PRENATAL AND PERINATAL FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH BREAST-FEEDING INITIATION AMONG INNER-CITY PUERTO-RICAN WOMEN

Objective To identify factors associated with the initiation of breast -feeding in a predominantly Puerto Rican population living in inner-ci ty Hartford, Conn. Design Retrospective study of 144 Latino women (mea n+/- standard deviation age=26.3+/-5.7 years) with children at least 1 year old but younger than 6 years old (mean+/-standard deviation age= 3.0+/-1.2 years) at the time of the survey. Women were recruited from agencies sponsoring health programs for mothers and children. They wer e interviewed in their homes (69%) or at the Hispanic Health Council, Hartford, Conn (31%). Subjects/setting Low-income Latino women who had at least 1 preschooler at the time of the interview. The women lived in inner-city Hartford, and the overwhelming majority were Puerto Rica n and received welfare assistance and food stamps. Seventy-eight perce nt of the women chose to be interviewed in Spanish; the other 22% were interviewed in English. Statistical analyses Explanatory variables th at related to breast-feeding initiation (P less than or equal to.2) in bivariate chi(2) analyses were entered into a multivariate logistic r egression model that was reduced using backward stepwise elimination p rocedures. Results Multivariate analyses indicated that breast-feeding the previous child, shorter length of maternal residence in the Unite d States, not receiving prenatal bottle-feeding advice, more recent bi rth, and higher birth weight were positively associated with breast-fe eding initiation. A major reason for choosing not to breast-feed was t hat women felt socially uncomfortable doing it. Applications Breast-fe eding initiation was more likely in Latino women who received prenatal breast-feeding counseling and postpartum support. Mothers of low-birt h-weight infants and women breast-feeding for the first time may need additional help. These findings can be used by programs like the Speci al Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children to increase breast-feeding initiation.