The Breastfeeding Decision: Racial/Ethnic Differences

Abstract

The Northside Breastfeeding Campaign is a community-based effort to create a supportive breastfeeding environment in an economically-disadvantaged community in Minneapolis, MN by changing community norms and health professional practices. A survey to assess women's infant feeding decision was conducted as part of baseline data collection. We obtained responses from 433 (83%) English-speaking women who delivered babies at 2 hospitals in April and May 1998. Several differences between racial/ethnic groups were found. While 56% of Caucasian women and 60% of other women (American Indian, Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, other) decide before pregnancy how to feed their babies, only 37% of African-American women decide at this time. African-American mothers are more likely to decide during pregnancy (54%). Caucasian women are more likely to exclusively breastfeed (67%). African Americans have the lowest proportion of women who start out either exclusively breastfeeding (24%) or both bottle and breastfeeding (21%) at the hospital. While many women make the decision themselves (47% African-American, 61% Caucasian, and 55% Other), African-American women also rely on family members (7%), doctors (6%), and WIC staff (4%) to help them make the decision. Family members are also consulted by Caucasian women (11%). Compared to Caucasian breastfeeders, a higher proportion of African American women expect to quit breastfeeding by 6 weeks (18% vs. 10%); however, more African American women plan to continue breastfeeding beyond one year (16% vs. 8%). Survey results are being used to plan effective strategies to increase breastfeeding initiation rates and duration in this community. The survey will be repeated to evaluate campaign effectiveness after one year.