DETERMINANTS OF INFANT-FEEDING CHOICES AMONG SOUTHEAST-ASIAN IMMIGRANTS IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Objective This study documents obstacles to successful lactation among Southeast Asian women. Design We assessed the infant feeding practice s of 65 Hmong and 57 Vietnamese women. The women were recruited and in terviewed at clinics of the Special Supplemental Food Program for Wome n, Infants, and Children (WIC) and neighborhoods in northern Californi a. Analysis included logistic regression and odds ratios. Results Only 5 of the Hmong women and 3 of the Vietnamese women in our initial sam ple breast-fed their youngest child. Primary reasons for formula-feedi ng included convenience, the intent to return to work or school (altho ugh few did so), desire to allow others to feed, and the expectation o f insufficient milk. In addition, most perceived that formula-feeding was more popular in the United States, and 19 of the Vietnamese women believed formula-feeding was healthier than breast-feeding. Variables positively related to breast-feeding included the number of times the mother was enrolled in WIC (for Hmong women) and the number of childre n previously breast-fed (for both groups). Breast-feeding was negative ly related to the total number of children (for Hmong women), maternal age (for Vietnamese women), and receiving formula at the time of disc harge from the hospital (for both groups). Applications/conclusions Pr omotion of breast-feeding among Southeast Asian women should focus on increasing the number of women who initiate breast-feeding, addressing attitudes regarding the popularity and convenience of formula-feeding , and discouraging hospital practices that may impede breast-feeding.