Breast-feeding Intentions and Practice Among Hispanic Mothers in Southern California

Breast-feeding intentions, breast-feeding in the hospital, and breast-feeding at home were studied among 132 Hispanic mothers participating in the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program in southern California. There was not a large difference between total breast-feeding intention (77.7%) and total breast-feeding practice (63.8%). However, the 67.7% intention of exclusive breast-feeding drastically decreased to 19.7% and 17.2% in the hospital and at home, respectively. Formula supplementation, increased by 4.5 times from intention to practice. Exclusive formula feeding increased from 10.0% to approximately 37.0% in the hospital and at home. Stepwise logistic regression identified that the likelihood of intending breast-feeding was greater for mothers who migrated from Mexico than for mothers born in the United States (odds ratio 4.75). The likelihood of breast-feeding practice was greater for mothers who initiated breast-feeding within the first 10 hours after birth as opposed to 11 or more hours (odds ratio 1.27), for mothers who had a vaginal rather than cesarean delivery (odds ratio 12.76), for mothers who did not return to work postpartum as opposed to working mothers (odds ratio 28.26), and for mothers who migrated from Mexico compared with mothers born in the United States (odds ratio 8.54). The importance of assessing and supporting mothers' breast-feeding intentions in the pre- and post-partum period is documented. Training in the clinical aspects of breast-feeding and improvement of hospital protocols is recommended. Mothers intending to breast-feed should be identified and supported.