Angela Flores1, Inés Anchondo1, Cindy Huang1, MariaTeresa Villanos1, Casey Finch1. 1. From Department of Pediatrics, Paul Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, El Paso, and Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To determine why mothers in El Paso, Texas, choose to breast-feed but not exclusively and why breast-feeding duration is short. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional observational study of 300, mostly Mexican American, low-income mothers delivering at a county hospital who answered questions about breast-feeding and formula feeding, sociodemographics, and health habits. RESULTS: Most mothers (92.6%) in our study initiated breast-feeding, but only 20.3% breast-fed exclusively at the time of hospital discharge. Most mothers (73%) self-identified as Mexicans or Mexican Americans living on the border of the United States and Mexico. Mothers in our study chose to breast-feed if they decided to breast-feed during pregnancy, had breast-fed a previous child, had support from a female relative, and had attended college. Distinctively, most mothers in our study chose "las dos cosas" or to breast-feed and formula feed together early after birth. Acculturation failed to explain the breast-feeding decisions. CONCLUSIONS: Mexican American mothers who decided to breast-feed during pregnancy, breast-fed another child, attended college, and enlist a female relative's breast-feeding help were more likely to choose breast-feeding exclusively. Most Mexican American low-income mothers in our study chose "las dos cosas."
OBJECTIVES: To determine why mothers in El Paso, Texas, choose to breast-feed but not exclusively and why breast-feeding duration is short. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional observational study of 300, mostly Mexican American, low-income mothers delivering at a county hospital who answered questions about breast-feeding and formula feeding, sociodemographics, and health habits. RESULTS: Most mothers (92.6%) in our study initiated breast-feeding, but only 20.3% breast-fed exclusively at the time of hospital discharge. Most mothers (73%) self-identified as Mexicans or Mexican Americans living on the border of the United States and Mexico. Mothers in our study chose to breast-feed if they decided to breast-feed during pregnancy, had breast-fed a previous child, had support from a female relative, and had attended college. Distinctively, most mothers in our study chose "las dos cosas" or to breast-feed and formula feed together early after birth. Acculturation failed to explain the breast-feeding decisions. CONCLUSIONS: Mexican American mothers who decided to breast-feed during pregnancy, breast-fed another child, attended college, and enlist a female relative's breast-feeding help were more likely to choose breast-feeding exclusively. Most Mexican American low-income mothers in our study chose "las dos cosas."