NATIVITY AND INFANT-FEEDING PATTERNS AMONG FILIPINO WOMEN IN HAWAII

Infant feeding patterns of Filipinas living in Hawaii were studied bas ed on maternal birth in the Philippines versus the United Stares. Data were obtained from a retrospective mailed survey of Hawaii resident w omen who gave birth in Hawaii January 1 to March 31, 1989, with a 51% response rate (N = 2,013). Of the 234 women who identified themselves as Filipina, 169 (72%) were born in the Philippines and 65 (24%) in th e United States. Seventy percent of Filipinas breastfed al hospital di scharge. Both U.S. and Philippines-born mothers were less likely to br eastfeed than other ethnic groups in Hawaii. Philippines-born Filipino women were more likely to mixed breast- and formula-feed their infant s at hospital discharge than U.S. -born Filipino women (49% versus 25% ). U.S.-born Filipino women were more likely than Philippines-born Fil ipino women to breastfeed exclusively (43% versus 22%). Mixed feeders slopped breastfeeding at a much more rapid rate than exclusive breastf eeders. At 6 months postpartum exclusive breastfeeders, regardless of nativity, were significantly more likely than mixed feeders to be brea stfeeding.