Background: Breastfeeding is the most appropriate way of providing young infants with the nutrients needed for healthy growth and development. The statistics among different states in United States show Alaska (93.1%) and Washington (92.4%) as having the highest breastfeeding rates while southern states like Mississippi (63.2%) and Louisiana (67.0%) have the lowest. Adult, college-age women are an important demographic to study in order to identify existing misconceptions or negative perceptions about breastfeeding. The breastfeeding knowledge and attitudes of young adult females should be identified before they become a mother to ensure successful breastfeeding in the future. This study measured the level of breastfeeding knowledge, attitude, and intention of female students enrolled at a public, higher education institution in the southern US.

Methods: A convenience sample of 1,039 students were recruited to complete the 58-item questionnaire. The questionnaire contained individual scales to measure knowledge and attitude, with three items to assess breastfeeding intention.

Results: The mean knowledge and attitude scores were found to be 13.16 ± 2.48 and 64.19 ± 7.69, respectively. Similarly, a majority (91.45%) of participants had intentions to breastfeed future children. Knowledge and attitude scores were highest among participants who were married, a senior or graduate student, and aged 22 or older.

Conclusions: Overall, good breastfeeding knowledge and a positive attitude were present among the sample. Future research should include male students to consider gender differences in knowledge and attitude about breastfeeding. Studies should also compare those attributes among adults from across the US.