Peer support had no effect on breast-feeding incidence in a multiethnic WIC population

Abstract

Breast-feeding incidence is affected by a number of different factors. This study was conducted to determine the impact of having a peer share her breast-feeding experiences with prenatal women who were planning to breast-feed or who had not made a decision on infant feeding method. Through self-selection, 98 Caucasian and Hispanic women attended one of four types of classes: (a) a class taught in Spanish, (b) a class taught in Spanish, plus a peer who shared her positive breast-feeding experience (c) a class taught in English, and (d) a class taught in English, plus a peer. The breast-feeding initiation rate of 69.4% compares favorably to those reported for the region and other WIC population subgroups. The presence of a peer, participation in the Maternity Support Program, martial status, age, parity, gestation length, duration on WIC, or the number of weeks prior to delivery that the class was attended had no effect on breast-feeding incidence. Spanish speaking women were more likely to breast-feed than English speaking women (p <.05). Spanish speaking women had significantly less formal education than English speaking women (p <.0001). Women with more education were less likely to breast-feed (p <.05). A larger percentage of Hispanic women who attended a class in Spanish choose to breast-feed than Hispanic women who attended a class in English. This indicates language as an indicator of acculturation may have an affect on the infant feeding decision.