What Factors Affect Breastfeeding?
Many factors affect the breastfeeding rates, and they can act alone or in
combination with other factors,
~ Race/ethnicity
~ Breastfeeding rates are higher among whites than blacks
~ Mexican Americans have a breastfeeding rate similar to blacks
~ Mexican immigrants have breastfeeding rates that are similar to whites
~ Age:
~ Younger mothers, especially teenagers, are less likely to breastfeed
~ Education level:
~ A higher level of education is generally positively correlated with
breastfeeding rates; this could be a result of the mother being more
aware of the health benefits breastfeeding provides
~ Health benefits for the child include reduced risk of: ear infection,
diarrhea, & hospitalization for respiratory infections, as well as reduced
risk of chronic, diseases such as type 2 diabetes & asthma
~ Health benefits for the mother include a decreased risk for breast
and ovarian cancer
~ Income:
~ A higher income is usually associated with higher breastfeeding rates
~ Among lower income mothers, those who participate in the WIC
program typically have higher breastfeeding rates than non-WIC
participants
~ Cultural/societal beliefs:
~ Cultural beliefs play a role due to Americanized views. Mexican
immigrants have not been acculturized so they will still folow their own
beliefs wheras Mexican Americans have gone through the acculturization
process and are more likely to follow in the American mindset
~ Also, a large number of women are in the labor force so they prefer the
convenience of the bottle/formula feeding method
~ There is also a sense of embarrassment when breastfeeding and a belief
that it is difficult to do, along with negative societal perceptions