Nativity and infant feeding patterns among Filipino women in Hawaii

Infant feeding patterns of Filipinas living in Hawaii were studied based on maternal birth in the Philippines versus the United States. Data were obtained from a retrospective mailed survey of Hawaii resident women 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 the United States. Seventy percent of Filipinas breastfed at hospital discharge. Both U.S. and Philippines‐born mothers were less likely to breastfeed than other ethnic groups in Hawaii. Philippines‐born Filipino women were more likely to mixed breast‐ and formula‐feed their infants at hospital discharge than U.S. ‐born Filipino women (49% versus 25%). U.S.‐born Filipino women were more likely than Philippines‐born Filipino women to breastfeed exclusively (43% versus 22%). Mixed feeders stopped breastfeeding at a much more rapid rate than exclusive breastfeeders. At 6 months postpartum exclusive breastfeeders, regardless of nativity, were significantly more likely than mixed feeders to be breastfeeding.

Key words:

• Infant feeding
• breastfeeding
• Filipino
• Philippines ethnicity
• Hawaii
• migration

Notes

Current address: Department Public Health Policy and Administration, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI