Of mother’s milk

More newborns have been consuming breast milk in California hospitals over recent years, a report finds.

The California Women, Infants, Children Association and the UC Davis Human Lactation Center found the rate of newborns exclusively drinking breast milk immediately after being born has risen 8 percent since 2010, according to HealthyCal.org. The researchers also noted that 92.9 percent of mothers fed their newborns at least some human milk, and 64.6 percent gave their babies only human milk.

It’s a step in the right direction for advocates, who maintain breastfeeding is associated with improved health for infants, including reduced likelihood of childhood obesity, diabetes and other chronic health issues.