Social and Cultural Factors Underlying Latina Mothers’ Infant Feeding Practices

• In Event: 2184 - Section on Medical Sociology Refereed Roundtable Session
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 06. Mothering Experiences

Abstract

Latino children have the highest rates of obesity of children in the U.S., placing them at elevated risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other serious chronic illnesses. We conducted focus groups with low-income Latina mothers to identify common feeding practices and factors underlying their use, and to understand women’s perceptions and use of scientifically recommended and other feeding practices. Based on an inductive analysis of focus groups (N = 4) with predominantly Mexican-origin Latina mothers (N = 19), we found that mothers considered not only the feeding recommendations received from nutrition education and health care practitioners, but also recommendations from trusted others (most commonly, their mothers or mothers-in-law), who were viewed as experienced caregivers with valuable feeding expertise. Although advice from these trusted others was sometimes inconsistent with scientific feeding recommendations, some mothers accepted and implemented it in order to show respect and preserve harmonious social relations. In contrast, some mothers employed strategies enabling them to follow scientific recommendations without rejecting conflicting advice from other caregivers, thereby preserving harmonious relations. Nutrition educators should be attuned to the socio-cultural context of implementation of recommended feeding practices, and nutrition interventions for Latino families should capitalize on Latina mothers’ strategies for navigating multiple information sources while preserving social relations.

Authors

• Tanya A. Nieri, University of California-Riverside

• Ann Cheney, University of California-Riverside