Infant-feeding practices. Mothers' decision making.

Fifty-one primarily low-income, single, black mothers completed a questionnaire. More than one-half of the sample population reported that decisions about infant feeding were made by the end of the first trimester. Almost one-third of the mothers decided to breastfeed. Of that group, one-half supplemented breastfeeding with formula. More than one-half of the sample reported that external factors influenced their final decisions about infant feeding. More than one-half of the sample population reported that a nurse never discussed infant feeding with them. The role of nursing in infant-feeding decisions and patient teaching needs to be reevaluated.