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Breastfeeding Initiation and Duration Among Low-Income Women in Alabama: The Importance of Personal and Familial Experiences in Making Infant-Feeding Choices

Grace S. Marquis, PhD

1127 Human Nutritional Sciences Building, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011-1061, USA

To gain perspective on breastfeedinginitiation and duration amongpoor women in the southeastern United States, the authors interviewed a random sample of 150 mothers (93% African American) at a county health clinic in Birmingham, Alabama. Forty-one percent of women initiated breastfeeding, 24% breastfed for at least 1 month, and 8.3% breastfed for 3 months or more. Initiation of breastfeedingw as positively associated with the mother havingbeen breastfed herself and havingbreastfed a previous infant, and negatively associated with premature delivery. Breastfeedingat 1 month was more likely amongolder women and women with close relatives who breastfed. Duration of breastfeedingbe yond 1 month was associated only with the mother havingbeen breastfed and havingbreastfed a previous infant. Maternal and familial breastfeedinge xperiences eliminated the effect of more distal factors, such as income or education, on some feedingdecisions. The stronginfluence of breastfeedinge xperiences must be considered in infant feedinginterv entions.

Key Words: breastfeeding • breastfeeding duration • infant feeding • African American • southeastern United States

Journal of Human Lactation, Vol. 18, No. 1, 38-45 (2002)
DOI: 10.1177/089033440201800106


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