Recognizing the Important Role of Breastfeeding in Infant Care

According to the most recent CDC data, roughly 86.1% of infants born in the US are breastfed or fed breastmilk, yet only 62.8% of infants are still receiving some breastmilk at six months.

These numbers tell an all-too common story.

Many mothers want to breastfeed, but for one reason or another are unable to do so.

The benefits of breastfeeding are clear and well documented for infants, including stronger immune protection, fewer chronic illnesses, and more timely achievement of developmental milestones. The benefits are not just limited to infants, though. Women who breastfeed benefit from decreased rates of breast and ovarian cancer, along with reduced risk of cardiovascular issues.

August is National Breastfeeding Month, and at ProgenyHealth it is a time to pause and reflect on the unique breastfeeding perspectives and stories that make up our diverse team. Whether it’s the journey of one team member who was able to breastfeed despite a preterm birth and NICU admission, or another who produced so much milk they were able to share it with mothers struggling to produce, the common denominator is that no one story is identical.

In fact, the numbers tell us that for every mother who can breastfeed in accordance with their personal goals, there is another who is unable to do so. Be it a challenging work schedule, a pre-existing medical condition, or an inability to produce, this is the case for nearly half of all mothers.

At ProgenyHealth, our team works to balance the competing concepts of “breast is best” with “fed is best”.  

Our Case Managers and Lactation Specialists work to meet women where they are when it comes to their desire to breastfeed. As part of our comprehensive needs assessment, we discuss the benefits of breastfeeding and encourage women to consider this for their babies. Many mothers just need to know that someone is there to help when they run into difficulties or get frustrated. Our staff provides one-on-one support and guidance by reinforcing techniques and teachings that mothers may have already had through their hospital experience. We make sure each mother has obtained a breast pump, often provided at no cost to the family as a covered benefit through their health plan. We also connect mothers to local resources within the community and provide the most updated information through our mobile app. 

As a part of our member satisfaction survey, we ask mothers about their breastfeeding journey with ProgenyHealth Case Managers by their side. Our 2025 results indicated that 68% of those surveyed reported breastfeeding. Of those mothers, 41% used the lactation services offered by ProgenyHealth with an overall satisfaction rating of 100%. There was a high correlation between those who felt well-prepared for breastfeeding and the length of time they continued doing so. The well-prepared group breastfed for 5.1 months as compared to the less prepared group who breastfed for 4.2 months. Through our support, our Case Managers and lactation specialists empower mothers to overcome their challenges and continue breastfeeding longer.

In celebration of National Breastfeeding Awareness Month, we would like to thank all the organizations around the world who join us in encouraging mothers to breastfeed so their infants can have a healthy first year of life and beyond.

Madeline Szabo, RN, BSN, is Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations at Progeny Health