Subjects:
AAP Abroad, Correction
Topics:
breast feeding, counseling, ethnic group, food, immigrants, infant feeding methods, african american, hispanics or latinos, milk, human, supplementary feeding

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“… all different cultures, whether in a tropical village or in a highly urbanized and technologically sophisticated community, contain some practices and customs which are beneficial to the health and nutrition of the group, and some which are harmful. No culture has a monopoly on wisdom or absurdity.” Jellife D. Child Nutrition in Developing Countries: A Handbook for Fieldworkers. Washington, DC: United States Public Health Service; 1968

Healthy infant feeding practices, including exclusive breastfeeding and delayed introduction of complementary foods, are promoted by health clinicians as well as by numerous national and international organizations. However, mothers base their infant feeding decisions on an array of factors, including their experiences, family demands, socioeconomic circumstances, and cultural beliefs.

As the number of children from immigrant families in the US increases, more pediatric clinicians are working not only with families of color who...

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