspecified CID’ category.

Methodology and Interpretation: Location and Race/Ethnicity (PDF)

Data as of April 2024 (updated annually)

Data Tables

Breastfeeding Initiation for all Infants born in Minnesota by Race/Ethnicity and Selected Cultural Identities (csv)

Breastfeeding Initiation for all Infants born in Minnesota by Race/Ethnicity and Selected Cultural Identities by County, Community, and Region (csv)

For more information, please e-mail health.WIC@state.mn.us.