FINAL REPORT:

WIC INFANT FEEDING PRACTICES STUDY

November, 1997

Authors:

Nazli Baydar

Margaret McCann

Rick Williams

Eric Vesper

Editors:

Doug Wieringa

Kathy Sitchin

Prepared for: Prepared by:

Patricia McKinney Battelle

Office of Analysis and Evaluation Centers for Public Health

Food and Consumer Service Research and Evaluation

U.S.D.A. 4000 NE 41st Street

Alexandria, VA 22302 P.O. Box 5395

Seattle, WA 98105-0395

Contract No. 53-3198-3-003
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This report is a product of the joint efforts of many individuals over a period of four

years. The staff of the Office of Analysis and Evaluation of the Food and Consumer

Service provided guidance and input at all phases of the project. We thank Pat

McKinney who was the project officer of the WIC-IFPS, for her help and guidance. We

thank Leslie Christovich of the Office of Analysis and Evaluation, Rhonda Kane

representing the WIC Program, and Brenda Lisi of the Nutrition Technical Services

Division for their help in preparing the survey instruments and for reviewing this report.

We thank Boyd Kowal for providing input to the report. All of these individuals helped to

ensure that this report addresses FCS's policy concerns.

We would like to express our thanks to the WIC State and Local Agencies and the 43

WIC clinics that participated in this study for their cooperation with the WIC-IFPS. We

would especially like to thank the 1,048 WIC mothers who responded to our interviewers

and made it possible for us to better understand their infant feeding practices.

Rick Williams designed the sample of the WIC-IFPS, developed and managed the

study during its early phases. Rick Williams, Judith Lessler and Jim O'Reilly developed

and pre-tested the survey instruments. Meg McCann and Gary Freed consulted with

Battelle staff in instrument development and review of the final report. Meg McCann

also contributed extensively to the writing of this report. We greatly appreciate their

efforts.

Patricia Henderson oversaw the data collection activities of the WIC-IFPS. Under

her supervision, Joan Huber managed the data collection, Robin Hinshaw managed our

communications with the WIC Clinics, Mary Ellen Van Booven wrote interviewer training

manuals, Eric Vesper supervised the CATI functions and Lisa John helped in pretesting

of the survey instruments and coordinated the Spanish language interviewing. All of

these individuals contributed to the success of the WIC-IFPS field operations and the

excellent quality of the WIC-IFPS data presented in this report. Clay Greaves and Ting

Luo helped manage the databases and supported the preparation of the analysis data

files.

Margaret Ajax and Kate Lynch supported the production of this report, all of the

tables and figures. We thank them for their patience and dedication.
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Nazli Baydar
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

List of Tables x

List of Figuresxiii

Executive Summary ................................................................................................................. 1

Chapter I Introduction ....................................................................................................11

I.1 Overview of Infant Feeding and the WIC-IFPS .................................................11

I.2 The WIC Program Relative to Infant Feeding....................................................11

I.3 Reference Guidelines .......................................................................................16

I.4 Objectives of the WIC-IFPS..............................................................................17

Chapter II Design of the WIC-IFPS, and the Study

Sample ............................................................................................................19

II.1 Design of the WIC-IFPS ...................................................................................19

II.2 Data Collection Instruments..............................................................................23

II.3 Information Collected by WIC-IFPS ..................................................................24

II.4 Characteristics and Program Participation of the WICIFPS Sample ....................................................................................................25

Chapter III Conceptual Model and Approach to the

Analysis of the WIC-IFPS ...............................................................................31

III.1 Overview of the Milestones of Infant Nutrition...................................................31

The Nursing Phase ...............................................................................32

The Transitional Phase .........................................................................34

III.2 A General Model of Infant Feeding Practices....................................................38

III.3 An Overview of the Statistical Analysis Methods...............................................41

Descriptive Analyses.............................................................................41

Multivariate Analyses ............................................................................42

Comparison of Descriptive and Multivariate Analyses...........................43
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Chapter IV The Choice Between Breastfeeding and

Formula-Feeding in the Nursing Phase ........................................................45

IV.1 Overview ..........................................................................................................45

IV.2 WIC Program Components that Pertain to the Choice

Between Breastfeeding and Formula Feeding ..................................................45

IV.3 Initiation of Breastfeeding Among WIC Mothers................................................47

Research Questions .............................................................................47

Main Findings .......................................................................................49

Previous Studies...................................................................................50

Statistical Methods................................................................................53

Results..................................................................................................55

Conclusions ..........................................................................................67

IV.4 Attitudes and Beliefs About Breastfeeding ........................................................69

Research Questions .............................................................................69

Main Findings .......................................................................................70

Previous Studies...................................................................................70

Statistical Methods................................................................................72

Results..................................................................................................74

Conclusions ..........................................................................................80

IV.5 Transition to a Combined Breastmilk and Formula Diet ....................................82

Research Questions .............................................................................82

Main Findings .......................................................................................86

Previous Studies...................................................................................86

Statistical Methods................................................................................87

Results..................................................................................................91

Conclusions ........................................................................................102

Chapter V Hospital Practices and Neonatal

Circumstances Experienced by Mothers ....................................................105

V.1 Overview ........................................................................................................105

V.2 WIC Program Components that Pertain to the

Neonatal Period..............................................................................................105

V.3 Research Questions .......................................................................................106

V.4 Main Findings .................................................................................................106
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V.5 Previous Studies.............................................................................................108

V.6 Statistical Methods..........................................................................................110

V.7 Results ...........................................................................................................111

V.8 Conclusions....................................................................................................127

Chapter VI Breastfeeding and Formula-Feeding Practices

in the Nursing Phase....................................................................................129

VI.1 Overview ........................................................................................................129

VI.2 WIC Program Components that Pertain to

Breastfeeding and Formula-Feeding Practices ...............................................129

VI.3 Breastfeeding Practices..................................................................................130

Research Questions ...........................................................................130

Main Findings .....................................................................................131

Previous Studies.................................................................................132

Statistical Methods..............................................................................132

Results................................................................................................133

Conclusions ........................................................................................141

VI.4 Formula-Feeding Practices.............................................................................142

Research Questions ...........................................................................142

Main Findings .....................................................................................143

Previous Studies.................................................................................143

Statistical Methods..............................................................................144

Results................................................................................................145

Conclusions ........................................................................................149

Chapter VII Nursing Problems, Continuation and

Cessation of Breastfeeding .........................................................................153

VII.1 Overview ........................................................................................................153

VII.2 WIC Program Components that Pertain to

Continuation of Breastfeeding, Nursing Problems, and

Cessation of Breastfeeding.............................................................................154

VII.3 Nursing Problems ...........................................................................................155

Research Questions ...........................................................................155

Main Findings .....................................................................................155

Previous Studies.................................................................................156

Statistical Methods..............................................................................157

Results................................................................................................157

Conclusions ........................................................................................160
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VII.4 Analysis of Continuation and Cessation of

Breastfeeding ................................................................................................160

Research Questions ...........................................................................160

Main Findings .....................................................................................162

Previous Studies.................................................................................163

Statistical Methods..............................................................................167

Results................................................................................................168

Conclusions ........................................................................................180

Chapter VIII Initiation of Supplemental Foods: The

Transitional Phase of Infant Feeding ..........................................................183

VIII.1 Overview ........................................................................................................183

VIII.2 WIC Program Components that Pertain to Infant

Feeding Issues in the Transitional Phase .......................................................184

VIII.3 Choice of Supplemental Foods and Timing of Their

Introduction.....................................................................................................185

Research Questions ...........................................................................185

Main Findings .....................................................................................187

Previous Studies.................................................................................189

Statistical Methods..............................................................................189

Results................................................................................................192

Conclusions ........................................................................................208

VIII.4 Choice of Supplemental Drinks and Timing of Their

Introduction.....................................................................................................210

Research Questions ...........................................................................210

Main Findings .....................................................................................211

Previous Studies.................................................................................211

Statistical Methods..............................................................................212

Results................................................................................................212

Conclusions ........................................................................................216

Chapter IX Supplemental Food Feeding Practices .......................................................217

IX.1 Overview ........................................................................................................217

IX.2 WIC Program Components that Pertain to

Supplemental Food Feeding Practices ...........................................................217

IX.3 Analysis of Supplemental Food Feeding Practices .........................................218

Research Questions ...........................................................................218

Main Findings .....................................................................................218

Previous Studies.................................................................................219

Statistical Methods..............................................................................219

Results................................................................................................220

Conclusions ........................................................................................226
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Chapter X Conclusions..................................................................................................229

X.1 Overview ........................................................................................................229

X.2 A Summary of Infant Feeding Practices of WIC

Mothers ..........................................................................................................230

X.3 Breastfeeding Initiation ...................................................................................234

FCS guideline .....................................................................................234

Commentary .......................................................................................234

X.4 Breastfeeding Duration ...................................................................................239

FCS guidelines ...................................................................................239

Commentary .......................................................................................239

X.5 Formula Feeding ...........................................................................................244

FCS guidelines ...................................................................................244

Commentary .......................................................................................244

X.6 Introduction of Supplemental Foods ..............................................................246

FCS guidelines ...................................................................................246

Commentary .......................................................................................246

Glossary ...................................................................................................................................... 251

References ...................................................................................................................................... 255

Appendix A Design of the WIC-IFPS: Sampling Design and Methods

Appendix B Survey Instruments of the WIC-IFPS

Appendix C Description of the WIC-IFPS Sample

Appendix D Description of the Study Data Base

Appendix E Analysis Weights

Appendix F Use of Child Care among WIC mothers

Appendix G Multivariate Statistical Methods of Analysis

Appendix H A Protocol for Building Multivariate Models of Infant Feeding Practices

Appendix I Detailed Tables

Appendix J Standard Errors for the Text Tables and Detailed Tables
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LIST OF TABLES

II.1. Overall study participation counts and rates ................................................................ 21

II.2. Counts and percent of respondents by sample type and interview month.................... 22

II.3. Percentage distribution of socio-demographic characteristics by maternal race

and ethnicity ................................................................................................................ 26

II.4. Percentage distribution of reported health-related characteristics by race and

ethnicity of the mother ................................................................................................. 27

II.5. Percentages of mothers reporting the receipt of WIC vouchers for formula and for

supplemental foods ..................................................................................................... 28

II.6. Percentages of mothers reporting receipt of information about various aspects of

infant feeding from WIC............................................................................................... 29

III.1. WIC-IFPS data on infant feeding practices in the nursing phase ................................. 32

III.2. WIC-IFPS data on infant feeding practices in the transitional phase............................ 35

IV.1. Breastfeeding initiation rates by selected socio-demographic and health-related

characteristics ............................................................................................................. 56

IV.2. Estimates of the relative odds estimated by the logistic regression model of

breastfeeding initiation (N=874)................................................................................... 61

IV.3. Items that constitute the perceived benefits of breastfeeding and perceived

barriers to breastfeeding scales................................................................................... 75

IV.4. Percentage of mothers agreeing with the nine statements about perceived

benefits of breastfeeding ............................................................................................. 76

IV.5. Percentage of mothers agreeing with the 13 statements about perceived barriers

to breastfeeding........................................................................................................... 77

IV.6. Percentage distribution of the infants by nursing diets at the time of each

interview month, by selected socio-demographic characteristics ................................. 93

IV.7. Median age in days of the infant at the time when formula supplementation is

initiated, by selected socio-demographic characteristics.............................................. 97

IV.8. Estimates of the relative risk estimated by the multivariate models of rates of

initiation of formula supplementation (N=477).............................................................. 99

V.1. Type of first feeding received by the WIC infants in the hospital ................................ 114
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V.2. Percentages of mothers reporting nursing problems while in the hospital.................. 117

V.3. Percentages of type of feeding at hospital discharge by type of first feeding ............. 120

V.4. Relative odds of formula feeding at hospital discharge for WIC mothers who

breastfeed at the first feeding (N=251)....................................................................... 122

V.5. Relative odds of breastfeeding at hospital discharge for WIC mothers who

formula feed at the first feeding (N=551).................................................................... 125

VI.I. Breastfeeding schedules of WIC mothers over the first five months of their

infants’ first year ........................................................................................................ 134

VI.2. Usual number of daily breastfeeds, by selected maternal socio-demographic

characteristics ........................................................................................................... 136

VI.3. Percentage of WIC mothers who report expressing milk during the past week, by

selected maternal socio-demographic characteristics................................................ 137

VI.4. Relative contribution of selected non-program and program factors to the usual

daily number of breastfeeds reported at Month 1 interview (N=196) .......................... 140

VI.5. Percentage of WIC mothers who add other foods or liquids into the bottle with the

formula by selected socio-demographic characteristics ............................................. 146

VI.6. Percentage distribution of formula-feeding WIC mothers by brand name of

formula ...................................................................................................................... 150

VII.1. Reported nursing problems by WIC mothers at the time of the Month 1, Month 3,

and Month 5 interviews.............................................................................................. 158

VII.2. Median age of breastfeeding cessation, age when 25% and age when 75% of the

infants are weaned from the breast............................................................................ 169

VII.3. Relative risks estimated by the multivariate models of rates of breastfeeding

cessation (N=486) ..................................................................................................... 174

VIII.1. Median age of the infant (in days) when specific supplemental foods are initiated

by selected socio-demographic characteristics of the mother .................................... 195

VIII.2. Percentage distribution of the order of initiation of cereals, fruits, vegetables, and

meats, by race/ethnicity of the mother ....................................................................... 200

VIII.3. Relative risk of initiation of cereals prior to four months of age (N=745)..................... 202

VIII.4. Relative risk of initiation of fruits prior to four months of age (N=803) ........................ 205
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VIII.5. Relative risk of initiation of vegetables prior to four months of age (N=835) ............... 207

VIII.6. Median age of the infant at the time of initiation of fruit juices and sweet drinks,

by selected socio-demographic characteristics of the mother .................................... 214

IX.1. WIC-IFPS interview months when questions on the methods of feeding

supplemental foods were elicited............................................................................... 220

IX.2. Methods of feeding supplemental foods at interview months when data were

elicited .......................................................................................................................221

IX.3. Percentages of WIC mothers who adopt supplemental food feeding practices that

are generally not recommended ................................................................................ 225

X.1. Percentages of WIC infants who receive each of the 13 groups of foods at each

age ............................................................................................................................231
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LIST OF FIGURES

III.1. A general model of infant feeding practices and the measures of predictors of

infant feeding practices from the WIC-IFPS................................................................. 39

IV.1. A model of breastfeeding initiation and the measures of its predictors available

from the WIC-IFPS ...................................................................................................... 48

IV.2. Breastfeeding initiation rates, by race and ethnicity of the mother ............................... 57

IV.3. Relative odds of initiating breastfeeding for WIC mothers who received

breastfeeding information and advice from different sources ....................................... 66

IV.4. A model of initiation of formula supplementation and the measures of its

predictors available from the WIC-IFPS....................................................................... 85

IV.5. Percentages of only breastfeeding, combined breast- and formula-feeding, and

only formula-feeding WIC mothers at each month of interview .................................... 91

IV.6. Percentages of breastfeeding WIC mothers, by type of breastfeeding practice at

each month of interview............................................................................................... 95

IV.7. Percentages of breastfeeding WIC mothers who have not yet initiated formula, by

the age of the infant..................................................................................................... 97

V.1. A model of feeding practices at hospital discharge and the measures of its

predictors from the WIC-IFPS.................................................................................... 107

V.2. Number of days of hospital stay for WIC mothers and infants.................................... 113

V.3. Percentage of WIC infants who stayed in the nursery overnight, by race and

ethnicity of the mother ............................................................................................... 113

V.4. The first feeding of the WIC infants in the hospital, by race and ethnicity of the

mother ....................................................................................................................... 115

V.5. Percentage of WIC mothers who did not receive help from the hospital staff

among those who had common nursing problems..................................................... 118

V.6. Percentage of WIC mothers who reported receiving various items in their gift

packages from the hospital........................................................................................ 119

VI.1. A model of daily number of breastfeeds at Month 1 interview and its predictors

available from the WIC-IFPS ..................................................................................... 131
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VI.2. Percentages of WIC mothers who breastfeed on a set schedule, when the infant

cries or seems hungry, and on a mixed schedule ...................................................... 135

VI.3. Percentage of breastfeeding WIC mothers expressing milk using electric

breastpumps, using manual breastpumps, and expressing milk

by hand...................................................................................................................... 138

VI.4. Percentage of mothers who report adding other foods or liquids in the bottle with

the formula at Month 3............................................................................................... 147

VI.5. Percentage of mothers who report adding other foods in the bottle with the

formula at Month 1 among those who think that the amount of formula given by

WIC is more than enough, the right amount, or not enough....................................... 148

VII.1. Percentage of breastfeeding WIC mothers who report experiencing nursing

problems in Months 1, 3, and 5.................................................................................. 159

VII.2. A model of breastfeeding cessation and the measures of its predictors available

from the WIC-IFPS .................................................................................................... 161

VII.3. Percentage of all WIC mothers breastfeeding, by the age of the infant...................... 170

VII.4. Percentage of WIC mothers still breastfeeding, by the age of the infant and age

of the mother ............................................................................................................. 171

VII.5. Percentage of WIC mothers still breastfeeding, by the age of the infant and

whether the mother reports knowing about the special WIC food package for

breastfeeding women who do not accept infant formula from WIC............................. 172

VII.6. Percentage of WIC mothers still breastfeeding by the age of the infant and

reported receipt of none, one, two, and three WIC program components that

support breastfeeding................................................................................................ 179

VIII.1. A model of early initiation of supplemental foods and the measures of its

predictors from the WIC-IFPS.................................................................................... 186

VIII.2. Percentage of WIC mothers who have not yet initiated cereals, fruits, vegetables,

and meats, at each age of the infant.......................................................................... 192

VIII.3. Percentage of WIC mothers who have not yet initiated dairy foods, high-protein

foods other than meats, and sweet/snack foods, at each age of the infant ................ 194

VIII.4. Percentage of WIC mothers who have not yet initiated cereals at each age of the

infant, by maternal immigrant status .......................................................................... 196

VIII.5. Percentages of mothers initiating cereals, fruits, vegetables, and meats as the

first, second, third, or fourth type of supplemental food.............................................. 198
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VIII.6. Percentage of WIC mothers who have not yet initiated fruit juices, sweet drinks,

and cow’s milk or other milk at each age of the infant................................................ 213

VIII.7. Percentage of WIC mothers who have not yet initiated sweet drinks at each age

of the infant, by race/ethnicity of the mother .............................................................. 215

IX.1. Percentage of WIC infants receiving supplemental foods using a spoon at

interview months 2, 4, 6, and 9, by race and ethnicity of the mother.......................... 222

IX.2. Percentage of WIC mothers who have used an infant feeder sometime during

infancy, by race and ethnicity of the mother............................................................... 223

IX.3. Percentages of WIC mothers who feed supplemental foods before Month 4, prior

to using a spoon, by race and ethnicity of the mother ................................................ 226

X.1. Timeline describing WIC program participation, feeding practices, and hospital

practices for WIC mothers from birth through two months of age............................... 232

X.2. Timeline describing WIC program participation and feeding practices for WIC

infants from three to twelve months of age ................................................................ 233
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

is administered by the Food and Consumer Service (FCS) of the United States

Department of Agriculture (USDA). This program provides supplementary foods,

nutrition education, and referral to health care for low-income mothers and children who

are nutritionally at risk.

Infant nutrition and breastfeeding are areas of maternal and child nutrition that

are particularly targeted by the WIC program. During the last few years, Congress has

amended the Child Nutrition Act to further promote and support breastfeeding of infant

WIC participants. Public Law 101-147, The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act

of 1989, strengthened the emphasis on infant feeding by focusing more attention on the

promotion and support of breastfeeding activities. One of WIC's largest supplemental

food packages is targeted at breastfeeding women who elect not to receive infant

formula through WIC.

In September of 1993, the FCS contracted with Battelle to conduct the WIC Infant

Feeding Practices Study (WIC-IFPS). The study consists of a one-year longitudinal

survey of the infant feeding practices of mothers who participated in WIC while pregnant.

The mothers were enrolled in the study in the Fall of 1994. The 874 mothers in the

study were interviewed up to nine times each, during the first year of the infant's life.

The purpose of the WIC-IFPS is twofold:

(1) to provide a nationally representative description of infant feeding practices

among WIC participants, and

(2) to identify attitudes and practices of WIC participants associated with the

initiation and continuation of breastfeeding.

The full report presents the detailed findings from the WIC-IFPS. This executive

summary briefly describes the report. It contains four sections, which discuss:

(1) breastfeeding initiation

(2) formula feeding

(3) breastfeeding duration

(4) introduction of supplemental foods.
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Breastfeeding Initiation

 Slightly over one-half of the WIC mothers initiate breastfeeding.

Although this estimate is higher than the estimates obtained from previous studies, it

is substantially below the goal of 75 percent, specified by Healthy People 2000.

There are significant differences in breastfeeding initiation rates between subgroups

of WIC mothers. Hispanic mothers are the most likely to initiate breastfeeding, and

African American mothers are the least likely to do so; the rate for white mothers is

intermediate. Being younger (maternal age under 20), never-married, and not living with

the infant's father are all factors that are associated with lower rates of breastfeeding.

Mothers who were born in the United States are less likely to breastfeed than those who

were born in other countries. Long hospital stays are also associated with lower rates of

breastfeeding.

A mother’s previous breastfeeding experience is strongly predictive of her current

choice of a nursing method. Mothers who breastfed before are the most likely to initiate

breastfeeding, followed by the first-time mothers. Mothers who have older children but

who did not breastfeed these children are the least likely to breastfeed. The strong

influence of previous breastfeeding experience underscores the importance of

encouraging the first-time mothers to breastfeed, so that their current, as well as their

future infants may benefit.

 Among the mothers who do not receive advice about breastfeeding from a

physician, those who report receiving information about breastfeeding from WIC

are more likely to breastfeed.

Furthermore, mothers who know about the special WIC food package for

breastfeeding mothers who do not accept infant formula from WIC are twice as likely to

breastfeed than those who do not know about this package.

Receiving information or advice from professional sources other than WIC is

positively associated with breastfeeding initiation.

 Substantial proportions of WIC mothers experience several hospital practices

that are unsupportive of the establishment of breastfeeding immediately after

birth.
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Less than one-third of WIC infants receive breastmilk at their first feeding. Among the

infants who ever breastfeed, only a small minority begin breastfeeding during the first

hour after birth, and only one-half breastfeed during the first three hours. During the

hospital stay, almost three-quarters of the infants spend at least one night in the nursery,

away from their mothers. Almost one-third of the breastfeeding mothers who experience

nursing problems in the hospital do not receive any help from the hospital staff. Almost

all mothers, including exclusively breastfeeding mothers, receive a hospital gift package

that contains a bottle, formula, sugar water, or a pacifier not supportive of breastfeeding.

These may be issues that need further collaboration between WIC and local hospitals.

Formula Feeding Practices

 About one-half of breastfeeding infants are given formula during the first two

weeks of life.

Formula supplementation of breastfeeding occurs quite early, with one-half of the

mothers initiating formula supplementation by the time their infants are 16 days old.

One-quarter of breastfeeding infants receive formula by the age of five days. This

practice is likely to result in diminished breastmilk production and is likely to be

detrimental to the establishment of breastfeeding during its early stages.

Maternal perception of problems with breastmilk and use of non-maternal child care

predict higher likelihood of initiating formula supplementation. Mothers who believe in

the benefits of breastfeeding are less likely to supplement breastfeeds with formula.

 Breastfeeding mothers who know about the special WIC food package for

breastfeeding women are less likely to initiate formula supplementation.

This finding supports the hypothesis that the enhanced food package for

breastfeeding women may be acting as an incentive not to use formula.

 Formula-feeding practices of WIC mothers are generally in agreement with the

FCS guidelines except that many WIC mothers add cereal to the formula in the

bottle.
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More than 90 percent of the formula-fed infants receive formula that is fortified with

iron, and less than one in ten infants receive formula that is overdiluted to make it last

longer. These percentages indicate that most WIC mothers follow the guidelines for

appropriate methods of feeding formula. However, one-quarter of the WIC mothers add

other foods or liquids to the bottle with the formula during the first three months, a vast

majority of these additions being cereal. African American mothers and teenage

mothers are significantly more likely to add foods to the formula in the bottle. Receipt of

information from WIC about formula feeding is not associated with lower rates of adding

other foods to the formula in the bottle.

Breastfeeding Duration, Attitudes, and Practice

 One-fourth of the WIC mothers who initiate breastfeeding stop by the end of

second week and one-half stop by the end of the second month.

Race/ethnicity differences in breastfeeding cessation rates are not significant. Older

mothers and highly educated mothers are less likely than younger mothers and less

educated mothers to stop breastfeeding early. Mothers who were born in the United

States also tend to breastfeed for shorter durations than foreign-born mothers.

 Mothers who do not believe that they have sufficient milk, or that there is

something wrong with their milk, are more likely to stop breastfeeding.

 A majority of the breastfeeding WIC mothers experience nursing problems during

the first few months. During the first month after birth, only 30 percent of breastfeeding

mothers have a problem-free nursing experience. Nevertheless, the proportions of

mothers experiencing nursing problems decline during early infancy. Milk insufficiency is

one of the most common nursing problems, affecting over one-third of the mothers

during the first month after birth.

 Mothers who believe that breastfeeding is beneficial are less likely to stop

breastfeeding early, while those who express concerns about barriers to

breastfeeding are more likely to stop breastfeeding.

It is important to understand the attitudes of the WIC mothers towards breastfeeding

to better develop programs that address their needs. Statistically, the many attitudes
5

and beliefs about breastfeeding can be placed in one of two categories: perceived

benefits of breastfeeding and perceived barriers to breastfeeding. Both types of

attitudes and beliefs are associated with breastfeeding duration.

Hispanic mothers more strongly believe in the benefits of breastfeeding than any

other race or ethnic group. African American mothers more strongly believe than any

other race or ethnic group that there are barriers to breastfeeding.

 Supplementing breastfeeding with formula increases the likelihood of

breastfeeding cessation by a factor of almost 21⁄2.

The negative consequences of formula supplementation for the continuation of

breastfeeding is known by the WIC staff, and they are advised to inform the mothers that

formula supplementation may lead to an inability to continue breastfeeding. The strong

association between formula supplementation and cessation of breastfeeding does not

support the claim that formula supplementation may facilitate the breastfeeding

experience of the mothers, thereby allowing them to breastfeed for longer periods of

time. There is no comparable association between breastfeeding cessation and

supplementing breastfeeding with supplemental foods other than formula.

 Receipt of advice from a doctor on breastfeeding is associated with increased

frequency of breastfeeding.

Mothers who report that they received advice from a physician about breastfeeding,

breastfeed, on average, 1.7 additional times a day. Physician’s advice, therefore, is

associated with initiating breastfeeding, as well as with frequent breastfeeds.

 Mothers who know about the special WIC food package for breastfeeding women

breastfeed for longer durations.

WIC mothers who know about the special WIC food package for breastfeeding

mothers who do not accept formula from WIC have lower rates of breastfeeding

cessation by one-fourth. Furthermore, WIC program components that support

breastfeeding are associated with breastfeeding duration in a cumulative way. Mothers

receiving each additional WIC program component in support of breastfeeding are

expected to breastfeed for a significantly longer duration. In other words, there appears
6

to be a dose-response type association between WIC program components that support

breastfeeding and duration of breastfeeding among WIC mothers.

 A majority of WIC mothers do not breastfeed enough times a day to stimulate

sufficient milk production, especially in early infancy.

A majority of WIC mothers breastfeed when their infants get hungry as opposed to

on a set schedule. FCS advises that generally, infants be breastfed when they seem

hungry. However, WIC mothers breastfeed fewer times a day than necessary to

establish exclusive or predominant breastfeeding in early infancy. Breastfeeding WIC

mothers who also feed formula appear to substitute breastfeeds with formula feeds

rather than providing formula to breastfeeding infants as a complementary feed after

they breastfeed.

Introduction of Supplemental Foods

 Other than the issue of breastfeeding, the most prevalent nutritional concern for

the WIC infants is the early initiation of supplemental solids.

FCS advises against the initiation of supplemental solids prior to about four to six

months of age. This is generally the age when the infant can hold his head up, turn

away from food, and eat from a spoon. However, large proportions of WIC infants

receive cereals, fruits, and vegetables before this age. Indeed, one-half of WIC infants

receive cereals by three-and-a-half months of age, with over one-quarter receiving

cereals by two months of age. Over two-fifths of WIC infants receive fruits, and almost

one-third receive vegetables prior to four months of age.

 The order in which supplemental foods are initiated follows the recommended

pattern of cereals-fruits-vegetables-meats for a large proportion of WIC infants.

For more than four-fifths of WIC infants, cereal is the first supplemental food. Fruits

and vegetables are often introduced within a short time period, often as the second and

third types of supplemental foods, although the introduction of vegetables as the second

type of supplemental food is not uncommon. Meats are initiated substantially later, often

as the last major type of supplemental food, with one-half of the infants receiving meats

by six-and-a-half months of age.
7

 Formula-feeding infants are more likely to receive cereals, fruits, and vegetables

inappropriately early than breastfeeding infants.

Formula feeding is a significant factor that contributes to an inappropriately early

initiation of cereals, fruits, and vegetables. Formula feeding more than doubles the

likelihood of prematurely initiating cereals, almost triples the likelihood of prematurely

initiating fruits, and more than triples the likelihood of prematurely initiating vegetables.

The most commonly given reason for feeding cereal early, is "to prevent the infant from

consuming too much formula."

 Use of non-maternal child care is associated with an increased likelihood of

initiating cereals and fruits inappropriately early.

The likelihood that an infant under four months of age will receive cereals is 70

percent higher if the infant is receiving care from someone other than the mother. The

likelihood of receiving fruits too early is also higher for infants who receive care from

someone other than the mother.

 Receipt of information from WIC regarding the initiation of supplemental foods is

associated with a significantly lower likelihood of introducing cereals

inappropriately early.

Mothers who report receiving information from WIC in early infancy about when to

feed supplemental foods are less likely to initiate feeding cereals before their infants

reach the age of four months. Although the association is modest (predicting a reduction

in rates of early initiation of cereals by a factor of one-fifth), it is significant, and

underscores the malleability of inappropriate supplemental feeding practices.

 Substantial proportions of WIC infants receive supplemental drinks, such as

sweet drinks and fruit juices, prior to four months of age.

FCS advises that infants may start receiving fruit juices in moderation as soon as

they can drink from a cup, after about four months of age. About two-fifths of the WIC

infants receive fruit juices prior to four months of age. Despite the guidelines that infants

not be given fruit-flavored drinks, sodas, tea, and coffee (i.e., sweet and caffeinated

drinks), one-third of the WIC infants receive sweet drinks prior to four months of age.
8

Feeding of sweet and caffeinated drinks such as tea is particularly common among the

infants of Hispanic mothers. Two-fifths of infants of Hispanic mothers receive sweet

drinks by the time they are about six weeks old.

 Feeding cow's milk to infants is not a nutritional problem affecting a large

proportion of WIC infants.

It is currently advised that infants do not receive cow's milk prior to one year of age.

A large proportion of WIC mothers appear to be following this guideline, and postponing

the introduction of cow's milk. Virtually no infants receive cow’s milk prior to nine months

of age and a small proportion of WIC infants receive cow's milk between nine and twelve

months of age.

 The examination of the supplemental food feeding practices of the WIC mothers

reveals many practices that put the WIC infants at risk of developing dental

problems and unsound eating habits.

According to the maternal reports, most WIC infants learn how to use a spoon, learn

how to use a cup, and learn how to eat finger foods at about the age when they are

expected to reach these milestones. Almost all WIC infants are able to eat from a spoon

by the sixth month, more than two-thirds can drink from a cup by the seventh month, and

nine out of ten can feed themselves finger foods by the ninth month. However, the

feeding of supplemental foods and drinks appears to precede these developmental

milestones. A majority of WIC infants receive fruit juices before they ever use a cup,

presumably using a bottle instead. This feeding practice is known to be a risk factor for

dental disease, and one of Healthy People 2000 objectives is to reduce this practice.

Furthermore, a substantial proportion of WIC infants are given supplemental foods

before they learn how to eat from a spoon. Two-fifths of the WIC infants receive

supplemental foods from an infant feeder, which pushes food into an infant's mouth.

This feeding practice is known to be associated with (inadvertent) forced feeding of the

infant and may cause the infant to choke. Use of infant feeders is more common among

African American mothers than among Hispanic and white mothers.
9
10

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

I.1. Overview of Infant Feeding and the WIC-IFPS

Infant nutrition is an integral part of infant health. Promoting healthy infant feeding

practices will influence infant health and development. An infant’s nutritional needs

change rapidly over the first year of life, requiring a corresponding change from a simple

diet of nursing to a varied and complex diet that includes many textured foods. The

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) promotes good nutrition for

economically disadvantaged and nutritionally at-risk mothers and infants through the

Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).

In September of 1993, the Food and Consumer Service (FCS1

) of the USDA

contracted with Battelle to conduct the WIC Infant Feeding Practices Study (WIC-IFPS).

The study consists of a one-year longitudinal2

 survey of the infant feeding practices

among WIC participants. A series of eleven interviews was conducted on a group of

about 900 mothers and their infants who participated in the WIC Program prenatally and

over the infants’ first year of life. The WIC-IFPS is designed to examine the

circumstances and influences that shape mothers’ infant feeding decisions and to

describe the changes in infant feeding practices over the first year of the infants’ life.

I.2. The WIC Program Relative to Infant Feeding

The WIC Program provides supplemental foods, nutrition education, and referral to

health care for eligible women, infants, and children. To be eligible for participation in

WIC, an individual must be of low income, nutritionally at risk, and be in one of the

following categories:

 Pregnant women

 Breastfeeding women, up to one year postpartum if breastfeeding

 

1 Formerly known as Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). 2

 Technical terms are italicized the first time that they appear in this document. These terms are defined in the

Glossary.
11

 Postpartum women, up to six months after delivery if not breastfeeding

 Infants up to one year

 Children ages one to five years.

The authorizing legislation, Section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C.

1786), established the WIC Program as supplementalin nature. That is, the WIC food

packages are not intended to provide a complete diet, but are designed to provide

additional foods needed for a balanced diet. In addition to WIC, the USDA administers a

variety of other complementary food assistance programs that can work together to

provide a more nutritious diet to needy Americans.

Food package requirements appear in 7 Code of Federal Regulations Section

246.10. There are seven different monthly Food Packages. Food packages I, II, V, and

VII are of relevance to infant feeding.

(I) Infants 0 through 3 Months: These infants may receive on a monthly basis

up to the following amounts of iron-fortified infant formula: 403 fl. oz.

concentrated liquid, 8 lb. powdered, or 806 fl. oz. ready-to-feed (RTF)

formula. (An equal quantity of special infant formula or certain medical foods

may be substituted for iron-fortified infant formula with a medical prescription

for a documented and warranted nutritional need.)

(II) Infants 4 through 12 Months: In addition to the same maximum amount of

iron-fortified infant formula (or other authorized formula substitute with a

medical prescription) as Food Package I, these infants may receive on a

monthly basis up to 24 oz. dry, iron-fortified infant cereal and 63 fl. oz. infant

juice rich in vitamin C. (92 fl. oz. single-strength or 96 fl. oz. reconstituted

frozen concentrated adult fruit and/or vegetable juice rich in vitamin C may be

substituted for 63 fl. oz. infant juice.)

(III) Children/Women with Special Dietary Needs: With a medical prescription,

these participants may receive on a monthly basis the same maximum

amount of iron-fortified infant formula (or other authorized formula substitute)

as Food Package I with the State option to provide, when nutritionally

warranted, an additional 52 fl. oz. concentrated liquid, 1 lb. powdered, or 104

fl. oz. RTF formula. In addition, Food Package III includes up to 36 oz. dry,

iron-fortified adult or infant cereal and either 138 fl. oz. single-strength or 144

fl. oz. reconstituted frozen concentrated fruit and/or vegetable juice rich in

vitamin C.
12

(IV) Children 1 to 5 Years: Children may receive on a monthly basis up to 24 qt.

milk, 2 1⁄2 doz. eggs; 36 oz. dry, iron-fortified adult cereal; 276 fl. oz. singlestrength fruit and/or vegetable juice rich in vitamin C; and 1 lb. dry

beans/peas. (1 lb. cheese may be substituted for 3 qt. milk up to a maximum

of 4 lbs. of cheese, however, additional cheese may be provided if the

participant is lactose intolerant; 288 fl. oz. reconstituted frozen concentrated

fruit and/or vegetable juice rich in vitamin C may be substituted for 276 fl. oz.

single-strength juice; and 18 oz. peanut butter may be substituted for 1 lb. dry

beans/peas.)

(V) Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women (Basic): These women may receive

on a monthly basis up to 28 qt. milk; 2 1⁄2 doz. eggs; 36 oz. dry, iron-fortified

adult cereal; 276 fl. oz. single-strength fruit and/or vegetable juice rich in

vitamin C; and 1 lb. dry beans/peas. (The same WIC food substitutions noted

above in Food Package IV are allowed in Food Package V.)

(VI) Non-Breastfeeding Postpartum Women: These women may receive on a

monthly basis up to 24 qt. milk; 2 1⁄2 dozen eggs; 36 oz. dry, iron-fortified adult

cereal; and either 184 fl. oz. single-strength or 192 fl. oz. reconstituted frozen

concentrated fruit and/or vegetable juice rich in vitamin C. (The same cheese

substitution noted above in Food Package IV is allowed in Food Package VI.)

(VII) Breastfeeding Women (Enhanced): This food package was added in 1992

to promote and support a woman’s decision to breastfeed. It provides on a

monthly basis the same types and maximum amounts of WIC foods as Food

Package V, with the exception that Food Package VII includes augmented

amounts of juice (up to an additional 46 fl. oz. single-strength or 48 fl. oz.

reconstituted frozen concentrated juice rich in vitamin C), cheese (up to an

additional 1 lb.), and dry beans/peas (up to an additional l lb.), and the extra

WIC foods of carrots (up to 2 lbs.) and canned tuna (up to 26 oz.). (The

same WIC food substitutions noted above in Food Package IV are allowed in

Food Package VII. In addition, 16-20 oz. canned carrots or 1 lb. frozen

carrots may be substituted per 1 lb. fresh carrots.)

Food Package VII is only available to mothers who elect not to receive infant formula

through WIC for their infants, and who are, exclusively breastfeeding. Food Package VII

was designed to eliminate the economic disadvantage that might be perceived due to

not receiving infant formula if a mother chooses to exclusively breastfeed.

Nutrition education is another benefit of the WIC Program to its participants. WIC

nutrition education is designed to achieve the following broad goals:

(1) Stress the relationship between proper nutrition and good health

(2) Assist the individual who is at nutritional risk in achieving a positive change in

food habits, resulting in improved nutritional status and in the prevention of

nutrition-related problems, through optimal use of the supplemental foods and

other nutritious foods.
13

WIC participants are encouraged to attend and participate in nutrition education

activities. State and local WIC agencies develop the education activities and materials

that are appropriate to their populations. Nutrition education is made available to both

adult WIC participants, and to parents or caretakers of infant and child WIC participants.

Whenever possible, nutrition education is also directly provided to WIC children. All

pregnant participants are encouraged to breastfeed unless contraindicated for health

reasons. During each six-month period, at least two nutrition education contacts are

made available.

During the last few years, Congress has amended the Child Nutrition Act of 1966

three times to further promote and support breastfeeding among WIC participants.

Public Law 101-147, The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 1989, served to

strengthen the emphasis on infant feeding in the regulations by focusing more attention

on the promotion and support of breastfeeding activities. USDA has always actively

endorsed breastfeeding as the optimal method of infant feeding. USDA also has taken

non-regulatory actions in this area, including the development of publications to help

local agency staff teach participants about breastfeeding; participation in cooperative

efforts with other Federal agencies and organizations to promote breastfeeding, such as

the USDA Breastfeeding Promotion Consortium; and the award of grants for projects on

breastfeeding, such as the funding of a WIC Breastfeeding Promotion Study and

Demonstration (USDA, 1990), to identify, evaluate, and demonstrate approaches to

promote breastfeeding effectively in WIC. More recently, USDA awarded grants to test

the effectiveness of breastfeeding incentives in eight locations. In response to Public

Law 101-147, a number of new Federal WIC requirements were added. (Federal

Register Vol. 59, No. 48, RIN No. 0584-AB13, March 11, 1994). These include:

 Definition of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding was defined to be “the practice of

feeding mother’s breastmilk to her infant(s) on the average of at least once per

day.”

 Designation of a breastfeeding coordinator. Required that each WIC state

agency designate an agency staff member to coordinate breastfeeding promotion

efforts identified in the state plan.

 Training for breastfeeding promotion. Required each WIC state agency to

provide training on the promotion and management of breastfeeding to staff

members of local agencies who are responsible for counseling WIC participants

concerning breastfeeding.

 Non-English breastfeeding materials. Required that WIC state agencies develop

materials in languages other than English for use in areas where a significant
14

number or proportion of the WIC population needs the information in a language

other than English.

 Support standards and evaluation. Required state and local agencies to (1)

develop a policy that endorses breastfeeding as the preferred method of infant

feeding, (2) designate a staff person to coordinate breastfeeding promotion at

each local agency, (3) include breastfeeding promotion in orientation programs

for new staff who serve WIC participants, and (4) ensure that all WIC women

have access to breastfeeding promotion and support activities during the

prenatal and postpartum periods. In addition, WIC state agencies must annually

evaluate their breastfeeding promotion and support activities.

 Breastfeeding aids. Authorized the purchase of specified breastfeeding aids as

an allowable expense under WIC nutrition services and administration.

In 1992, Congress directed the USDA (The Child Nutrition Amendments of 1992,

Public Law 102-342) to develop or help others develop appropriate educational materials

that promote breastfeeding. In addition, Congress directed USDA to provide assistance

in the distribution of breast pumps and similar equipment to breastfeeding women, and

to enter into cooperative agreements with other agencies to carry out these actions.

Most recently, the Healthy Meals for Healthy Americans Act of 1994 (Public Law

103-448) increased the amount of WIC nutrition education funds earmarked for

breastfeeding and promotion from $8 million to over $20 million. It includes a formula

that provides $21 for each pregnant and breastfeeding woman based on average

monthly WIC participation. In addition, the Act specifies that the incidence and duration

of breastfeeding among WIC participants should be reported by each state agency and

included in the biennial report to Congress.

The General Accounting Office (GAO) has examined the breastfeeding promotion

efforts of the WIC Program, in response to a request from the United States House of

Representatives, and issued a report in December 1993 (GAO, 1993). The GAO report

is based on a survey of all state WIC directors, interviews with WIC staff, interviews with

program participants at three local sites in each of four states, and analysis of national

data on breastfeeding rates.

The GAO report concludes that “State WIC Programs have substantially increased

their breastfeeding promotional efforts since the 1989 reauthorization of the WIC

Program,” often exceeding the mandated levels of expenditure. Many activities have

been undertaken at the national, state, and local levels to encourage breastfeeding

among WIC participants, according to the report.
15

I.3. Reference Guidelines

Several documents are used for comparison purposes throughout this report. These

include the Healthy People 2000 goals issued by the U.S. Department of Health and

Human Services (USDHHS), various guidelines of the WIC Program itself, and

statements of other authorities such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the

American Public Health Association.

The Healthy People 2000 report sets goals for the percentages of infants who are

breastfed initially and who are still breastfed at the age of 6 months (USDHHS, 1990).

Initiation of breastfeeding is defined in the Healthy People 2000 report as breastfeeding

at hospital discharge, whereas the WIC Program uses the more comprehensive

definition of breastfeeding at any point in time. In most of this WIC-IFPS report (notably

Chapter IV) the more comprehensive definition is used. However, in order to compare

the breastfeeding initiation rate found in this study to the year 2000 goals, the rate is also

calculated using the definition of breastfeeding at hospital discharge (see Chapter V)3

.

The most comprehensive guidelines issued by the WIC Program on infant feeding

are contained in Infant Nutrition and FeedingA Reference Handbook for Nutrition and

Health Counselors in the WIC and CSF Programs (FNS, 1993a).

 

3 The Healthy People 2000 goals are the only set of numerical figures with which the WIC-IFPS data can be

compared. All other guidelines simply indicate the types of feeding practices advised, without specifying target

statistics.
16

Because these represent the most complete infant feeding guidelines, this is the primary

document referred to throughout this report as the source of WIC guidelines. It should

be noted that this document was not published until November 1994, and was probably

not widely disseminated until 1995, and thus was not in circulation in WIC clinics when

the WIC-IFPS began in the summer of 1994. Nonetheless, some of the breastfeeding

guidelines had been presented in the 1990 National Association of WIC Directors

(NAWD) Guidelines for Breastfeeding Promotion in the WIC Program (NAWD, 1990),

which would have been available in the clinics. NAWD guidelines were much less

specific than what appears in FNS, 1993a (e.g., they provided little “how to” information

for mothers). This 1990 publication of the NAWD is another source of reference

guidelines referred to in the present report, as is the 1994 revision, entitled Guidelines

for Breastfeeding Promotion and Support in the WIC Program (NAWD, 1994).

The recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics, which are presented

in the Pediatric Nutrition Handbook (American Academy of Pediatrics, 1993), are also

referenced throughout this report. Other books that are cited frequently include

Handbook of Pediatric Nutrition (Queen & Lang, 1993) and Breastfeeding and Human

Lacation (Riordan & Auerbach, 1993).

I.4. Objectives of the WIC-IFPS

The purpose of the WIC-IFPS is to describe the infant feeding practices of WIC

participants and to explore the factors that shape infant feeding decisions. The primary

study objectives were (FNS, 1993b):

(1) to provide a nationally representative description of infant feeding practices

among WIC participants

(2) to identify attitudes and practices of WIC participants associated with the

initiation and continuation of breastfeeding.

 Infant feeding is a multifaceted issue that has implications not only for an infant’s

nutritional and health status, but also for the infant’s psychological development and the

development of proper eating habits. Proper eating habits may have far-reaching

implications for nutrition and health in childhood. At the same time, infant feeding is

rooted in beliefs and attitudes that transcend an individual mother’s decisions and may

be closely associated with cultural and social factors (Fomon, 1993: 15-35).
17

Furthermore, infant feeding practices change very rapidly over the first 12 months of life.

Hence, changes in infant feeding behaviors over time and the timing of such changes

are as important as the content of the infant feeding decisions.

Most of the previously available information on infant feeding in the WIC population

is based on cross-sectional data, such as the 1988 National Maternal and Infant Health

Survey (NMIHS, Schwartz et al., 1992). Many of these studies examined breastfeeding

and other feeding practices, although they may be subject to some retrospective recall

errors. The WIC-IFPS was designed to collect detailed information on the many aspects

of infant feeding throughout the first year of life.

The WIC-IFPS benefited greatly from the work done by the Food and Drug

Administration (FDA) in developing the FDA Infant Feeding Practices Survey (FDAIFPS). The FDA-IFPS was a mail survey, with monthly interviews, that followed a cohort

of newly born infants from the United States population for one year. The WIC-IFPS

used the FDA-IFPS as a resource when developing the WIC-IFPS questionnaire and in

the overall structuring of the study design. However, the FDA-IFPS data could not be

used to study the infant feeding practices of WIC participants. The FDA sample

contained too few WIC participants to adequately represent WIC mothers. In addition,

the FDA-IFPS was a mail survey that was above the literacy level of many WIC

participants.
18

CHAPTER II

DESIGN OF THE WIC-IFPS, AND THE STUDY SAMPLE

II.1. Design of the WIC-IFPS

The WIC-IFPS collected longitudinal data regarding feeding practices for about 900

infants. The mothers or caretakers of the infants were interviewed on a monthly basis in

the first seven months of these infants’ lives, and additional interviews were conducted

when the infants were nine and twelve months old. These frequent contacts permitted a

detailed description of feeding attitudes/beliefs, practices, and changes in them over the

first twelve months of life. The mothers of some infants were also interviewed prenatally

but, due to survey implementation difficulties, this group was rather small. The data

collection activities were conducted between August 1994 and December 1995.

The WIC-IFPS is based on a sample of 43 WIC clinics nationally representative of the

clinics in 48 contiguous United States including the District of Columbia, and the 33

Indian WIC state agencies. This sample excludes WIC clinics and participants in Alaska,

Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, and the Virgin Islands. In 1991, Puerto

Rico accounted for 2.6 percent of all WIC participants, while Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and

the Virgin Islands accounted for only 0.7 percent. The 43 WIC clinics for this study were

drawn in two stages, where the first stage sampled WIC local agencies.

The target population consisted of two groups of mothers and their infants: prenatal

WIC participants and postnatal WIC participants. The longitudinal data collection period

complicated the definition of WIC participation. Infants could have been associated with

the WIC Program through three pathways for this study. First, the infant’s mother could

have participated in the program while pregnant, resulting in the infants indirect

participation in utero during the prenatal period. Second, the infant may have been

enrolled in WIC after birth. Third, the mother may have enrolled herself in the WIC

Program during the postnatal period.

Infants who participated in WIC in utero were included by sampling pregnant women

in their last trimester of pregnancy from the rolls of WIC participants. Interviews were

attempted with these future mothers prior to the birth of their infants, with follow-up
19

interviews during their infants’ first year of life. The infants were followed regardless of

their postnatal WIC participation. Thus, the sample of pregnant participants included

those infants on WIC whose mothers also participated in the program. The study also

attempted to include infants whose mothers did not participate in WIC during pregnancy

but who were enrolled after delivery. For this postnatal sample, infants who were less

than three months old at the time of the study and whose WIC clinic indicated that their

mothers did not participate in WIC while pregnant were initially considered eligible.

Unfortunately, WIC clinics could not reliably report the prenatal WIC participation of the

mothers of WIC infants. Many of the infants who were originally identified as infants

whose mothers were not on WIC prenatally were found, during the interview, to have

been on WIC prenatally. Therefore, the analyses reported in this report did not include

the infants who participated in WIC only postnatally, because very few of these types of

WIC participants were interviewed.

The primary mode of data collection for the study was computer-assisted telephone

interviewing (CATI). Data from 1988 suggest that approximately 27 percent of lowincome households do not have telephones. In-person interviews were incorporated into

the design to eliminate the bias associated with excluding this large group of people. A

computer-assisted personal interview (CAPI) used the same data collection program as

for CATI with a sample of those WIC mothers found to not have a telephone. A detailed

description of the study design is presented in Appendix A. A description of the study

instruments can be found in Appendix B.

Table II.1 presents a summary of the number of study participants and response

rates. A sample of 987 pregnant WIC participants (referred to as the “women” sample)

and 246 infant WIC participants (referred to as the “infant” sample), i.e., a total 1,233 WIC

participants, was selected. (For a description of sample selection and recruitment

procedures, see Appendix C.) A total of 138 of the selected WIC participants were

determined to be ineligible for the study after they were selected, leaving a national

sample of 1,095 WIC participants. In addition, to be considered a respondent to the WICIFPS, a sample member had to (1) complete at least one postnatal interview and (2)

report enough information so that breastfeeding status could be determined. (For a

description of the process of determining breastfeeding status as well as the complete

database, see Appendix D.) A total of 971 sample members met these criteria (773 from
20

the women sample and 198 from the infant sample). Thus, 79 percent of the selected

sample cases participated in the study, while 89 percent of those eligible participated.

The original target population for the WIC-IFPS included two WIC participant groups:

(1) women in their last trimester of pregnancy and (2) infants less than three months old

whose mothers were not on WIC while pregnant. Approximately 61 percent of the clinics

in the study were able to provide information concerning the mother’s prenatal WIC

participation status. The remaining clinics did not have this information on record. Thus,

the mother’s self-report of prenatal WIC participation was used to determine infants

whose mothers were not on WIC while pregnant. However, only 91 mothers of infants in

the infant sample were found to not have been on WIC while pregnant. This was deemed

to be too small a group for separate analysis, and they were excluded from analysis. 4

The 101 infant sample cases where the mother reported being on WIC while pregnant

were combined with the 773 cases from the women sample for a total of 874 cases in the

main analysis sample. Appendix E presents more detail on the main analysis sample.

The main analysis sample is a nationally representative sample of WIC infants whose

mothers participated in WIC prenatally. The implication of this design is that the results

presented in this report can only be generalized to infants whose mothers were on WIC

while they were pregnant. Postpartum participants of WIC may differ from prenatal

 

4

 An additional 6 cases with unknown prenatal WIC participation were also excluded for a total of 97 cases.

Table II.1. Overall study participation counts and rates.1

Eligible

Sample

At Least One

Postnatal

Interview and

breastfeeding

status defined Main Analysis

Sample2

TOTAL 1,095 971 874

Percent of Eligible Sample 89%

Women 867 773 773

Percent of Eligible Sample 89%

Infants 228 198 101

Percent of Eligible Sample 87%

Notes:

1. A sample of 987 women and 246 infants, for a total of 1,233, was originally selected.

2. Mother was on WIC while pregnant.
21

participants in ways that may influence not only their infant feeding practices but the

predictors of infant feeding practices as well.

As is the case for any similar study, not all of the selected WIC mothers responded to

the WIC-IFPS. Thus, adjusted analysis weights were developed to reflect both the

probability sampling methods used to select the study sample and to help correct for any

bias due to nonresponse. This process started out by calculating a sampling weight for

each of the 1,233 selected sample members as the inverse of the probability that each

sample member was included in the study (see Appendix E for the details of this

process). The adjusted analysis weights for the responding cases were created by

adjusting the sampling weights for cases at each of the 43 sites; they are discussed in

detail in Appendix E.

Table II.2 presents the interview rates, by interview month, for the main analysis

sample. For Months 4 to 12, extremely high interview rates were obtainedusually over

90 percent. However, only 43 percent and 75 percent of the pregnant women were

interviewed prenatally and in Month 1, respectively. A special analysis weight was

created for analysis of data items only asked during Month 1. Unfortunately, the interview

rate for the prenatal interview was too low to support separate analysis of prenatal data

items.

II.2. Data Collection Instruments

Based upon the objectives of the WIC-IFPS, the first step in the design of the data

collection instruments was to list all the relevant data items sought. The list was then

reduced to the most essential data items needed to address the study issues and

Table II.2. Counts and percent of respondents by sample type and interview month.

Prenatal M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 M7 M9 M12

TOTAL N=874 335 577 690 756 805 820 814 827 824 824

 Percent 79% 87% 92% 94% 93% 95% 94% 94%

Women N=773 335 577 675 707 713 732 723 728 725 725

 Percent 43% 75% 87% 91% 92% 95% 94% 94% 94% 94%

Infants N=101 na na 15 49 92 88 91 99 99 99

 Percent 15% 49% 91% 87% 90% 98% 98% 98%
22

maintain an average interview length of 15 minutes. The 15-minute questionnaire

design balanced issues of cost, ease of administration by telephone, ability to obtain all

required data, and the need to minimize burden on respondents, who, by definition,

would be caring for infants.

The list of essential data items became the basis for drafting interview questions.

The FDA Infant Feeding Practices Survey served as the basis for developing questions

for the WIC-IFPS. The FDA survey collected similar data items, but on a different

population than the WIC-IFPS. Whenever possible, question wording was taken from

the FDA survey and other existing surveys, including:

 Infant Feeding Practices Survey (Food and Drug Administration)

 WIC Child Impact Pilot Study (Food and Nutrition Service)

 National Maternal and Infant Health Survey (National Center for Health Statistics)

 Gerber Nutrition Surveys (Gerber Products Company)

 Infant Health and Nutrition Study (National Institute of Child Health and Human

Development)

 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III (National Center for Health

Statistics)

Existing questions and newly devised questions were combined into three draft

questionnaires suitable for pretesting. The draft questionnaires represented versions of

the prenatal interview, the first postnatal interview (Month 1), and the subsequent

postnatal interviews (Months 2 through 12). Each of these questionnaires underwent

pretesting with six WIC participants at three different WIC clinics.

II.3. Information Collected by WIC-IFPS

WIC-IFPS interviewers conducted up to eleven different interviews with respondents

enrolled in the study. The mothers or caretakers of the infants were interviewed on a

monthly basis in the first seven months of the infants’ lives, and additional interviews

were conducted when the focal infants were nine and twelve months old. These frequent

contacts permitted development of a detailed description of feeding attitudes/beliefs,

feeding practices, and changes in these practices over the first twelve months of life.
23

The WIC-IFPS collected information regarding the following topics:

 socio-demographic characteristics of the mother

 health of the mother

 health of the infant

 maternal employment and use of child care

 use of WIC Program services (vouchers, nutrition education, and nutrition

counselling)

 infant feeding in the hospital

 hospital services that pertain to infant feeding

 initiation of breastfeeding

 problems associated with breastfeeding

 breastfeeding of other children

 breastfeeding education from various sources

 initiation of formula feeding, choice of formula, and its preparation

 breastfeeding schedules

 frequency of breast feeding

 attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge about breastfeeding

 breastfeeding cessation

 breastmilk expression and use of breast pumps

 social contacts that may affect feeding decisions

 satisfaction with the WIC formula supplements

 cessation of formula feeding

 initiation of various fluids

 initiation of supplemental foods and drinks

 use of a pacifier, a cup, a spoon, and an infant feeder

Though some questions were asked in all interviews, selected questions were asked

in specified monthly interviews. For example, questions on breastfeeding attitudes were

asked at the prenatal and Month 2 interviews, while questions on the receipt of formula

from WIC were asked at every monthly interview. While each interview asked questions

on only a selection of these topics, the series of interviews allowed collection of

complete data on each respondent.
24

II.4. Characteristics and Program Participation of the WIC-IFPS Sample

The WIC-IFPS was designed to be nationally representative of all prenatal WIC

participants, as described in Section II.1. A total of 874 mother-infant pairs were

included in the analyses. These mother-infant pairs include those who met the following

criteria: (1) the mother completed at least one postnatal interview, (2) the mother

participated in the WIC Program prenatally, and (3) the mother provided enough

information so that it could be determined whether she initiated breastfeeding or formula

feeding immediately postpartum.

Table II.3 presents descriptive information about the socio-demographic composition

of the sample. These estimates are weighted to be representative of all mother-infant

pairs meeting the above three criteria for inclusion in the main analysis sample. Table

II.3 shows that about half of the WIC-IFPS mothers are non-Hispanic white, with just over

20 percent each being African American and Hispanic. In addition, the infants are equally

split by gender, and about two-fifths are firstborn. About one-quarter of the mothers are

teenagers at the time of their infant’s birth, with African American mothers having the

largest percent (one-third) of teenage mothers. Only one-quarter of the Hispanic mothers

were born in the United States, while nearly all of the white and African American

mothers are United States natives. About one-half of white and Hispanic mothers are

married, while only about one in five African American mothers is married. In addition,

about two-thirds
25

Table II.3. Percentage distribution of socio-demographic characteristics by maternal race and

ethnicity.

Maternal Race/Ethnicity

Socio-Demographic Characteristics Total

White

African

American Hispanic Other

Sex1

Male

Female

51

49

52

48

49

51

51

49

48

52

Birth order2

First born

Second born

Third born or higher

40

20

40

42

20

38

41

20

40

40

18

42

20

27

54

Age of the mother at time of birth1

14-19 years

20-25 years

26 years or older

24

44

32

23

47

30

33

36

31

21

42

37

12

46

42

Mother born in U.S.2

** 81 98 98 25 74

Maternal marital status1

* Married

Separated

Divorced

Widowed

Never married

43

6

7

0

43

52

5

10

1

32

19

5

3

0

72

46

8

6

0

40

60

5

5

0

30

Mother is living with the father of the baby1

** 41 59 19 16 64

Household size1,3* 2

3

4

5

6 or more

5

26

27

18

24

5

32

32

18

14

6

24

19

20

31

4

18

25

14

38

4

9

26

22

38

Poverty level1

* < 50%

50 - 100%

100 to 150%

150% or more

48

38

12

2

42

40

15

3

63

29

7

1

46

41

9

4

53

39

7

0

Receipt of public assistance1, 4**

Food Stamps, AFDC, and Medicaid

AFDC and Medicaid

AFDC and Food Stamps

Medicaid and Food Stamps

AFDC only

Medicaid only

Food stamps only

No other program

31

2

2

26

0

19

5

14

29

2

2

27

0

20

6

14

49

2

1

26

0

11

4

8

17

2

2

26

0

27

4

21

31

0

2

28

0

20

5

13

Highest grade completed by the mother1

** 9th grade or less

10th - 11th grade

12th grade

More than 12th grade

17

24

42

17

10

23

51

16

9

33

37

20

38

17

32

13

32

23

20

25

Mother was working while pregnant5 39 41 38 37 27

N 874 449

(51%)

202

(23%)

168

(21%)

55

(5%)

Notes:

1. Measured at the time of birth screener.

2. Measured at the time of prenatal interview or the first contact with the mother.

3. Household size includes the focal infant.

4. These percentages are somewhat different from those reported in the WIC participant characteristics report of 1994 (Abt

Associates, 1995). This is probably due to a recent better cross-referral system instituted for the provision of WIC

services to Medicaid recipients. This program change resulted in higher proportions of Medicaid- receiving WIC

participants in the recent years.

5. Measured at the time of Month 1 interview or the first postnatal interview.

* Chi-square statistic testing the association with maternal race/ethnicity is significant at p <.05.

** Chi-square statistic testing the association with maternal race/ethnicity is significant at p <.01.
26

of African American mothers report family incomes less than 50 percent of the poverty

level,5

 while just over 40 percent of white and Hispanic mothers reported such low levels

of family income. Finally, about one in ten white and African American mothers have

less than a 10th grade education, but over one-third of Hispanic mothers have not

completed the 10th grade.

Table II.4 presents some estimates of the WIC mothers’ and infants’ health-related

characteristics. About 80 percent of the mothers sought prenatal care during their first

trimesters of pregnancy. Over one-third of the white mothers and lower percentages of

the African American and Hispanic mothers smoke. Also, the highest rate of lowbirthweight infants is among African American infants, while there are few low-

 

5

 Poverty level is defined as the income of the family relative to the federal poverty level specified for a family of that

size.

Table II.4. Percentage distribution of reported health-related characteristics by race and

ethnicity of the mother.

Maternal Race/Ethnicity

Health-Related Characteristics Total

White

African

American Hispanic Other

Timing of the first prenatal visit1

0 - 3 months

4 - 6 months

7 - 9 months

83

16

1

87

12

0

79

20

1

77

20

4

79

20

1

Percentage of mothers who smoke1

** 25 40 13 3 11

Health problems during pregnancy2

Had diabetes

Had swelling

Was hospitalized during pregnancy

8

46

14

7

51

16

9

37

12

7

41

9

9

59

19

No health problems 46 40 54 51 36

Birthweight3

**

5 lbs., 8 ozs. or less

5 lbs., 9 ozs. - 9 lbs., 14 ozs.

More than 9 lbs., 14 ozs.

7

90

3

6

90

4

13

86

1

1

96

3

8

86

6

Number of days mother stayed in hospital,

postpartum3

0 or 1

2

3

4 or more

39

36

16

9

41

38

14

7

34

34

20

12

38

37

16

9

37

37

19

7

Notes:

1. Measured at the time of prenatal interview or the first contact with the mother.

2. Measured at the time of the Month 1 interview or the first postnatal interview.

3. Measured at the time of the birth screener.

** Chi-square statistic testing the association with maternal race/ethnicity is significant at p<.01.
27

birthweight Hispanic infants. The remaining aspects of maternal and infant health are

comparable for the race/ethnicity groups.

Tables II.5 and II.6 present some aspects of participation in the WIC Program as

reported by the mothers. The percentages of mothers reporting receipt of vouchers for

formula and supplemental foods for their infants are displayed in Table II.5. During the

first year of life, around 80 percent report receiving WIC vouchers. Also, the percent who

report receiving WIC vouchers for supplemental foods6

 for their infants increases rapidly

between Month 4 and Month 7. Prior to the fourth month of life, mothers should not be

receiving WIC vouchers for supplemental foods for their infants; however, a small percent

consistently reported receipt of such vouchers. This is consistent with the percentages

reported by the 1988 Study of WIC Participant and Program Characteristics (Research

Triangle Institute, 1990).

Table II.6 presents the percentages of mothers reporting the receipt of information on

various aspects of infant feeding from the WIC Program. More than four-fifths of the

mothers report receiving information prenatally about benefits of breastfeeding.

However, percentages reporting receipt of information about how to breastfeed and

maternal diet while breastfeeding are lower (68 percent and 59 percent, respectively).

 

6

 Supplemental foods (i.e., cereal and juice) do not include iron-fortified formula or other authorized WIC formula

substitute.

Table II.5. Percentages of mothers reporting the receipt of WIC vouchers for formula and

for supplemental foods.

Reported Receiving WIC

Vouchers for Formula

Reported Receiving WIC Vouchers

for Supplemental Foods for Their

Infants

Interview Month N Percent N Percent

Month 1

Month 2

Month 3

Month 4

Month 5

Month 6

Month 7

Month 9

Month 12

576

690

755

805

819

814

827

824

824

66

80

82

82

82

84

83

82

61

577

690

755

805

819

814

827

824

823

4

4

6

17

48

69

83

86

76
28

Table II.6. Percentages of mothers reporting receipt of information about various aspects of infant

feeding from WIC.

N Percent

RECEIPT OF INFORMATION ABOUT BREASTFEEDING PRENATALLY1

Received information on benefits of breastfeeding 541 83

Received information on how to breastfeed 541 68

Received information on maternal diet while breastfeeding 538 58

RECEIPT OF INFORMATION ABOUT BREASTFEEDING POSTNATALLY2

Received information on benefits of breastfeeding 838 56

Received Information on how to breastfeed 837 50

Received information on maternal diet while breastfeeding 833 48

PERCEPTION ABOUT WIC INFANT FEEDING RECOMMENDATION

WIC's infant feeding recommendation is thought to be:

Breastfeeding only

Bottle feeding only

Both are OK

824 38

2

60

RECEIPT OF OTHER INFORMATION/ADVICE

Received information about the special WIC food package for

breastfeeding women who do not accept formula from WIC

831 30

WIC Program staff told mother to breastfeed 837 54

RECEIPT OF INFORMATION ABOUT FORMULA FEEDING

Received information on how to formula feed 837 58

Received information on how to prepare formula 761 52

RECEIPT OF INFORMATION ABOUT FEEDING OF SUPPLEMENTAL FOODS

Received information about when to begin giving cereal and

other foods 838 60

DISCUSSION OF INFANT FEEDING PRACTICES WITH WIC STAFF

Reported discussing the methods she is using to feed the

infant with WIC staff

Month 1

Month 2

Month 4

Month 6

Month 9

Month 12

542

663

794

802

812

805

38

35

31

30

32

33

Notes:

1. The question was phrased as, “Before the child was born, did you receive any of the following information or

advice from the WIC office? benefits of breastfeeding; how to breastfeed; mother’s diet while breastfeeding...”

2. The question was phrased as, “Since the child was born, have you received any of the following information or

advice from the WIC office? benefits of breastfeeding; how to breastfeed; mother’s diet while breastfeeding...”
29

The WIC-IFPS included a question in Month 2 eliciting receipt of information about

breastfeeding since the birth of the infant. Table II.6 also displays the proportions of

mothers reporting receipt of information from WIC after the birth their infants, on benefits

of breastfeeding, how to breastfeed, and maternal diet while breastfeeding. These data

were elicited at Month 2 interview or at the time of the first postnatal interview, if the

mothers were recruited into the study later than Month 2. There are lower percentages

receiving breastfeeding education postnatally than prenatally. About one-half of the

mothers report receiving information about breastfeeding postnatally (including 51 percent

of mothers who never initiated breastfeeding).

Table II.6 shows that one-third of the mothers think that breastfeeding is the infant

feeding method recommended by WIC. About three-fifths think that both breastfeeding

and formula feeding are acceptable to WIC. Only 30 percent of mothers report receiving

information about the special WIC food package for breastfeeding women. The

knowledge of the special food package varies significantly by racial/ethnic group (results

not shown). The percentage is lowest among African American mothers (17 percent) and

highest among white and “other” mothers (37 percent both). Just over one-half of the

mothers reported receiving advice from WIC Program staff to breastfeed.

Percentages of mothers reporting receipt of information about formula feeding are also

displayed in Table II.6. Slightly more than one-half report receipt of information about how

to formula feed and how to prepare formula. White mothers are significantly less likely

than the other three groups to report being told how to formula feed (50 percent versus

about 66 percent, results not shown). In addition, about three-fifths of the WIC mothers

report being told when to begin giving cereal and other foods. The last panel of Table II.6

provides the percentages of mothers who report discussing with WIC staff the methods of

infant feeding they use. The percentage who consult with WIC staff is highest in Month 1,

when almost two-fifths of the mothers report doing so. The percentages drop slightly to

about the 30 percent level by Month 6. This finding suggests that the first postnatal

contact with the mothers may be a good opportunity to reach some mothers who do not

seek counseling from WIC about infant feeding later.
30

CHAPTER III

CONCEPTUAL MODEL AND APPROACH TO THE ANALYSIS

OF THE WIC-IFPS

III.1. Overview of the Milestones of Infant Nutrition

Infant feeding in the first year of life depends on a complex set of behaviors and

decisions by the mothers. Research on infant feeding practices must consider a wide

variety of behaviors and characteristics of the mothers, infants, and their social

environment. While infant feeding practices throughout infancy are interrelated, three

distinct aspects can be distinguished that address the questions of “what?”, “how?”, and

“when?”: 7

(1) The choice of foods and the timing of the introduction of various foods

(2) The amount of food offered, the way it is prepared, and the way it is fed

(3) The schedule of feeding.

Each of these aspects consists of more than one type of infant feeding practice, and

each practice must be separately studied. However, the above categorization provides a

means to organize infant feeding practices. As the infant matures, the infant feeding

practices change in concert with the maturational and nutritional needs of the infant. The

American Academy of Pediatrics (1993: 23-24) recognizes the following two important

phases of infant nutrition: 

(1) Nursing phase: Breastmilk or a substitute such as infant formula is the sole

source of nutrients for the infant.

(2) Transitional phase: Specially prepared foods are introduced into the infant’s

diet, in addition to breastmilk and formula.

 

7 An additional question that may be considered is the “who” question; i.e., the identity of the person feeding the

infant. For a vast majority of the infants, the mother is the primary caregiver and the person who assumes the

primary responsibility for feeding the infant. WIC-IFPS allows the investigation of child-care use and feeding of the

infant by the child-care provider as well. Nevertheless, this report primarily focuses on the feeding practices of the

mothers. Information on child care is provided in Appendix F.
31

The WIC-IFPS provides information on both the nursing and transitional phases of infant

nutrition. Progression through the phases of infant nutrition should ideally be determined

by the rate of maturation of the infant’s nervous, musculo-skeletal, gastrointestinal, and

renal systems, as well as his or her cognitive and emotional maturation (American

Academy of Pediatrics, 1993: 25, 32-33; Bedinghaus & Doughten, 1994; FNS, 1993a;

Fomon, 1993: 457). Below, the nursing and transitional phases of infant feeding are

discussed separately, with specific reference to the available WIC-IFPS data.

The Nursing Phase

Table III.1 summarizes the aspects of infant feeding practices analyzed that pertain

to the nursing phase. This table also provides a brief list of the availability of WIC-IFPS

data about each aspect of infant feeding during the nursing phase. Each aspect of

infant feeding is discussed below. Choice of foods to be fed, the amount of food, and

the schedule of feeding are likely to be closely associated.

Choice of foods and the timing of their introduction. The first important feeding

decision is choosing whether to breastfeed or formula feed the infant. The significance of

this choice cannot be overstated because of its health and nutritional implications for the

infant. FCS encourages breastfeeding whenever possible (WIC regulation and FNS,

1993a). Indeed, promotion of breastfeeding is one of the objectives specified by the U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS) in its Healthy People 2000 report

(USDHHS, 1990). Many other nutrition and health organizations, such as the American

Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization (WHO), strongly recommend

Table III.1. WIC-IFPS data on infant feeding practices in the nursing phase.

Aspect of Infant Feeding Relevant WIC-IFPS Data

Choice of foods and the timing of their

introduction

Breastmilk or formula, cessation of breastfeeding,

choice of food for first feeding, hours to first breastfeed,

introduction of formula among

breastfeeding infants

The amount of food offered, and the way it is

prepared and fed

Number of breastfeeds, frequency of breastfeeds,

breastmilk expression, brand name of formula,

addition of other foods or liquids into the formula, overdilution

of formula

The schedule of feeding Breastfeeding when infant is hungry versus on a set schedule
32

breastfeeding (American Academy of Pediatrics, 1993: 1; Bedinghaus & Doughten, 1994,

WHO/UNICEF, 1991). There are many benefits of breastfeeding, including protection

from respiratory illnesses, ear infections, and gastrointestinal illness; providing the right

balance of nutrients to support growth and development; and psychological benefits that

promote maternal and infant bonding (FNS, 1993a). Furthermore, breastfeeding is

beneficial for the mother because it promotes quicker recovery from childbirth, is less

expensive, and is more convenient (FNS, 1993a).

Breastfeeding generally begins during the immediate postpartum period (see Chapter

V). Even within this short period, the timing of first breastfeeding is found to have

implications for the eventual success and duration of breastfeeding (Riordan & Auerbach,

1993). In contrast, formula feeding may be initiated immediately after birth or sometime

later during the nursing period in order to supplement or replace breastfeeding. The

WIC-IFPS provides information regarding the use of formula among breastfeeding

infants.

Breastfeeding is recommended through the nursing phase, into the transition phase

and beyond. Because of the significance of breastfeeding in the nursing phase, the

question of ultimate duration of breastfeeding is discussed under this heading. Almost

all of the benefits of breastfeeding depend on the duration of breastfeeding. Recent

evidence indicates that even some of the immunological benefits of breastfeeding

cannot be observed if the duration of breastfeeding has been shorter than approximately

three months (Bedinghaus & Doughten, 1994; Howie et al., 1990).

Amount of food offered and the way it is prepared and fed. The frequency of

breastfeeding is known to be positively associated with its duration (Hill, 1991). Frequent

feeding increases the stimulation of the breasts, leading to increased milk production and

an enhanced let-down reflex (de Carvalho et al., 1982; Riordan & Auerbach, 1993). The

WIC-IFPS provides information on daily number of breastfeeds. Mothers may need or

want to express if the breasts are engorged, to collect milk if the mother will be away, or

to collect milk for hospitalized or premature infants (FNS, 1993a). Breastmilk expression

is expected to facilitate breastfeeding, especially for mothers who may be experiencing

some nursing problems and mothers who have work or school commitments. Formula

preparation may have important implications for infant nutrition during the nursing period.

The choice of iron-fortified or non-fortified formula, excessive dilution with water, or

addition of foods (e.g., cereal) or other liquids (e.g., fruit juice) to the formula may affect
33

infant health (Queen & Lang, 1993). The WIC-IFPS collected detailed information

regarding formula preparation. Data are available on whether formula is iron fortified,

whether formula is ever overdiluted, whether other foods are added to the formula, and

the brand name of the formula.

Schedule of feeding. The schedule of infant feeding in the nursing phase is thought

to be important for establishing sound eating habits. The metabolic benefits of frequent

feedings throughout a 24-hour period are thought to be significant (Fomon, 1993: 456-

457). The impact of feeding when the infant cries or seems hungry as opposed to setschedule feeding on the ultimate length of breastfeeding is not known, although it is

generally believed that on-demand feeding is preferable because it permits the infant to

regulate his or her nutrient intake and to stimulate further milk production as needed (Hill,

1991).

The Transitional Phase

The second phase of infant feeding is characterized by an increasingly complex diet

that includes supplemental foods. There are several widely accepted nutrition

recommendations for this phase. A brief review of these recommendations is provided

below. Table III.2 summarizes the feeding practices of the transitional phase that can be

analyzed using the WIC-IFPS data. The WIC-IFPS allows for the analyses of choice of

foods, timing of their introduction, and the way foods are fed during the transitional

phase. Because of the availability of detailed data on the feeding of various foods, the

WIC-IFPS provides a unique opportunity to describe the transitional period, about which

little epidemiological data exist.

Choice of foods and the timing of their introduction. The transitional phase of infant

feeding is characterized by a mix of nursing (breast- and/or formula feeds) and other

Table III.2. WIC-IFPS data on infant feeding practices in the transitional phase.

Aspect of Infant Feeding Relevant WIC-IFPS Data

Choice of foods and the timing of their introduction The first supplemental food, fruit juice, sweet drinks,

cereals, fruits, vegetables, meats, starchy foods,

high-protein foods, snack foods

The way food is fed Use of a cup, use of a spoon, use of an infant feeder,

self-feeding
34

supplemental foods. A gradual transition occurs from exclusive nursing to a modified

adult diet. The transitional phase may take a substantial portion of the first year of the

infant’s life. During this period, many important choices are made regarding food types

and the timing of their introduction.

There is general agreement that exclusive breastfeeding provides sufficient nutrition

to the infant for four to six months (American Academy of Pediatrics, 1993: 12; Barness,

1994; Bedinghaus & Doughten, 1994; Fomon, 1993: 441; WHO/UNICEF, 1991). FCS

advises that the nutritional needs of the infant can be met by exclusive breastfeeding

during the first four to six months of life (FNS, 1993a). Although there is considerable

individual variation, it has been documented that the dietary energy requirements for

most infants can be met by breastmilk for at least four months (Whitehead, 1995).

There appears to be a consensus regarding the earliest time of initiation of foods

other than breastmilk or formula. It is recommended that the decision regarding the

initiation of supplemental foods be based on the physical, psychological, and

physiological maturity of the infant (FNS, 1993a). An infant who can sit and

independently support his or her head and neck, can draw in the lower lip as a spoon is

removed from the mouth, can keep food in the mouth and swallow rather than pushing it

back out, and is able to express satiety, is assumed to be ready to receive supplemental

foods alongside nursing (American Academy of Pediatrics, 1993: 25, 32-33; Bedinghaus

& Doughten, 1994; FNS, 1993a; Fomon, 1993:
35

457). The introduction of supplemental foods is not only significant for their nutritional

content, but for establishing healthy eating habits and providing a transition to a modified

adult diet. In order to establish sound eating habits and avoid inadvertent forced

feeding, it is important that supplemental foods are not introduced before an infant can

turn away from food and express satiety. On the other hand, it is recommended that

supplemental foods be introduced by about six months of age (American Academy of

Pediatrics, 1993: 25, 32-33). Delayed introduction may lead to difficulties of accepting

foods at later ages (FNS, 1993a).

It is recommended that cereals be the first supplemental food that the infant receives.

Iron-fortified cereals are recommended, especially for breastfeeding infants, who have

lower iron content in their diets (American Academy of Pediatrics, 1993: 25-27, 32; FNS,

1993a; Fomon, 1993: 225). After cereals, fruits and vegetables are introduced to the

infant’s diet. The introduction of fruits and vegetables is recommended between six and

eight months. Meats or other protein-rich foods are also recommended between six and

eight months (FNS, 1993a).

There appears to be substantial difference in opinion on the introduction of fruit juices.

While some sources say that fruit juices may be introduced as soon as an infant can drink

from a cup with assistance (American Academy of Pediatrics, 1993: 27; FNS, 1993a),

other sources emphasize the absence of nutritional value in fruit juices (Fomon, 1993:

450; Smith & Lifshitz, 1994). FCS indicates that fruit juices may be introduced when the

infant can drink from a cup with assistance, but that juices should be offered in

moderation and not in place of breastmilk or formula (FNS, 1993a). FCS also

recommends observing the infant carefully for any food sensitivity after introducing each

new type of juice.

Cow’s milk is not recommended for infants.8 FCS’s policy about feeding of cow’s

milk was issued on June 21, 1995, and went into effect on January 1, 1996, the time of

completion of WIC-IFPS. Although it is possible that the gastrointestinal system of some

infants may reach the maturity to digest cow’s milk if cow’s milk is introduced gradually

after the ninth or tenth month, the

 

 8 Cow’s milk can lead to dehydration (due to its high renal solute load), iron deficiency (due to its low iron content

and its high content of proteins and calcium, which inhibit iron absorption), and gastrointestinal blood loss.
36

feeding of cow’s milk is not recommended under twelve months of age. Low-fat milk is

discouraged because the infant will need to consume very large quantities in order to

meet caloric and nutritional needs. FCS also recommends that the following foods are

not fed to infants: sweetened foods, honey (because of the risk of botulism), desserts,

caffeinated beverages, herbal teas, sweetened beverages, and artificially sweetened

“diet” beverages (FNS, 1993a).

The mother or the caregiver must make many choices during the transitional phase of

infant feeding regarding which foods to introduce, when to introduce them, and in what

order. The WIC-IFPS offers an opportunity to describe the transitional phase in

substantial detail, and to investigate the factors that contribute to maternal feeding

practices that conform or do not conform to the recommended feeding guidelines. In the

WIC-IFPS, the age of the infant at the time of introduction of a large variety of

supplemental foods is known, unlike other studies that did not collect data prospectively.

The focus of this report is to document whether inappropriately early introduction of

supplemental foods occurs among the WIC mothers and, if so, the extent to which these

feeding practices are prevalent. Introduction of any one of the supplemental foods before

four months of age is considered to be “inappropriately early.” The WIC-IFPS data also

allow some examination of the order of introduction of supplemental foods.

The way food is fed. During the transitional phase, the method of feeding

supplemental foods is significant because of its implications regarding the infant’s health

and the development of good eating habits. In general, it is recommended that no

supplemental foods be fed by a bottle or an infant feeder (FNS, 1993a). Furthermore,

there exists a consensus among medical professionals that fruit juices must not be given

to infants with a bottle, due to the risk of dental caries (American Academy of Pediatrics,

1993: 27; Fomon, 1993: 450). WIC-IFPS data are available about the use of a cup

(assisted or unassisted), the use of a spoon, the use of infant feeders, as well as selffeeding. These data allow comparison of the feeding practices adopted by WIC mothers

to the recommendations of the FCS.

III.2. A General Model of Infant Feeding Practices

The analyses of infant feeding practices in relation to the factors that may influence

these practices are guided by a general model. This model is based on one developed

by Gray-Donald, Kramer, Munday, & Leduc (1985) that accounts for the factors that may
37

be associated with breastfeeding. This framework is expanded and generalized to apply

to other feeding practices. Gray-Donald et al. recognize two types of factors that

influence the decision to breastfeed: non-modifiable and modifiable factors. For

program development purposes, the distinction between these factors is very important.

A nutrition intervention program cannot change non-modifiable factors such as the social

and cultural context of participating individuals, but may be able to educate its

participants on the implications of various infant feeding practices, influence their

attitudes and beliefs about certain feeding practices, and provide a supportive peer

group and professional counsel. Hence, the distinction between modifiable and nonmodifiable factors may be specific to the nature of a program. What may be a modifiable

factor for a social program may be a non-modifiable factor for a nutrition program. In

order to emphasize this issue, this study adopts a distinction between “non-program”

and “program” factors, with specific reference to the components and goals of the WIC

Program. Program factors are possible targets for the WIC Program. A change in the

program factors may or may not be associated with a change in feeding practices,

because these practices are also often grounded in non-program factors such as culture

and social context. Therefore, a model of infant feeding practices must consider nonprogram as well as program factors.

Figure III.1 provides a general model of infant feeding practices that includes nonprogram and program factors as predictors of infant feeding practices. This figure also

indicates the measures that are available from the WIC-IFPS on non-program and

program predictors of infant feeding practices. A predictor is defined as a “program”

factor if it is currently targeted by any components or policies implemented by the WIC

Program. Infant feeding attitudes and beliefs, concurrent infant feeding practices, WIC

food packages, and receipt of information from WIC staff regarding infant feeding are the

program factors considered here. Factors that are not targeted by any components or

policies of the WIC Program are defined as “non-program” factors. Socio-demographic

characteristics of the mother (e.g., race/ethnicity, age, immigrant status, birth order of

the infant, income level, employment status), health-related characteristics of the mother

and the infant, social context of the mother (e.g., advice from family and friends), receipt

of infant feeding advice from sources other than WIC, and hospital practices at the time

of birth are the non-program factors considered here.
38

In the model depicted in Figure III.1, the linkages between program factors and infant

feeding practices are of primary importance because of the following two reasons. First,

the investigation of the linkages between factors such as WIC Program components will

reveal their association with infant feeding practices. Information on the strength of

these linkages may provide insight into future directions for the WIC Program. For

example, if a strong positive association between WIC nutrition education programs and

recommended infant feeding practices is documented, it can be concluded that WIC

nutrition education programs appear to promote recommended feeding practices. While

the WIC-IFPS was not designed to evaluate the WIC Program (there are no comparison

groups and no objective measures of program participation), its results may help inform

the program about the relative strength of the associations between its various

components and infant feeding practices. Second, investigation of the association of

program factors with infant feeding practices will provide information regarding the

factors that may be considered as targets for WIC Program components. For example,

Socio-Demographic Characteristics

Age, race/ethnicity, immigrant status, birth order,

marital status, household size, presence of the

infant’s father, poverty level, receipt of public

assistance, education, employment, use of nonmaternal childcare

Health-Related Characteristics

Maternal smoking, experience of health

problems during pregnancy, receipt and timing of

prenatal care, birthweight of the infant,

experience of breastfeeding problems

Social Context

Lay sources of advice on infant feeding,

breastfeeding of previous children

Non-Program Factors Program Factors

Infant Feeding Attitudes and Beliefs

Belief in benefits of breastfeeding,

belief in barriers to breastfeeding

Concurrent Infant Feeding Practices

Current use of formula, 

perception regarding the adequacy of formula

received from WIC 

WIC Program Components

Knowledge of the WIC breastfeeding food package,

receipt of information about breastfeeding from

WIC, receipt of information about initiation of

supplemental foods from WIC, receipt of advice to

breastfeed from WIC

Sources of Nutrition Advice Other Than WIC

Receipt of information about breastfeeding 

elsewhere, receipt of advice to breastfeed 

from the physician 

Hospital Practices

Availability of formula or a bottle from

a hospital gift package, rooming arrangements in

the hospital, choice of first feeding, nursing

problems in the hospital, availability of help to

address nursing problems in the hospital, length

of the hospital stay

Infant

Feeding

Practices

Figure III.1. A general model of infant feeding practices and the measures of

predictors of infant feeding practices from the WIC-IFPS.
39

if a strong linkage between breastfeeding attitudes/beliefs and breastfeeding duration is

documented, empirical support can be demonstrated for targeting breastfeeding

attitudes and beliefs in order to promote longer durations of breastfeeding (NAWD,

1994).

In addition to the examination of the program factors, examination of the nonprogram factors is also important for two reasons. First, their inclusion in the model of

infant feeding practices allows the estimation of net linkages between program factors

and infant feeding practices, controlling for the variations in the non-program factors.

For example, racial/ethnic group membership is a non-program factor that may be

strongly associated with program factors such as concurrent infant feeding practices,

participation in WIC Program components, and infant feeding attitudes and beliefs. It is

important to be able to distinguish the extent to which these program factors are

associated with infant feeding practices, if racial/ethnic differences (which may be

representing cultural differences) are statistically controlled. In other words, it is

important to address questions similar to the following: “If two mothers were equal in all

characteristics except for their receipt of WIC breastfeeding education, to what extent

would one expect their breastfeeding practices to differ?”

A second function of the non-program factors in the model presented in Figure III.1 is

that they may indicate subgroups of WIC participants who tend to choose infant feeding

practices that deviate from the recommended guidelines. The linkages between nonprogram factors and infant feeding practices are of substantive interest if they indicate an

identifiable subgroup in need of programmatic intervention. For example, if the

association between being a teenage mother and non-recommended infant feeding

practices is large, regardless of the role of the program factors, this group can be

identified as one that may need further programmatic focus. This conclusion remains

true regardless of the net association of teen motherhood (in the presence of program

factors) with infant feeding practices.

It is also conceptually possible that the non-program factors may influence the

program factors. Although these linkages may be of interest, they are beyond the scope

of this report, which focuses on the direct associations between non-program factors and

infant feeding practices, and between program factors and infant feeding practices.
40

III.3. An Overview of the Statistical Analysis Methods

The main purpose of the WIC-IFPS is to describe the infant feeding practices of a

nationally representative sample of mothers participating in the WIC Program. A

quantitative description of infant feeding practices can be achieved in two ways:

(1) Infant feeding practices of various subgroups of WIC mothers can be examined and

compared. This approach is labeled descriptive analysis.

(2) The association between infant feeding practices and a diverse set of program and

non-program factors can be explored simultaneously, identifying the unique

contribution of each factor to the infant feeding practice that is being examined. This

approach is labeled multivariate analysis.

Descriptive Analyses

In this report, descriptive analyses are conducted using common summary statistics,

such as percentages and means (or averages). Most of the descriptive analyses involve

comparisons of various percentages. For example, in examining the choice between

breastfeeding and formula feeding, percentages of mothers who choose to breastfeed

rather than formula feed are examined, among mothers classified according to various

observed characteristics (for example, African American, Hispanic, and white WIC

mothers). The subgroups that are compared may be defined as finely as needed and as

the sample size permits. The differences between percentages adopting a given feeding

practice in different subgroups are tested for statistical significance, using a chi-square

test. A significant chi-square test value indicates that it is highly unlikely that a difference

in percentages between subgroups is the result of chance (random variation). For a few

descriptive analyses, means (averages) are compared. In examining the mean values

(e.g., mean number of breastfeeds per day), the differences between the means for each

subgroup are statistically tested using the F-test of significance. A significant F-statistic

indicates that it is highly unlikely that differences in the means between subgroups are

due to chance (random variation).

Multivariate Analyses

All of the multivariate analyses of infant feeding practices presented here followed a

common approach, although the particulars of the statistical techniques vary depending

on the feeding practice being examined (for detailed information about multivariate

statistical methods see Appendix G). These techniques allow identification of the

unique association between a given factor (program or non-program) and an infant
41

feeding practice. All of the multivariate analysis techniques yield a set of estimates that

quantify the relative contribution of each factor to the infant feeding practice being

examined. These estimates are referred to as coefficients for a given factor, and they

quantify how much infant feeding practices would differ between two mothers who

differed only in terms of that factor. For example, the coefficient of the indicator for

African American mothers quantifies how the specific infant feeding practice of a white

mother and an African American mother would differ if those two mothers were identical

with respect to all other relevant characteristics except race (e.g., age, education, health,

employment status).

In all multivariate analyses, both non-program and program factors (see Figure III.1)

were considered. However, these factors were included in the multivariate models

progressively. First, all non-program factors (i.e., factors that are not targeted by the WIC

Program components) were considered. An examination of the multivariate models with

non-program factors allowed the identification of possible target groups who may be

following infant feeding practices that are outside the recommended guidelines. Second,

the program factors (those targeted by WIC Program components) were considered,

sequentially and one at a time. This allowed examination of the relative significance of

the associations of those factors that are or may be targeted by the WIC Program with

the infant feeding practices of the WIC mothers.

While building multivariate statistical models, a common protocol was followed (see

Appendix H). This protocol allowed the testing of the predictive power of groups of

factors that are thought to be associated with infant feeding practices. These groups are

indicated in Figure III.1, in boxes. Within each group, a particular measure was

eliminated from a multivariate model if the following three conditions were satisfied: (1)

that measure had no significant predictive power for the infant feeding practice being

analyzed, (2) there was no strong conceptual justification for keeping that particular

measure in the model, and (3) that measure was not of primary substantive interest.

Following this model-building protocol, models of infant feeding practices were

constructed that are as simple as possible, yet able to provide program-relevant

information. The results of these models are presented in Chapters IV through IX of this

report.
42

Comparison of Descriptive and Multivariate Analyses

Both descriptive and multivariate analyses of WIC-IFPS data contribute significantly to

the understanding of the infant feeding practices of the WIC mothers. Relative

advantages of descriptive versus multivariate analyses are clarified with the following

example: One may be interested in the association between being African American and

the choice between breastfeeding or formula feeding. A descriptive analysis compares

the percentages of African American WIC mothers who choose to breastfeed to the

percentages of white and Hispanic WIC mothers who choose to breastfeed. African

American mothers are significantly less likely to choose to breastfeed. For the purposes

of describing the behavior of African American WIC mothers, this may suffice. However,

this may not be sufficient for program development to address the breastfeeding support

needs of African American mothers. These mothers may have lower rates of

breastfeeding because of other factors. For example, African American mothers are less

likely to be living with the father of their infants than mothers of other racial/ethnic groups.

For purposes of program development and target group identification, it is important to

identify whether the cultural factors in the African American community or the absence of

a spouse/partner is the critical factor associated with lower preference for breastfeeding.

Multivariate analyses can accomplish this purpose by yielding the net association

between race/ethnicity and breastfeeding, controlling for other relevant factors (such as

age, father presence, education, etc.).
43

CHAPTER IV

THE CHOICE BETWEEN BREASTFEEDING

 AND FORMULA FEEDING IN THE NURSING PHASE

IV.1. Overview

This chapter begins with an overview of the WIC Program breastfeeding promotion

efforts. It then provides a description of the results from three sets of analyses

addressing the choice between breastfeeding and formula feeding.

 Section IV.3 discusses the decision to breastfeed. This decision is the most

important feeding choice of the nursing phase.

 Section IV.4 discusses attitudes of WIC mothers towards breastfeeding.

 Section IV.5 discusses the transition from breastfeeding (if initiated) to a

combined breastmilk and formula diet.

Each of these results sections is organized in a similar manner:

 The section begins with a statement of the research question.

 A summary of the main findings follows. The findings are identified with

checkmarks.

 The next subsection discusses the relevant literature.

 The next subsection discusses the statistical model that was used.

 Results are presented next. The main findings are repeated in the results

subsection, so that readers can relate the brief finding to the corresponding

discussion of results.

 Conclusions are presented in the last subsection.

IV.2. WIC Program Components that Pertain to the Choice Between

Breastfeeding and Formula Feeding

FCS’s policy encourages breastfeeding whenever possible (FNS, 1993a; NAWD,

1990, 1994). This recommendation is strongly supported by professional organizations of

health care providers and nutritionists (American Academy of Pediatrics, 1993;
44

Bedinghaus & Doughten, 1994). Promotion of breastfeeding is one of the national health

promotion objectives for the year 2000 (USDHHS, 1990). There are many benefits of

breastfeeding, including protection from respiratory illnesses, ear infections, and

gastrointestinal illness; providing the right balance of nutrients to support the infant’s

growth and development; and psychological benefits that promote maternal and infant

bonding (FNS, 1993a). Furthermore, it has various benefits for the mother, such as

convenience and lower cost (FNS, 1993a). The WIC-IFPS elicited information about two

WIC Program components that support its breastfeeding policy:

 issuance of an enhanced food package for breastfeeding mothers

 provision of breastfeeding education and advice on breastfeeding to the mother.

The WIC Program provides food vouchers to postpartum non-breastfeeding and

breastfeeding mothers and infants. The contents of these food packages may influence

the decision of the mother regarding breastfeeding. State and local WIC agencies have

substantial liberty in specifying the contents of the food packages. Less than one-half of

the WIC state agencies use standard food packages and less than 5 percent only use the

maximum allowable food packages (Abt Associates, 1995). The National Association of

WIC Directors (NAWD) issued guidelines (NAWD 1990, 1994) that promote the use of

food packages that do not undermine successful breastfeeding, advise against the use of

any implicit or explicit messages that may encourage the use of formula, and discourage

causing any perception that the breastfeeding mothers are getting less food than formula

feeding mothers.

The 1994 NAWD guidelines also include the recommendation that breastfeeding

women have the highest nutritional needs of any WIC participants and should receive

food packages that address this need. Furthermore, NAWD specifies that infants of

exclusively breastfeeding mothers should not receive vouchers for any infant formula,

since formula vouchers may imply that the mothers are expected to supplement their

breastmilk. For the mothers who wish to supplement breastfeeding, NAWD recommends

that the infant’s food package contain powdered formula as opposed to liquid formula,

since powdered formula can be prepared in very small amounts and is not wasted if

unused.

NAWD guidelines also address the ways in which WIC nutrition education programs

can support breastfeeding. Almost all local agencies (97%) have increased the
45

emphasis on breastfeeding in their nutrition education programs since 1988 (Macro

International and Urban Institute, 1995). According to the same source, changes in

infant nutrition education include a variety of recent programs that promote

breastfeeding and eliminate the promotion of formula feeding. Ongoing support for

breastfeeding is recommended by the NAWD (1994), which also recommends

information dissemination regarding the negative impact of formula supplementation on

breastmilk supply. Breastfeeding education addressing the needs of working mothers

and mothers experiencing breastfeeding problems is also recommended. Furthermore,

it is recommended that the WIC staff who provide breastfeeding education be trained on

an ongoing basis, as knowledge on breastfeeding management grows.

The NAWD makes specific recommendations regarding counselling of WIC

participants. For example, it is recommended that WIC staff refrain from overt or subtle

endorsements of use of formula and that formula not be kept in clear view of the

participants.

In sum, it is expected that the breastfeeding education programs will inform women

about breastfeeding, encourage them to breastfeed, provide ongoing support for

breastfeeding, and refrain from encouraging the use of formula. The enhanced food

package for breastfeeding women promotes and supports a mother’s decision to

breastfeed without supplementation.

IV.3. Initiation of Breastfeeding Among WIC Mothers

Research Questions

This section addresses the factors associated with the initiation of breastfeeding

among WIC mothers. Initiation of breastfeeding is defined as having ever tried to

breastfeed the infant. This definition conforms with that adopted by WIC.

The following questions are addressed:

 What proportion of WIC mothers initiate breastfeeding?

 Are there groups of WIC mothers who have a very low or very high likelihood of

initiating breastfeeding?

 What non-program and program factors contribute to the likelihood of initiating

breastfeeding?
46

As indicated in the general approach (Section III.2), both the non-program and

program factors that are associated with the decision to breastfeed are of interest. These

factors are presented in Figure IV.1. The non-program factors provide information about

the existing differences in breastfeeding initiation between groups of WIC mothers.

Hence, an examination of the non-program factors allows the identification of subgroups

of WIC mothers who have particularly low rates of breastfeeding initiation. The

examination of program factors provides information about the linkages between WIC

Program components and the decision to breastfeed, as well as possible factors that may

be targeted by WIC to promote breastfeeding initiation. The association between

program factors and the breastfeeding initiation rates are examined, net of the nonprogram factors, using multivariate statistical analyses.

Figure IV.1 displays a comprehensive list of all non-program and program factors

examined as likely predictors of breastfeeding initiation. The only program factors

examined are those describing the WIC Program components about which data were

Figure IV.1. A model of breastfeeding initiation and the measures of its

predictors available from the WIC-IFPS.

Socio-Demographic Characteristics

Age, race-ethnicity, immigrant status, birth order,

marital status, household size, presence of the

infant’s father, poverty level, maternal education,

maternal employment during pregnancy, maternal

receipt of public assistance

Health-Related Characteristics

Smoking status, experience of health problems

during pregnancy, receipt and timing of prenatal

care, birthweight of the infant

Social Context

Lay sources of advice on infant feeding,

breastfeeding of previous children

Non-Program Factors Program Factors

WIC Program Components

Knowledge of the special WIC

breastfeeding food package, receipt of

information about breastfeeding from

WIC, receipt of advice to breastfeed from

WIC

Sources of Nutrition Advice Other than WIC

Receipt of information about breastfeeding elsewhere,

receipt of advice to breastfeed from the physician 

Hospital Practices

Availability of formula or bottle from the hospital gift

package, length of the hospital stay

Initiation of

Breastfeeding
47

collected in the study. Because information about attitudes and beliefs about

breastfeeding were elicited only after the infant’s birth, these program factors cannot be

examined as predictors of breastfeeding initiation.

Main Findings

 Slightly over one-half of WIC mothers initiate breastfeeding.

 The estimated breastfeeding initiation rate for African American WIC mothers is

two-thirds that of white mothers. Hispanic mothers breastfeed at a rate more

than 1.5 times that of white mothers.

 Long hospital stays and low birthweight are associated with lower rates of

breastfeeding initiation.

 Controlling for other socio-demographic markers, Hispanic ethnicity, immigrant

status, presence of the infant’s father in the household, and high maternal

education are significant predictors of higher likelihood of breastfeeding initiation.

 Mothers who breastfed previously have a very high likelihood of breastfeeding

again.

 Endorsement of breastfeeding by the immediate family of WIC mothers is

strongly and positively associated with breastfeeding initiation.

 Receipt of information about breastfeeding from sources other than WIC and

receipt of advice to breastfeed from a physician are positively associated with

breastfeeding initiation.

 Among the mothers who do not receive advice to breastfeed from their

physicians, those who receive information about breastfeeding from WIC are

significantly more likely to initiate breastfeeding than those who do not receive

information from WIC.

Previous Studies

There is a substantial body of previous research that addresses the factors

associated with the initiation of breastfeeding. A review of related research is provided

below, following the model (see Figure IV.1) that relates various non-program and

program factors to the initiation of breastfeeding. A similar review is available in Janke

(1993).
48

Socio-demographic characteristics. African Americans and younger women tend not

to initiate breastfeeding (Bloom et al., 1982; Ryan et al., 1991a; Schwartz et al., 1992).

Immigrants tend to initiate breastfeeding (Bevan et al., 1984; Romero-Gwynn & Carias,

1989), probably due to exposure to a culture where breastfeeding is a normal component

of motherhood. Indeed, it is likely that much of the variation in infant feeding practices

that are currently attributed to racial or ethnic group membership or to immigrant status is

actually due to the differences in cultural context. Previous studies found that social

pressure and norms are associated with the decision to breastfeed (Baranowski et al.,

1986; Jacobson et al., 1991; Romero-Gwynn & Carias, 1989).

Married women tend to initiate breastfeeding more than unmarried women

(MacGowan et al., 1991). The positive association with being married, however, may

partly be due to factors that are associated with being married, such as the presence of

a supportive husband or less pressure to resume employment after the birth of the

infant. There is little research investigating the impact of birth order on infant feeding

practices, and the findings are inconsistent (Gielen et al., 1992; Novotny et al., 1994;

Tuttle & Dewey, 1994).

Although WIC mothers are uniformly of low socio-economic status, the variation in

education, income, and employment among WIC participants has been shown to be

associated with infant feeding practices. Maternal, as well as paternal education is found

to be associated with higher likelihood of breastfeeding (Schwartz et al., 1992; Switzky et

al., 1979). This may be because parents with higher education better understand the

importance and consequences of their infant feeding choices. Maternal employment is

demonstrated to be a barrier to breastfeeding (Auerbach & Guess, 1984; Ryan &

Martinez, 1989). However, a study of WIC participants found that, among WIC mothers,

employment did not predict the likelihood of breastfeeding (MacGowan et al., 1991).

Various studies of breastfeeding rates have been reported from local and state WIC

agencies throughout the country. They are generally consistent in finding that women

who have the following characteristics are less likely to breastfeed: young age (Gielen et

al., 1992; MacGowan et al., 1991; Novotny et al., 1994); low education (Bevan et al.,

1984; MacGowan et al., 1991; Novotny et al., 1994); African American race (compared to

white) (Gielen et al., 1992; MacGowan et al., 1991); and not married and/or not living with

the infant’s father (Gielen et al., 1992; MacGowan et al., 1991)
49

Health-related characteristics. A mother’s prenatal health influences her postnatal

health, which in turn can influence feeding practices during the early postnatal period

(Britton, 1993). Prenatal health deficiencies are linked to altered physical development

as well as behavioral patterns of infants, so these deficiencies can influence not only

nutritional status and nutritional needs, but feeding interactions as well (Britton, 1993).

Low-birthweight and small-for-gestational-age infants have nutritional needs that are

significantly different from a full-term newborn (Clark, 1993). These special needs may

cause the mothers to decide against breastfeeding.

Social context. The immediate social network of the mother, including her family and

peers, is likely to have a strong influence on her feeding choices. Numerous studies

found that support from husband or immediate family is strongly associated with

breastfeeding (Bevan et al., 1984; Fredrickson et al., 1993; Freed et al., 1992; Joffe &

Radius, 1987; Jones et al., 1986, 1987; Matich & Sims, 1992). It is likely that the

mother’s peer reference group will also influence her decision regarding breastfeeding

(NAWD, 1990; 1994). Exposure to a supportive peer group may partly account for the

increased breastfeeding among mothers who receive prenatal classes and infant feeding

education (Bloom et al., 1982). Mothers who have not breastfed previously are found to

be less likely to breastfeed (Bevan et al., 1984; Grossman et al., 1990).

Sources of nutrition advice other than WIC. Breastfeeding education and prenatal

classes are associated with increased breastfeeding (Bloom et al., 1982; Freed, 1993;

Jelliffe & Jelliffe, 1988; Joffe & Radius, 1987; Winikoff & Baer, 1980). Black et al. (1990)

found that knowledge of breastfeeding increased the likelihood of breastfeeding. The

presence of a lactation consultant in the hospital is also associated with higher rates of

breastfeeding initiation (Auerbach, 1985; Jones & West, 1985, 1986; Kistin et al., 1990).

Hospital Practices. Early hospital discharge negatively influences breastfeeding (Ryan

& Martinez, 1989), probably because of a lack of opportunity to consult with professionals

regarding any breastfeeding difficulties once the mother returns home. On the other hand,

a long hospital stay may be indicative of maternal health problems that are also associated

with lower levels of breastfeeding. For example, cesarean delivery is associated with

significantly lower rates of breastfeeding (Romero-Gwynn & Carias, 1989).

Aggressive formula marketing interferes with breastfeeding by rendering formula

more accessible (Oski & McMillan, 1991). Other studies found strong indication that

formula availability may decrease breastfeeding (Bevan et al., 1984; Hill, 1991). Hospital
50

gift packages containing formula gifts may be inhibiting breastfeeding by making

alternative foods available (Bergevin et al., 1983; Dungy et al., 1992). However, any

impact of gift packages would more likely be on breastfeeding continuation than initiation,

because breastfeeding initiation typically begins before hospital discharge and before

receipt of the package.

WIC Program components. In a national study based on 1988 data from the

National Maternal and Infant Health Survey (NMIHS), Schwartz et al. (1992, 1995) found

that WIC breastfeeding education increased the incidence of breastfeeding among WIC

participants. The WIC Breastfeeding Promotion Study and Demonstration provided

information on breastfeeding rates at seven local WIC agencies throughout the country

and documented the effects of various breastfeeding promotion activities (Sanders et al.,

1990). Except for one site that experienced no differences, mothers in the intervention

group were more likely to attempt breastfeeding than mothers in the control group. The

enhanced food package for exclusively breastfeeding women is rather recent, and thus

no previous studies documenting its association with the decision to breastfeed could be

identified.

Statistical Methods

Two sets of analyses are presented in the results section: descriptive and

multivariate. Descriptive analyses rely on comparisons of breastfeeding initiation rates

(percentage of WIC mothers initiating breastfeeding). These comparisons were done

using chi-square statistics for statistical significance. The chi-square statistics were

computed accounting for the multistage stratified and clustered sampling design used in

the WIC-IFPS, using the SUDAAN (Shah, Barnwell, Hunt, & LaVange, 1992) statistical

software.

Multivariate analyses were conducted using logistic regression analysis that predict

the log-odds of breastfeeding initiation. The logistic regression models take the following

form:

log p

1- p

= + x + x + x +...    0 1 1 2 2 3 3 (IV.1)

where p is the predicted probability of breastfeeding initiation for a mother, and is the

estimated coefficient representing the association between a non-program or program
51

factor x and the breastfeeding initiation rate p. As can be seen from Equation IV.1, the

odds of breastfeeding initiation can be expressed as:

p

1- p

= e . e . e . e . ...    0 1xxx 1 2 2 3 3

(IV.2)

Hence, the quantity e

 can be interpreted as the relative odds. In other words, the

quantity e

 is equivalent to the odds that a mother with characteristic x will breastfeed as

compared to the odds that a mother with characteristic x-1 will breastfeed.

For example, the estimated for the non-program factor immigrant status is 1.71, and

the relative odds are e1.71 , or 5.54 (see Table IV.2, Model I). This is interpreted as

follows: the odds that a woman born outside the United States will breastfeed are 5.54

times the odds that an otherwise similar woman born in the United States will breastfeed.

In other words, the likelihood (odds) of breastfeeding is greater by about 5.5 times for

immigrant women. Relative odds greater than one imply that the characteristic

considered is associated with higher odds of breastfeeding. Relative odds less than one

imply that the characteristic considered is associated with diminished odds of

breastfeeding.

In building multivariate models of breastfeeding initiation, a protocol was followed that

tested the predictive power of groups of variables (indicated in Figure IV.I), and allowed

the elimination of those variables if the following three conditions were satisfied: (1) they

had no significant predictive power, (2) there was no strong theoretical justification for

keeping them in the model regardless of their predictive power, and (3) they were not of

primary substantive interest (also see Appendix H).

The multivariate logistic model of breastfeeding initiation is presented in four steps.

The first step tests the association of maternal socio-demographic characteristics with

breastfeeding initiation. The outcome of this step of model building is Model I, which

provides information about markers (observable non-program characteristics) that are

associated with significantly low or significantly high rates of breastfeeding. Model II

introduces a set of non-program factors describing the social context of the mother,

sources of nutrition advice other than WIC, and hospital practices. Model III introduces

information about the linkages between WIC Program components and the breastfeeding

initiation of WIC mothers. At the final step, Model IV includes variables describing the

interaction between WIC Program components and receipt of advice from sources other
52

than WIC. This model helps identify the complex association of breastfeeding information

received from WIC and other sources with initiation of breastfeeding, net of the

association of other non-program factors.

The model of breastfeeding initiation does not include variables describing maternal

attitudes because these attitudes were measured at the Month 2 interview of the WICIFPS. As such, they may be outcomes of initial breastfeeding experience as well as

predictors of that experience.

Results

Descriptive Analyses. Table IV.1 provides a summary of breastfeeding initiation

rates by selected socio-demographic and health-related characteristics of the mothers

and infants. (For complete, detailed versions of all tables found in this report, see

Appendix I. Appendix J includes the estimated standard errors of all statistics presented

in the tables of Appendix I.)

 Slightly over one-half of WIC mothers initiate breastfeeding.

The overall breastfeeding initiation rate among WIC mothers is 56 percent (95%

confidence interval: 49% - 62%). Initiation rates should be interpreted with care,

however. The WIC-IFPS included a set of several questions eliciting information on

initiation of breastfeeding. These questions were designed to identify any WIC mother

who ever tried breastfeeding, even if only once. These questions elicited the following

information: the first feeding, any breastfeeding during the week following birth, and

breastfeeding status at the time of the first postnatal interview. This definition of

breastfeeding initiation is consistent with the WIC Program’s definition of breastfeeding.

The breastfeeding initiation estimate obtained from the WIC-IFPS is expected to be

slightly higher than other estimates for the same population because of two reasons.

First, the WIC-IFPS survey included a variety of questions eliciting information about any

breastfeeding immediately postpartum, breastfeeding before leaving the hospital, and

breastfeeding during the first few days postpartum. Because of the detailed prompting, it

is expected that mothers who would otherwise report no breastfeeding may recall and

report breastfeeding in the WIC-IFPS. Second, breastfeeding information was collected

during the first postnatal interview, which occurred on average 49 days after the birth of

the infant. With such a short duration between possible initiation of any breastfeeding
53

and the time of interview, it is likely that recall of breastfeeding was better in WIC-IFPS

than in other studies that relied on long-term retrospective recall.

Table IV.1. Breastfeeding initiation rates by selected socio-demographic and health-related

characteristics.

Characteristics

Breastfeeding

Initiation

Rate (Percent) N

Total 56 874

SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS

Race and ethnicity **

White

African American

Hispanic

Other

53

34

84

62

449

202

168

55

Age of the mother at birth of child *

14 - 19

20 - 25

26 or older

45

57

62

201

382

291

Immigrant status **

Born in the U.S.

Born elsewhere

48

88

703

152

Marital status *

Married

Post married1

Never married

66

51

46

376

102

376

Highest grade completed by the mother *

9th grade or less

10th or 11th grades

12th grade

More than high school

59

49

51

71

137

186

366

168

HEALTH-RELATED CHARACTERISTICS

Birthweight**2

Low birthweight

Normal birthweight

High birthweight

33

56

77

 64

783

 26

Number of days in hospital postpartum *

0 or 1

2

3

4 or more

64

52

45

55

326

320

134

 78

Notes:

1. Divorced, separated, or widowed.

2. Low birthweight indicates 5 lbs 8 oz or less, normal birthweight indicates 5 lbs 9 oz to 9 lbs14 oz, and high

birthweight indicates heavier than 9 lbs 14 oz.

* Chi-square statistic testing the group differences is significant at p<.05.

** Chi-square statistic testing the group differences is significant at p<.01.
54

 The estimated breastfeeding initiation rate for African American mothers is twothirds that of white mothers. Hispanic mothers breastfeed at a rate more than 1.5

times that of white mothers.

There are substantial group differences in breastfeeding initiation by maternal sociodemographic characteristics. Maternal race/ethnicity is strongly associated with

breastfeeding (see Figure IV.2). Only one-third (34%) of African American mothers initiate

breastfeeding, as opposed to over four-fifths (84%) of Hispanic mothers. Among the

white mothers, the breastfeeding initiation rate is estimated to be 53 percent, slightly over

one-half. The race and ethnicity differences in breastfeeding initiation are statistically

significant (p<.01).

The observed differences in breastfeeding initiation by race and ethnicity may reflect

cultural differences as well as differences in the other socio-demographic characteristics

Figure IV.2. Breastfeeding initiation rates, by race and ethnicity of the mother.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Total White African

American

Hispanic Other

Percentage
55

of African American, Hispanic, and white mothers. For example, African American

mothers are more likely to be unmarried, and the low rates of breastfeeding initiation

may partly be attributed to marital status effects. Furthermore, African American

mothers are more likely to be younger, another characteristic that is associated with low

rates of breastfeeding (see next paragraph).

In addition to race and ethnicity differences, there are significant breastfeeding

initiation rate differences by maternal age, immigrant status, marital status, and maternal

education. The youngest group of WIC mothers breastfeed at lowest rates: less than

one-half of teen-age mothers (45%) try breastfeeding, as opposed to three-fifths (62%) of

the mothers who are 26 or older. Less than one-half (48%) of the mothers who were

born in the United States initiate breastfeeding, as opposed to almost 90 percent of the

mothers who were born elsewhere. A majority of never-married mothers choose not to

breastfeed (initiation rate of 46%) whereas almost two-thirds (66%) of currently married

mothers choose to initiate breastfeeding. Note that many of these socio-demographic

characteristics are associated with each other. For example, maternal age and maternal

race/ethnicity are associated. There are higher proportions of African American mothers

in younger ages. Similarly, age, education, and marital status are associated.

The association between breastfeeding initiation and maternal education is not linear.

The lowest-educated group of mothers (i.e., those who completed at most nine years of

education) initiate breastfeeding at a somewhat higher rate than the mothers who had 10

or 11 years of education without high school completion. This may be partly because this

group may consist disproportionately of immigrants.

Highly educated mothers are more likely to initiate breastfeeding, with 71 percent of

mothers who had more than a high school education doing so. Birth order of the infant,

household size, and maternal employment prior to the birth of the infant are not

significantly associated with breastfeeding initiation.

 Long hospital stays and low birthweight are associated with lower rates of

breastfeeding initiation.

Association of several maternal and infant health-related characteristics with

breastfeeding initiation rates was examined. Experience of health problems during

pregnancy and the timing of the first prenatal visit to the physician appear not to be

associated with breastfeeding initiation. Birthweight and maternal stay at the hospital
56

after the birth are significantly associated with breastfeeding initiation. Low-birthweight

infants are substantially less likely to be breastfed (33%) than normal-birthweight and

high-birthweight infants (56% and 77%, respectively). Note, however, that the total

number of low-birthweight and high birthweight infants in the WIC-IFPS sample is small;

therefore, the estimates pertaining to these groups are subject to large standard errors.

Longer hospital stay is also associated with lower rates of breastfeeding, probably

because it is indicative of maternal health problems during birth and shortly thereafter.

This finding is also confirmed by the multivariate analyses presented below.

Multivariate Analyses. In order to identify the factors that uniquely contribute to

breastfeeding initiation rates, multivariate logistic models of breastfeeding initiation were

estimated. The following models were tested:

Model

I

Odds of Initiation

of Breastfeeding

= SocioDemographic

Characteristics

Model

II

Odds of Initiation

of Breastfeeding

= SocioDemographic

Characteristics

* Social Context * Hospital

Practices

* Sources of Nutrition

Advice Other Than

WIC

Model

Odds of Initiation

of Breastfeeding

= SocioDemographic

Characteristics

* Social Context * Hospital

Practices

* Sources of Nutrition

Advice Other Than

WIC

III

* WIC Program

Components

Model

Odds of Initiation

of Breastfeeding

= SocioDemographic

Characteristics

* Social Context * Hospital

Practices

* Sources of Nutrition

Advice Other Than

WIC

IV

* WIC Program

Components

* Interaction of WIC Program

Components and Physician’s

Advice

The WIC-IFPS data provide fairly complete information on the non-program and

program predictors of initiation of breastfeeding. Most of the characteristics that were

considered are fixed characteristics, when considered postnatally; for example, maternal

race/ethnicity, maternal age at the time of the birth of the baby, and maternal employment

at any time during pregnancy. Other characteristics are related to the conditions

surrounding the birth; for example, the length of the mother’s hospital stay and infant’s

birthweight. Some other characteristics are measured postnatally. Examples of such
57

characteristics are poverty level9 and household size. When using these characteristics

as predictors of breastfeeding initiation, one must make the assumption that they have

been relatively fixed between the time of the infant’s birth and the time of the interview.

 Controlling for other socio-demographic markers, Hispanic ethnicity, immigrant

status, presence of the infant’s father in the household, and high maternal

education are significant predictors of higher likelihood of breastfeeding initiation.

Table IV.2 displays the results of multivariate logistic regression models of

breastfeeding initiation. As described in the Statistical Methods section above, the

estimated coefficients, which can be interpreted as relative odds, are presented. Model I

includes non-program factors that may act as markers. Maternal race and

 

9

 Poverty level measures the income of the respondent's family relative to the federal poverty level for a family of

that size. Hence, a poverty level of one indicates a family income at the federally specified poverty level. To be

income eligible for WIC, individuals’ total family income cannot exceed 185 percent of the Federal poverty income

guidelines for that family size. However, Congress authorized persons already receiving, or who have certain

family members who receive benefits from the Food Stamp Program, Medicaid Program, or Temporary

Assistance for Needy Families (formerly called Aid to Families With Dependent Children – AFDC) to be

automatically considered income eligible for the WIC Program. As in many other surveys, some respondents

(25%) were reluctant to report their income. In order to be able to include these respondents in the analyses, an

indicator was constructed – whether a respondent reported her income. In the WIC-IFPS, a major concern about

reporting income may be that the WIC Program has an income eligibility criterion. This may result in some

concern about reporting income for the respondents who have higher levels of income. The poverty level

indicator is entered in multivariate analysis models together with the indicator for income reported. The estimated

coefficient of the poverty level indicator can only be interpreted for those respondents who reported their income.

For these respondents only, this coefficient quantifies the association between poverty level and the outcome of

interest.
58

Table IV.2 Estimates of the relative odds estimated by the logistic regression model of breastfeeding

initiation (N=874).

Relative Odds1

Predictors Model I Model II Model III Model IV

SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS

Age of the mother at birth of child 1.02 1.02 1.02 1.02

African American .53* .58* .66 .63

Hispanic 2.90** 1.77* 1.95* 2.02*

Immigrant status - foreign born 5.54** 5.60** 5.48** 5.42**

Birth order of the infant - firstborn 1.18 2.71** 2.85** 2.86**

Father of the infant lives with the mother 1.93** 1.74* 1.79* 1.77*

Maternal education 1.15** 1.09* 1.08* 1.08*

Income reported 1.98* 2.87** 2.93** 2.90**

Poverty level .75 .58* .57* .57*

SOCIAL CONTEXT

Receipt of advice to breastfeed from the grandmother or relatives 1.83* 1.65* 1.68*

Mother breastfed previous children 8.40** 7.70** 7.76**

HOSPITAL PRACTICES

Length of hospital stay of the mother .87* .86* .86

Receipt of formula or bottle from the hospital gift package .52 .51 .50

SOURCES OF NUTRITION ADVICE OTHER THAN WIC

Receipt of advice to breastfeed from physician 2.39** 2.26** 4.23**

Receipt of information about breastfeeding elsewhere 1.96** 1.78** 1.75**

WIC PROGRAM COMPONENTS

Knowledge of the special WIC breastfeeding food package2 1.99** 1.92**

Maternal report on receipt of information about breastfeeding from

WIC3 1.26 1.64*

Maternal report on receipt of advice to breastfeed from WIC4 1.14 1.16

INTERACTION OF WIC PROGRAM COMPONENTS AND PHYSICIAN’S ADVICE

Effect of maternal report on receipt of information about breastfeeding

from WIC, for those mothers who received breastfeeding advice from

their physicians

0. 40**

Notes:

1. Relative odds greater than one imply that the characteristic considered is associated with higher odds of breastfeeding initiation. Relative

odds less than one imply that the characteristic considered is associated with lower odds of breastfeeding initiation.

2. The answer to the question “Have you been told that there is a special WIC food package for breastfeeding women who do not accept infant

formula from WIC?” is “yes.”

3. The answer to any one of the three questions “Have you received information or advice from the WIC office about (1) benefits of

breastfeeding?, (2) how to breastfeed?, or (3) mother’s diet while breastfeeding?” is “yes.”

4. The answer to the question “Have WIC program staff told you that you should breastfeed?” is “yes.”

* p.05

** p.01
59

ethnicity, as well as maternal immigrant status, are strong and significant predictors of the

decision to breastfeed. As indicated by the previous studies, African American mothers

are less likely to initiate breastfeeding (relative odds of 0.53) and Hispanic mothers, as

well as foreign-born mothers, are more likely to breastfeed. Indeed, the odds of a

Hispanic mother breastfeeding are almost three times that of a white mother

breastfeeding. Mothers who were born outside the United States have odds of

breastfeeding that are 5.5 times that for native-born mothers.

The presence of the father of the infant in the household (regardless of the marital

status of the mother) is a significant contributor to the initiation of breastfeeding. If the

father is present in the household, the mother’s odds of breastfeeding are predicted to

almost double.

Highly educated mothers are more likely to initiate breastfeeding. Each additional

year of education is associated with a significant increase in the odds of breastfeeding.

The relative odds associated with reporting of income and the measure of the poverty

level must be jointly interpreted. Among the respondents who reported their income,

higher income-to-poverty ratios are associated with lower odds of breastfeeding. While

the poverty level measure is not significantly associated with the odds of breastfeeding

in Model I, it is significant in Models II through IV, which control for additional nonprogram and program components. Those respondents who did not report their income

have approximately the same odds of breastfeeding as those respondents who reported

their income and who have an income that is 2.6 times the federal poverty level (1.98/.75

= 2.6).

 Mothers who breastfed previously have a very high likelihood of breastfeeding

again.

Model II in Table IV.2 includes factors describing the social context of maternal

breastfeeding decisions as well as the factors describing the hospital practices and

receipt of nutrition advice from sources other than WIC. One of the most important

predictors of breastfeeding is the previous breastfeeding history. Mothers who breastfed

previous children have predicted odds of initiation of breastfeeding that are over eight

times larger than those for mothers who did not breastfeed previous children.
60

 Endorsement of breastfeeding by the immediate family of WIC mothers is strongly

and positively associated with breastfeeding initiation.

Mothers who receive advice to breastfeed from their own mothers or other relatives

are significantly more likely to breastfeed. Such advice predicts an almost twofold

increase in odds of breastfeeding. These findings underscore the importance of the

social context of breastfeeding.

As expected, longer postnatal hospital stays, indicative of maternal postnatal health

problems, are associated with a diminished likelihood of breastfeeding initiation. Every

additional day of hospital stay is associated with a reduction in the odds of breastfeeding

by 13 percent (relative odds .87). Receipt of formula or bottle from the hospital,

controlling for other maternal characteristics, does not significantly predict breastfeeding

initiation. For more information on hospital practices associated with breastfeeding, see

Chapter V.

 Receipt of information about breastfeeding from sources other than WIC and

receipt of advice to breastfeed from a physician are positively associated with

breastfeeding initiation.

Model II also includes factors describing breastfeeding advice the mothers may have

received from sources other than WIC. Two such sources are considered. Mothers who

report receiving advice from their physicians to breastfeed have more than two times the

odds of initiating breastfeeding as compared to the mothers who do not report receiving

such advice. Furthermore, the mothers who receive information about breastfeeding

somewhere other than in WIC (for example, hospital birthing classes) have almost

double the odds of initiating breastfeeding.

In Model III, knowledge of the special WIC food package for breastfeeding women,

report of receipt of information about breastfeeding from WIC, and receipt of advice to

breastfeed from WIC are considered. Among these three program components,

maternal knowledge about the special WIC food package for breastfeeding women is the

only significant predictor of the odds of initiating breastfeeding. The women who know

about this food package have almost double the odds of initiating breastfeeding.

Data on the knowledge of the WIC special breastfeeding package and receipt of

information about breastfeeding from WIC were elicited in the Month 2 interview. It is
61

possible that the mothers who initiated breastfeeding found out about the breastfeeding

package subsequent to their decision to breastfeed. It is also possible that some mothers

received information about breastfeeding after the birth of the infant. By including these

predictors in the model of breastfeeding initiation, the assumption that these predictors

were fixed prior to the birth of the infant is implied. To the extent that this assumption

may be incorrect, the coefficients estimated for these predictors must be cautiously

interpreted. Additional analyses using limited data on prenatal WIC breastfeeding

education in a subsample showed that the conclusions regarding the effects of WIC

Program components remain unchanged when the analyses are limited to prenatal data.

The lack of a significant association between the report of receipt of information from

WIC about breastfeeding and initiation of breastfeeding leads to some further

consideration about the way WIC Program components may be related to breastfeeding

initiation. When examined in a descriptive context, breastfeeding initiation rate is

significantly associated with the receipt of information about breastfeeding from WIC.

Among the WIC mothers who received information about breastfeeding from WIC, 61

percent initiated breastfeeding as opposed to 44 percent among those who did not

receive information about breastfeeding.

The association between some WIC Program components and breastfeeding

initiation may not be significant in the multivariate analyses because the receipt of these

program components (for example, receipt of information about breastfeeding) may be a

significant contributor to breastfeeding initiation in one group of WIC mothers but not

another group. For example, if a group of WIC women has very high rates of

breastfeeding initiation, WIC Program components may have a marginal effect in

increasing the breastfeeding rates in that group.

A likely scenario is that the women who receive strong professional support for

breastfeeding somewhere other than WIC (such as their health care providers) may not

benefit from WIC Program components supporting breastfeeding as much as the women

who do not receive breastfeeding support elsewhere. The following analyses support

this hypothesis.

There is a much larger group of WIC mothers who receive information about

breastfeeding from WIC (64%) than those who receive breastfeeding advice from their

physicians (39%). Nevertheless, there is a considerable degree of overlap between the

WIC mothers who receive information and advice on breastfeeding from WIC and those
62

who receive such information and advice from other sources. Among the mothers who

receive breastfeeding information from WIC, 46 percent also receive advice to

breastfeed from their physicians. In contrast, only one-quarter of the women who do not

receive breastfeeding information from WIC receive breastfeeding advice from their

physicians. It is possible that this association may arise because of the referral linkage

between WIC clinics and prenatal care providers.

It is likely that the breastfeeding information received from WIC is most helpful in

encouraging breastfeeding among women who do not receive such information from

their physicians. This latter group of women constitutes about 35 percent of all WIC

women. Only about 9 percent of women report receiving breastfeeding advice from their

physicians but receiving no breastfeeding information from WIC.

 Among the mothers who do not receive advice to breastfeed from their

physicians, those who receive information about breastfeeding from WIC are

significantly more likely to initiate breastfeeding than those who do not receive

information from WIC.

Model IV in Table IV.2 tests the hypothesis that receipt of breastfeeding information

from WIC may differentially predict breastfeeding initiation rates depending on whether

the mother received advice to breastfeed from a physician. It includes an indicator that

quantifies the effects of receipt of breastfeeding information from WIC for those mothers

who also received breastfeeding advice from their physicians. The relative odds

estimated for this indicator are significant, supporting the hypothesis that the WIC

breastfeeding education program may differentially influence breastfeeding initiation,

depending on other sources of

 professional breastfeeding support that a mother receives. The relative odds estimated

for receipt of information about breastfeeding from WIC are significant, predicting a 1.6-

fold increase in the odds of breastfeeding initiation among the mothers who do not

receive breastfeeding advice from their physicians. In order to clarify the complex

effects of these relative odds, predicted probabilities of breastfeeding initiation are

estimated for women who received breastfeeding advice and information from different

sources based upon the results of Model IV. Figure IV.3 displays these predicted

relative odds of breastfeeding initiation for three groups of mothers:
63

(1) Received no information about breastfeeding from WIC and no advice to

breastfeed from the physician

(2) Received information about breastfeeding from WIC but no advice to breastfeed

from the physician

(3) Received information about breastfeeding from WIC and advice to breastfeed

from the physician.

Figure IV.3. Relative odds of initiating breastfeeding for WIC mothers who

received breastfeeding information and advice from different sources.

0

1

2

3

4

Relative odds

Received no

information

from WIC and

no advice from

the physician

Received 

information

from WIC but

no advice from

the physician

Received information

from WIC and

received advice 

from the physician
64

Although the relative odds of initiating breastfeeding for women who received

breastfeeding advice from their physicians alone are estimated, this group of WIC

mothers constitutes a very small minority (9%). As Figure IV.3 indicates, the WIC

Program appears to have a significant contribution to the odds of initiating breastfeeding

among the mothers who did not receive advice to breastfeed from their physicians.

Conclusions

Breastfeeding initiation appears to be increasing. Slightly over one-half of WIC

participants initiate breastfeeding. This estimate is substantially higher than that by

Schwartz et al. (1995), which dates back to 1988. It is possible that breastfeeding rates

of WIC participants have increased between 1988 and 1995 the year of the WIC-IFPS

data. Such an increase may be expected on the basis of the general trend of increasing

rates of breastfeeding from the 1960s through early 1980s, slight decline until the late

1980s, and then modest increase in the early 1990s (GAO, 1993; Ryan et al., 1991b).

This increase may also have been promoted by WIC’s concerted breastfeeding support

program since 1988 (Macro International & Urban Institute 1995). Although the

breastfeeding rate of 56 percent is higher than past estimates, it is still lower than the

targeted breastfeeding rate of nearly 75 percent (at hospital discharge) by the year 2000

(USDHHS,1990).10

The analyses of the factors associated with breastfeeding initiation yield results that

are consistent with the findings of previous studies. Race and ethnicity, immigrant status,

age, education differentials, and differentials by father presence are significant. The

estimated breastfeeding rate for African American WIC mothers is two-thirds that of white

mothers. The analyses of non-program factors indicate that African American race and

longer hospital stays (probably indicative of poor maternal health) are markers for a high

likelihood of not breastfeeding. On the other hand, Hispanic ethnicity, being an

immigrant, having higher education, living with the father of the infant, having support for

breastfeeding from relatives, and having

 

10 Further information on breastfeeding rates at hospital discharge can be found in Chapter V.
65

breastfed previous children are characteristics that indicate higher likelihood of initiating

breastfeeding.

In contrast to the findings by Ryan and Martinez (1989), no evidence was found that a

short hospital stay is associated with lower rates of breastfeeding initiation. In fact, longer

hospital stays are associated with lower rates of breastfeeding initiation, as suggested by

Romero-Gwynn & Carias (1989). In the absence of further information from the WICIFPS regarding maternal health immediately following the birth, a longer hospital stay is

interpreted as indicative of maternal health problems following birth.

The findings of this study support the role of the social context in shaping infant

feeding practices. Mothers who breastfed their previous children have odds of

breastfeeding that are about eight times those for the mothers who never breastfed.

Previous research has similar findings (Bevan et al., 1984). This finding underscores the

importance of first-time mothers as a potential target group for nutrition education

programs in order to initiate a healthy pattern of infant feeding practices. It is likely that if

a first-time mother is persuaded to initiate breastfeeding, not only does her firstborn

infant benefit, but her future infants do as well. On the other hand, the firstborn children

are significantly more likely to be breastfed than later-born children of mothers who have

never breastfed. In sum, the mothers of later-born children who did not breastfeed their

previous children constitute the group that is least likely to breastfeed. Mothers in this

group may also be less likely to modify their behavior due to programmatic intervention,

since they have established a behavioral pattern. Endorsement of breastfeeding by the

immediate family of WIC mothers is also associated with higher odds of breastfeeding

initiation. This conclusion has also been reached by other recent studies of

breastfeeding initiation (Frederickson et al., 1993; Freed et al., 1992).

Receipt of information about breastfeeding and professional medical counselling on

breastfeeding are positively associated with breastfeeding initiation. Other studies have

found that only a minority of women report having received any advice on infant feeding

from their health care providers (Losch et al., 1995). This is also true of the WIC

mothers. Only two-fifths of WIC mothers report receiving breastfeeding advice from their

physicians, even though such advice appears to be very effective. For the mothers who

do not receive breastfeeding advice from their physicians, receiving breastfeeding

information from WIC significantly increases the likelihood of initiation of breastfeeding.

It appears that the WIC breastfeeding education program, by reaching a larger group of
66

mothers than that reached by physicians, is able to encourage a group of women to

breastfeed. Similar results were found in the NMIHS analysis by Schwartz et al. (1992,

1995); mothers who reported having received advice to breastfeed from the WIC

Program during the prenatal period were more likely to initiate breastfeeding.

Knowledge about the special food package for breastfeeding women is significantly

and positively associated with initiation of breastfeeding. This finding should be carefully

interpreted. A significant positive association may be due to two reasons. The special

food package may act as an incentive, and the women who know about the availability of

the special food package may want to benefit from it by breastfeeding. Alternatively, this

finding may be due to the postnatal measurement of the indicator of knowledge of special

breastfeeding food package. In other words, women who breastfeed may have received

the special food package and may therefore report knowing about it.

IV.4. Attitudes and Beliefs About Breastfeeding

Research Questions

The purpose of this portion of the report is to describe the attitudes and beliefs of WIC

mothers regarding breastfeeding. This is important because WIC serves a distinct

population, one with many socio-demographic characteristics previously identified as

being associated with low breastfeeding rates (Schwartz et al., 1995). Mothers’ attitudes

and beliefs are considered to be among the program factors associated with infant feeding

practices (see Section III.2) and are therefore of great importance to WIC. A recent review

article on the impact of attitudes on infant feeding decisions also notes that attitudes

provide a great potential as intervention targets (Losch et al., 1995). The guidelines for

breastfeeding promotion issued by the NAWD (NAWD, 1990, 1994) stress the need to

monitor the attitudes of WIC mothers as one component of an effective breastfeeding

promotion program. Specifically, the NAWD guidelines recommend that questions

regarding breastfeeding attitudes be included in the annual participant survey in order to

design more effective programs.

Thirty questions were asked at the Month 2 interview about breastfeeding attitudes

and beliefs in the WIC-IFPS. The analyses of these data have three goals:

(1) Summarize the information contained in the 30 attitude/belief questions of the

WIC-IFPS.
67

(2) Describe the breastfeeding attitudes/beliefs of WIC mothers with different sociocultural backgrounds.

(3) Identify attitudes and beliefs that indicate a relatively low level of support for

breastfeeding.

Because all 30 attitudinal items cannot be used in multivariate analyses of infant

feeding practices, summary measures were constructed for inclusion in the multivariate

models. These summary measures are also described in this section.

Main Findings

 There are two dimensions of breastfeeding attitudes and beliefs. One group of

items constitutes attitudes and beliefs about the perceived benefits of

breastfeeding, and one group of items constitutes attitudes and beliefs about

perceived barriers to breastfeeding.

 Hispanic women perceive more benefits of breastfeeding than any other group.

African American women perceive more barriers to breastfeeding than any other

group.

 Breastfeeding mothers are more likely than non-breastfeeding mothers to express

positive attitudes/beliefs about breastfeeding.

See the Results section for more information on these findings.

Previous Studies

Losch and colleagues (Losch et al., 1995) have recently reviewed more than 200

papers on the relationships between maternal attitudes about infant feeding and choices

regarding actual feeding patterns. They concluded that women who breastfeed are more

likely to be aware of the benefits of breastfeeding (particularly the health benefits for the

infants) and less likely to be concerned about issues such as embarrassment, fear of

discomfort, limitations on freedom and social life, and potential lack of the father’s

involvement in feeding. The primary positive attribute of formula feeding is that mothers

who choose this method believe it to be more convenient; however, breastfeeding women

also tend to believe that their chosen method is more convenient. Formula-feeding

mothers are also generally aware of the health benefits of breastfeeding, but perceive the

other issues surrounding breastfeeding as barriers to successful breastfeeding.
68

Most of the studies that have examined infant feeding attitudes have been surveys

conducted after the birth of the infant. A study among WIC clients in rural Maryland is

unusual in that mothers were interviewed during pregnancy and then again one to three

weeks postpartum (Gielen et al., 1992). The mothers’ prenatal beliefs about various

aspects of infant feeding (including both benefits and barriers issues), which the authors

term “behavioral beliefs,” were found to be significantly related to whether the infant was

breastfed or formula fed. The largest differences between breastfeeding and nonbreastfeeding mothers were for the questions about the ease and convenience of each

feeding type. Prenatal responses indicated that the mothers believed their choice of

feeding to be the easier and more convenient.

The most common reason for choosing to breastfeed among Missouri WIC mothers

was that it was better for the baby’s health (26%); the next most frequent responses

were ease and convenience and expense (McClurg-Hitt & Olsen, 1994). When formula

feeders were asked about the reason for their choice, the most common responses were

that they did not feel comfortable about breastfeeding, they did not like the idea, or that

they would be embarrassed.

A survey of teenage WIC mothers in Louisiana reported that most had positive

attitudes about issues such as breastfeeding being better for the infant and making the

mother and baby closer (Robinson et al., 1993), but less than 10 percent actually

breastfed. Again, such issues as embarrassment, concern about appearance, belief that

breastfeeding hurts, and statements about not knowing enough about breastfeeding

were common.

A recent breastfeeding promotion project among pregnant WIC participants in North

Carolina identified four barriers to breastfeeding: embarrassment, lack of family and

social support, ignorance of how to breastfeed, and lack of awareness of WIC support for

breastfeeding (Fredrickson et al., 1993). On average, they could correctly answer only

2.3 of the 10 questions about benefits of breastfeeding and how to breastfeed. These

scores were significantly related to the intention to breastfeed.

Black and colleagues documented that, among women at a Georgia WIC clinic, a

scale quantifying positive attitudes toward breastfeeding had the strongest impact on

choice of infant feeding method (Black et al., 1990). Father’s preferred method was the

second most important variable.
69

Statistical Methods

Mothers were read a series of questions to ascertain their attitudes and beliefs about

breastfeeding. For each statement, the respondent was asked to choose between

“agree,” “disagree,” and “not sure.” The study design specified that these questions

would be asked twice, at the prenatal and Month 2 interviews. However, due to difficulties

in locating mothers prenatally, the non-response rate for the prenatal questionnaire is

very high. Only the results from the Month 2 interview are presented here.11

For the descriptive component of these analyses, the percentages of women who

agreed, disagreed, and were unsure were estimated for each of the 30 questions, for the

study group as a whole, for the racial/ethnic subgroups, and for women who did and did

not breastfeed. Differences in the distributions of these percentages were compared for

the four racial/ethnic groups and for the two breastfeeding strata. The group differences

in these percentages were tested for significance using a chi-square test adjusted for

clustered stratified sampling design.

Two alternative strategies were considered for incorporating the attitude/belief

questions as predictor variables in the multivariate analysis of feeding: (1) selecting

several of the items that were considered to be of greatest importance and including each

of those items in the multivariate analyses, or (2) creating composite scales from large

sets of related items. The latter approach was selected because the first approach

discards information from many of the questions of interest. Furthermore, composite

scales have psychometric properties that render them more desirable than single

attitudinal items. For example, the internal reliability of a composite scale is always

higher than that of a single item.

The composite scales of attitudes and beliefs must meet two criteria:

 They must quantify meaningful aspects of attitudes and beliefs; i.e., they must be

conceptually valid.

 They must be empirically distinct from each other, or uncorrelated, so that each

scale’s individual and unique contributions to feeding practices can be identified.

 

11 Responses to the attitude questions were obtained from 344 women prenatally, of whom 304 were again

interviewed at Month 2. Two-thirds of these women had approximately the same perceived benefits score at both

times (defined as a postnatal score that was within 10 percentage points of their prenatal score) and three-fourths

had about the same score on the perceived barriers scale. The correlation coefficient for prenatal-postnatal

comparisons was 0.72 for each scale. Furthermore, breastfeeding status was not associated with whether the

score had changed between prenatal and postnatal measurements.
70

In order to create these composite scales from the 30 individual attitude/belief

questions, a factor analysis was conducted. A factor analysis identifies common

patterns among groups of items and creates a composite “factor” for each such group.

These factors are designed to be uncorrelated with each other.

The items that constitute each factor, as identified by the factor analysis, were then

analyzed for construct validity and internal reliability. Items that did not appear to fit

conceptually with the other items in that factor were eliminated. Next, reliability analysis

was conducted to estimate the degree to which the items appear to be the indicators of a

single construct. Finally, additive scales were constructed using the set of items that

were identified as pertaining to each factor. The scores on each question within a factor

(disagree = 1, not sure = 2, agree = 3) were summed. These additive scales were then

rescaled to range from 0 to 100, for ease of interpretation. A score of 100 indicates that

the mother agreed with all of the items incorporated in that scale; a score of 50 indicates

that she, on average, agreed with half of the items.

After these composite summary measures were computed, they were used as

predictor variables in multivariate models of infant feeding practices (see Sections IV.5

and VII.4).

Results

The WIC-IFPS questionnaire includes 30 items that were initially conceived as

representative of attitudes or beliefs about five dimensions of breastfeeding:

convenience, logistics, embarrassment, infant health, and other miscellaneous attitudes.

Factor analysis was conducted to investigate whether, indeed, the responses to the 30

items aligned along these five dimensions.

 There are two dimensions of breastfeeding attitudes and beliefs. One group of

items constitutes attitudes and beliefs about the perceived benefits of

breastfeeding, and one group of items constitutes attitudes and beliefs about

perceived barriers to breastfeeding.12

The analysis of 30 items indicates two major factors, rather than the five originally

hypothesized. These two factors account for almost one-quarter of the variance of the

collective set of 30 items. The two factors consist of questions related to the perceived

 

12 Some of the 30 attitude/belief items do not contribute significantly to either factor.
71

benefits of breastfeeding and the perceived barriers to breastfeeding. After the

elimination of the items that are conceptually different from the “benefits” and “barriers”

dimensions, 9 items remain in the benefits scale and 13 in the barriers scale. Table IV.3

lists these items. The two additive scales constructed from the items indicated in Table

IV.3 have high internal reliability, the coefficient measuring internal reliability (i.e.,

Cronbach’s alpha) being 0.7 (range 0 - 1).

In the multivariate analyses of infant feeding practices, the perceived benefits and

perceived barriers scales are used as predictor variables. In other words, mothers who

believe strongly that breastfeeding is beneficial (i.e., those who had higher benefit scale

scores) are expected to have lesser likelihood of formula supplementation and longer

durations of breastfeeding. Similarly, mothers who perceive more barriers to

breastfeeding (i.e., those who had higher scores on the barriers scale) are expected to

have a higher likelihood of formula supplementation and shorter durations of

breastfeeding. These hypotheses are tested in Sections IV.5 and VII.4.

Table IV.3. Items that constitute the perceived benefits of breastfeeding and perceived barriers to

breastfeeding scales.1

Perceived Benefits of Breastfeeding Perceived Barriers to Breastfeeding

(1) Breastfeeding helps protect the baby from diseases.

(2) Breastfeeding will protect your baby against ear

infections.

(3) Breastfed babies are healthier than bottlefed babies.

(4) Breastfeeding will protect your baby against diarrhea.

(5) Breastfeeding is easier than bottle feeding.

(6) Breastfeeding brings a mother closer to her baby.

(7) Breastmilk alone gives a new baby all he/she needs

to eat.

(8) Breastfeeding helps women lose weight.

(9) Breast pumps are easy to use.

(1) Breastfeeding takes too much time.

(2) Breastfeeding would tie you down.

(3) Women who breastfeed have a hard time finding

the right kind of clothes to wear.

(4) Breastfeeding interferes with people's sex lives.

(5) Breastfeeding means you can't go back to work or

school.

(6) Breastfeeding will make your breasts sag.

(7) Breastfeeding is painful.

(8) A man feels left out if a woman breastfeeds.

(9) Breastfeeding means no one else can feed your

baby.

(10) Your breasts are too small to breastfeed.

(11) You would be afraid breastmilk would leak onto

your clothes.

(12) With bottle feeding, the mother knows that the

baby is getting enough to eat.

(13) You would not want to breastfeed in public.

Note:

1. Some of 30 attitude/belief items do not contribute significantly to either factor.
72

Mothers’ responses to the individual questions incorporated in the benefits scale are

shown in Table IV.4. The items that are statistically the most important in the perceived

benefits scale are the four questions related to infant health.13 Three-fourths of mothers

believe that breastfeeding helps protect the baby from disease, and two-thirds believe

that breastfed babies are healthier than bottle-fed babies. However, there is less

consensus regarding protection from specific diseases; just under half know that

breastfeeding protects against ear infections and one-third know that it protects against

diarrhea. About three-fourths believe that breastfeeding makes the mother and baby

close and that breastmilk alone is

 

13 Statistical importance is defined as the items with the highest factor loadings.
73

sufficient for a newborn. Half think that breastfeeding is easier than bottle feeding, that

breast pumps are easy to use, and that breastfeeding helps mothers lose weight.

Mothers’ answers to the questions in the perceived barriers scale are displayed in

Table IV.5. Statistically, the most important items are breastfeeding takes too much time

(34% agreement), breastfeeding would tie you down (41% agreement), breastfeeding

women have trouble finding the right clothes (24% agreement), and breastfeeding

interferes with people’s sex lives (11% agreement).14 Only 13 percent believe that

breastfeeding mothers cannot go back to school or work. About 30

 

14 The complete distribution of responses to all 30 attitudinal items for all women by race/ethnicity and by

breastfeeding status is given in Appendix I.

Table IV.4. Percentage of mothers agreeing with the nine statements about perceived benefits of

breastfeeding.

Percentage Agreeing with Statement

Race/Ethnicity Breastfeeding Status

Maternal Attitudes and Beliefs Total White

African

American

Hispanic OtherInitiated

Breastfeeding

Did not

Breastfeed

Breastfeeding brings a mother closer to

her baby.*+ 81 75 81 93 96 94 64

Breastfeeding helps protect the baby

from diseases.*+ 77 76 64 93 80 92 58

Breastmilk alone gives a new baby all

he/she needs to eat.*+ 71 69 59 86 73 85 53

Breastfed babies are healthier than

bottlefed babies.*+ 61 51 62 86 63 77 42

Breastfeeding helps women lose

weight.+ 53 52 42 70 52 68 35

Breastfeeding is easier than bottle

feeding.*+ 50 43 40 76 63 73 23

Breastfeeding will protect your baby

against ear infections*+ 46 39 44 66 52 60 30

Breast pumps are easy to use.*+ 44 36 38 68 41 57 27

Breastfeeding will protect your baby

against diarrhea.*+ 36 25 33 65 53 48 22

Notes:

* Chi square statistic testing the race/ethnicity differences is significant at p<.05.

+

 Chi square statistic testing breastfeeding status differences is significant at p<.05.
74

percent are concerned that breastfeeding makes breasts sag and 40 percent believe that

breastfeeding is painful. One-third believe a man would feel left out if a woman breastfed

and half believe no one else could feed the baby. Just 11 percent believe that their

breasts were too small to breastfeed. Half are concerned about breastmilk leakage and

more than half are concerned about breastfeeding in public. Three-fourths believe that

with bottle feeding the mother knows that the baby is getting enough to eat.

The following items were asked of the WIC-IFPS mothers but were not included in the

composite attitude/belief scores, because they were not found to be conceptually related:

 You have enough breastmilk to feed the baby.

 You know a lot about breastfeeding.

Table IV.5. Percentage of mothers agreeing with the 13 statements about perceived barriers

to breastfeeding.

Percentage Agreeing with Statement

Race/Ethnicity Breastfeeding Status

Maternal Attitudes and Beliefs Total White African

American

Hispanic

Other Initiated

Breastfeeding

Did not

Breastfeed

With bottle feeding, the mother knows

that the baby is getting enough to eat.

76 75 75 78 72 74 77

You would not want to breastfeed in

public.*

+

61 60 68 55 54 50 74

Breastfeeding means no one else can

feed your baby.*

+

48 35 64 58 57 42 54

You would be afraid breastmilk would

leak onto your clothes.*

+

46 45 61 36 36 39 56

Breastfeeding would tie you down.+ 41 41 50 34 37 33 51

Breastfeeding is painful.*

+ 39 32 50 47 33 43 35

Breastfeeding takes too much time.+ 34 30 40 39 32 27 42

A man feels left out if a woman

breastfeeds.+

32 31 36 27 37 33 31

Breastfeeding will make your breasts

sag.*

+

29 20 32 49 18 33 24

Women who breastfeed have a hard

time finding the right kinds of clothes

to wear.+

24 21 28 27 23 22 26

Breastfeeding means you can't go

back to work or school.

13 9 10 24 27 13 13

Breastfeeding interferes with people's

sex lives.+

11 10 11 16 7 13 9

Your breasts are too small to

breastfeed.

+

 11 7 9 23 13 10 13

Notes:

* Chi square statistic testing the race/ethnicity differences is significant at p<.05.

+

 Chi square statistic testing the breastfeeding status differences is significant at p<.05.
75

 Any woman who wants to can breastfeed.

 There is too much pressure on women to breastfeed.

 Only poor women breastfeed.

 Bottle feeding is more expensive than breastfeeding.

 Women who breastfeed should not take birth control pills.

 Women who breastfeed shouldn’t smoke.

 Hispanic women perceive more benefits of breastfeeding than any other group.

African American women perceive more barriers to breastfeeding than any other

group.

Composite scale scores were computed to obtain a score for perceived benefits of

breastfeeding and a score for perceived barriers to breastfeeding. Differences by

racial/ethnic group in the mean scores of perceived benefits of breastfeeding and

perceived barriers to breastfeeding were examined. African American mothers and white

mothers have similar scores on the benefits scale but African American mothers have the

highest mean score on the barriers scale, indicating that they believe breastfeeding to be

an inconvenient method of feeding. Hispanic mothers have the highest mean benefits

scale score, indicating their strong belief that breastfeeding is beneficial for the mother

and the infant. Nevertheless, their scores on barriers are higher than that for white

mothers.

When examining individual attitude/belief items, the most common pattern among the

racial/ethnic groups is that Hispanic mothers are the most likely to give responses that

are supportive of breastfeeding, whereas African Americans are the least likely to do so;

the ranking of whites is generally intermediate. In other words, on all of the perceived

benefits items, the percentage who agree with the items is highest for Hispanics; in

contrast, for a majority of the perceived barrier scale items, the percentage who agree is

lowest for whites, followed by Hispanics. African American women usually have the

lowest percentage agreeing with the benefits questions and the highest percentage

agreeing with the barrier questions.

 Breastfeeding mothers are more likely than non-breastfeeding mothers to express

positive attitudes/beliefs about breastfeeding.
76

Mean benefits and barriers scale scores were also compared for breastfeeding and

non-breastfeeding women. The perceived benefits scale score is more strongly

associated with breastfeeding status than the perceived barriers scale score, indicating

the strong link between the belief in the benefits of breastfeeding and the decision to

breastfeed. Nevertheless, a scale score indicating belief in the barriers to breastfeeding

is also associated with breastfeeding status.

For virtually all of the 30 individual questions on attitudes and beliefs, mothers who

choose to breastfeed express more positive attitudes regarding breastfeeding than did

mothers who never initiated breastfeeding (see Appendix I for a table of all 30 items).

The strongest relationship is for the question about the ease of breastfeeding; mothers

who breastfeed are almost three times more likely than non-breastfeeders to state that

breastfeeding is easier than bottle feeding (73% compared to 23%). For most of the

other questions, breastfeeders are 1.3 - 2.0 times as likely to give favorable responses.

Attitude/belief statements with which breastfeeding women are twice as likely to agree

include, “Breastfeeding helps women lose weight,” “Breast pumps are easy to use,”

“Breastfeeding will protect your baby against ear infections,” and “Breastfeeding will

protect your baby against diarrhea.” Interestingly, both breastfeeding and nonbreastfeeding mothers generally disagree with the statement that breastfeeding means

you can’t go back to school or work.

Mothers who do not breastfeed are much more likely to respond that they are not sure

about the various attitude/belief statements. Again, this is shown dramatically by the

question about whether breastfeeding is easier than bottle feeding; 19 percent of nonbreastfeeders answered “not sure,” compared to 2 percent of breastfeeders. For many of

the questions, less than 5 percent of the breastfeeders said they were not sure, while

much larger percentages of non-breastfeeders are unsure. For a few statements, more

than 10 percent of breastfeeders, as well as non-breastfeeders, were unsure whether

they agreed or disagreed. These statements included, “Breastfeeding helps women lose

weight,” “A man feels left out if a woman breastfeeds,” “ Breastfeeding will make your

breasts sag,” “Breast pumps are easy to use,” “Breastfeeding will protect your baby

against ear infections,” and “Breastfeeding will protect your baby against diarrhea.”

It should be noted that breastfeeding status for this analysis was categorized based

on whether the mother breastfed her infant at all, not whether the mother breastfed for a

long enough time to fully consider advantages and disadvantages of breastfeeding.
77

Thus, breastfeeding mothers who did not give favorable responses or who were unsure

of their feelings on a given question may have breastfed their infants only briefly.

Conclusions

The findings of the WIC-IFPS with regard to breastfeeding attitudes and beliefs are

similar to those of Baranowski et al. (1986). They report four attitudinal factors

associated with the decision to breastfeed: benefits to the infant, social inconvenience,

personal inconvenience, and physical inconvenience. Although the WIC-IFPS data do

not indicate significant differentiation between social, personal, and physical

inconvenience, they do support the basic distinction between a “benefits” category and a

“barriers” or “inconvenience” category.

A recent extensive literature review (Losch et al., 1995) on the relationship between

maternal attitudes and infant feeding practices notes that most women are aware of the

benefits of breastfeeding, particularly those related to infant health. Those who formula

feed are making that decision not because they want to formula feed but because they

are rejecting breastfeeding, due to concerns about the process. The authors conclude

that “it may ultimately be more important to increase the amount of information

provided... about the practical aspects of the breastfeeding process (e.g., ease of night

feedings, fathers’ ability to feed mother’s milk by bottle, lower cost, strategies to control

leaking) than to rely solely on the positive health outcomes related to breastfeeding.”
78

For many of the questions in the WIC-IFPS, African American mothers are most

likely to give the responses that are not supportive of breastfeeding; in other words, they

are the least aware of the benefits of breastfeeding and the most concerned about the

barriers to breastfeeding. African American mothers are also the least likely racial/ethnic

group to breastfeed.

Comparison of responses to the questions about perceived barriers to breastfeeding

in the present study between women who breastfed and those who did not also suggests

numerous beliefs that distinguish these two groups. Breastfeeding women are more

convinced that breastfeeding is relatively easy, indicating that concern about perceived

barriers may be associated with the decision not to breastfeed. While there is no

guarantee that changes in attitudes and beliefs will cause changes in breastfeeding

practices, the results indicate that programmatic intervention, particularly addressing the

perceived barriers, could encourage breastfeeding initiation.

Regarding their physical appearance, breastfeeding mothers are more likely to agree

that breastfeeding helps women lose weight and less likely to agree that it will make their

breasts sag. However, large percentages among both breastfeeding and nonbreastfeeding mothers are unsure about the impact of breastfeeding on their physical

appearance.

More than half of the non-breastfeeders report that that they do not know a lot about

breastfeeding. It is not clear whether the greater knowledge among breastfeeding

mothers leads to the decision to breastfeed or is a result of having breastfed. Very few

women in either group feel that their breasts are too small to breastfeed. However, many

women, regardless of breastfeeding status, think that they do not have enough

breastmilk. Belief in insufficiency of breastmilk may be an important barrier to

breastfeeding (see Section VII.3. and also Hill & Aldag, 1993).

All of the attitudes and beliefs regarding the impact of breastfeeding on infant health

have a strong association with breastfeeding status. Mothers who initiate breastfeeding

are significantly more likely than non-breastfeeders to agree with the statements about

breastfeeding protecting against disease; about breastfed infants being healthier; and

about breastmilk giving a new baby all it needs. Again, while non-breastfeeding mothers

may simply not want to accept these statements as being true, it is also possible that

more knowledge about these topics may provide an incentive to breastfeed (FNS,

1993a).
79

The results pertaining to attitudes and beliefs that are presented here are those that

were obtained at the Month 2 interview. Attitudinal data collected after delivery are

believed to be affected by self-justification, i.e., the provision of responses that justify the

(already-made) decision regarding a feeding choice (Aronson, 1965). Thus, the more

positive responses expressed by breastfeeding women may have led to their

breastfeeding in the first place, but mothers’ answers may also be a result of selfjustification. Nonetheless, comparison with the limited data available from the prenatal

interviews is reassuring regarding the reliability of postnatal reports of breastfeeding

attitudes. Thus, it seems that the comparisons presented here between breastfeeding

and non-breastfeeding mothers can provide some useful information to guide

development of breastfeeding education programs.

Many breastfeeding mothers are concerned about whether they are producing

enough breastmilk for their infants, as discussed more extensively in Section VII.3 on

nursing problems. Maternal perception of breastmilk insufficiency is widespread,

particularly in industrialized countries (Gussler & Briesemeister, 1980; Hillervik-Lindquist,

1991). Although more than three-fourths of WIC mothers agree that any woman can

breastfeed, just over half believe that she herself has enough milk. This concern about

breastmilk sufficiency, and in particular the lack of agreement between what a woman

thinks is possible in general terms, relative to her own insecurity of providing enough milk,

has recently been given credence by recent media reports about the “milk insufficiency

syndrome” (Wall Street Journal, 1994). It may also reflect transmitted concerns of family

members (Duckett et al., 1993).

IV.5. Transition to a Combined Breastmilk and Formula Diet

Research Questions

Understanding the infant health and nutrition implications of breastfeeding requires

information not only on whether an infant is breastfed, but also on the relative role of

breastfeeding in the infant’s diet. The health and nutrition implications of exclusive

breastfeeding differ from those of partial breastfeeding. In this section, the transition

from a breastmilk-only to a combined breastmilk-and-formula diet is examined. Every

mother who initiates breastfeeding is assumed to initiate an exclusive breastfeeding diet

even for a very short time (one day). The WIC-IFPS data allow the examination of the

timing of initiation of formula supplementation.
80

The extent of breastfeeding is examined in two ways. First the components of the

infant’s nursing diet are examined. The nursing diet may consist of breastmilk only,

breastmilk and formula, or formula only.15 In addition to the components of the nursing

diet, breastfeeding practices are examined among all infants who breastfeed at all.

Breastfeeding practices are divided into three categories: (1) exclusive or predominant

breastfeeding (no supplemental foods, no formula); (2) breastfeeding with formula

supplementation (no supplemental foods); and (3) complementary breastfeeding (with

formula and supplemental foods). While the examination of the nursing diet focuses on

the source of milk that the infant receives, the examination of breastfeeding practices

focuses on the entire diet of breastfeeding infants.

The following research questions are addressed in this section:

 How do WIC infants’ nursing diets change during the first year of life?

 Are the characteristics of the mothers associated with the nursing diets that they

choose?

 Among the breastfeeding WIC infants, what percentages are exclusively or

predominantly breastfed, breastfed with supplementary formula or milk, and

breastfed with supplemental foods?

 How long do WIC mothers breastfeed without supplementing breastfeeds with

formula?

 What non-program and program factors predict the likelihood of formula

supplementation?

The WIC Program encourages mothers to breastfeed exclusively (FNS, 1993a). In

fact, WIC counselors are advised not to give any unwanted or unneeded formula so that

formula supplementation does not begin unnecessarily or become regarded as “normal”

(FNS, 1993a; NAWD, 1994). Furthermore, the enhanced breastfeeding food package

that was recently added to WIC food packages is designed to promote and support

exclusive breastfeeding. NAWD (1994) recommends that mothers who breastfeed are

provided with information about the negative impact of formula supplementation on the

supply of breastmilk.

 

15 A very small portion of infants in early infancy receive neither breastmilk nor formula. This proportion is under 2

percent during the first 4 months.
81

Since there are concerns about inappropriate formula supplementation (FNS, 1993a),

it is important to identify its predictors. Analyses presented in this section investigate the

predictors of the initiation of formula supplementation. These analyses provide

information about the relative role of breastfeeding attitudes/beliefs and WIC Program

components in the initiation of formula supplementation. These analyses also indicate

the subgroups of WIC mothers who are highly likely to initiate formula supplementation.

The role of formula supplementation in the weaning process is examined in Chapter VII.

Figure IV.4 displays the non-program and program factors considered as predictors

of initiation of formula supplementation among breastfeeding infants. The following nonprogram factors were considered:

 Socio-demographic characteristics: maternal age, race and ethnicity,

immigrant status, birth order of the infant, maternal household size, father

presence in the household, poverty level of the mother,16 maternal receipt of

public assistance, education, maternal employment status, and use of nonmaternal child-care17

 Health-related characteristics: experience of breastfeeding problems and

birthweight of the infant

 Social context: receipt of advice to breastfeed from the grandmother, relatives,

or friends, and breastfeeding of previous children

 

16 A variable was included that indicated if the mother reported her income. 17 Maternal employment status and use of child care may vary each month. They were incorporated in the model as

a time-varying predictors.
82

 Sources of breastfeeding advice other than WIC: receipt of advice to

breastfeed from the physician, and receipt of information about breastfeeding

somewhere other than WIC

 Hospital practices: availability of formula or a bottle from the hospital gift

package, and the length of the hospital stay.

In addition, the following program factors were considered:

 Infant feeding attitudes/beliefs: perceived benefits of breastfeeding and

perceived barriers to breastfeeding

 WIC Program components: knowledge of the special WIC breastfeeding food

package, receipt of information about breastfeeding from WIC, and receipt of

advice to breastfeed from WIC.

Socio-Demographic Characteristics

Age, race/ethnicity, immigrant status, birth order,

household size, presence of the infant’s father,

poverty level, receipt of public assistance, education,

employment, use of non-maternal childcare

Health-Related Characteristics

Birthweight of the infant,

experience of nursing problems

Social Context

Lay sources of advice on infant feeding,

breastfeeding of previous children

Non-Program Factors Program Factors

Infant Feeding Attitudes and Beliefs

Perceived benefits of breastfeeding,

perceived barriers to breastfeeding

WIC Program Components

Knowledge of the special WIC breastfeeding food

package, receipt of information about

breastfeeding from WIC,

receipt of advice to breastfeed from WIC

Sources of Nutrition Advice Other than WIC

Receipt of information about breastfeeding elsewhere,

 receipt of advice to breastfeed from the physician 

Hospital Practices

Availability of formula or a bottle from

a hospital gift package, length of the hospital stay

Initiation of Formula

Supplementation

Figure IV.4. A model of initiation of formula supplementation and the measures of its

predictors available from the WIC-IFPS.
83

Main Findings

 The percentage of WIC infants who are breastfed without formula

supplementation through their infancy is very small.

 Maternal race and ethnicity, immigrant status, and maternal education are

significantly associated with the choice of nursing diets. Hispanic mothers,

mothers born outside the United States, and highly educated mothers are more

likely to choose nursing diets that involve some breastfeeding.

 In addition to formula supplementation of breastfeeding, substantial proportions

of breastfeeding infants also receive some supplemental foods during the first

few months.

 Formula supplementation occurs quite early among breastfeeding mothers, with

one-half initiating formula supplementation about the time their infants are two

weeks old.

 Mothers who report having problems with their breastmilk are 70 percent more

likely to initiate formula supplementation.

 Perceived benefits of breastfeeding are associated with lower likelihood of

formula supplementation. Furthermore, the differences in formula

supplementation between African American and white mothers appear to be

mostly due to the differences in perceived benefits of breastfeeding.

 Knowledge of the special WIC breastfeeding food package is significantly

associated with lower likelihood of initiating formula supplementation.

See the Results section for more information on these findings.

Previous Studies

The issues of formula supplementation and exclusive/partial breastfeeding have not

been extensively studied, mainly for two reasons: (1) retrospective reporting of initiation

of formula supplementation is not likely to be accurate and (2) longitudinal and frequent

interviews are necessary to understand the changes in the nursing diets of infants. No

such national studies existed prior to the WIC-IFPS. However,
84

NAWD (1994) recommends that the WIC nutritionists collect data on breastfeeding

patterns to get a better picture of the infant feeding practices of the WIC mothers, and to

better focus the breastfeeding promotion activities. 

Formula supplementation is thought to be detrimental to breastfeeding. The

introduction of formula among breastfeeding infants is thought to influence the ultimate

duration of breastfeeding (American Academy of Pediatrics, 1993: 6; Oski, 1994). Other

studies found strong indication that formula availability may decrease breastfeeding

(Bevan et al., 1984; Hill, 1991).

In a study of milk insufficiency, it was found that higher proportions of breastfeeding

mothers who reported milk insufficiency initiated formula supplementation than mothers

who did not report insufficiency (Hill & Aldag, 1993). In a study of Hawaii WIC mothers,

age of the mother was associated with exclusive breastfeeding, with mothers older than

29 years having the highest rates (Novotny et al., 1994). Evidence from local studies

indicates that large proportions of breastfeeding WIC mothers introduce formula early in

infancy. Hill (1991) found that 58 percent of breastfeeding mothers initiated formula by

14 days. Bevan et al. (1984) found that about half of the breastfeeders supplemented

with substantial amounts of formula and two-thirds supplemented with supplemental

foods. They also found that two-thirds of the mothers initiated formula by one month of

age.

Statistical Methods

The WIC-IFPS elicited a variety of information about the nursing diet of the infant.

First, at each month of interview, data were collected about the infant’s nursing diet

during the week preceding the interview. For each month of interview, the following four

nursing diets can be delineated:

 infants who are receiving breastmilk and no formula

 infants who are receiving breastmilk and formula

 infants who are receiving formula only

 infants who are receiving neither breastmilk nor formula.

Among the breastfeeding infants (the first two groups listed above), WIC-IFPS data

from each month of interview distinguish among the following three breastfeeding

practices (Labbok & Krasovec, 1990; WHO/UNICEF 1991):
85

 infants who are exclusively or predominantly breastfeeding: These infants

receive almost all nutrients from breastmilk. They do not receive formula, cow’s

milk, other milk, or supplemental foods. They may be receiving other liquids

such as juice, water, or tea.

 infants who are supplementing breastmilk with formula: These infants receive

breastmilk and formula. They may be receiving other liquids such as juice,

water, or tea as well, but they do not receive any supplemental foods.

 infants who are receiving complementary breastfeeding: These infants receive

breastmilk and supplemental foods such as infant cereal, fruits, vegetables, or

meats. They may also be receiving formula, cow’s milk, other milk, or other

liquids.

For all infants whose mothers initiated breastfeeding, the day of initiation of formula

is known from maternal reports. Hence, very accurate analysis of durations of

breastfeeding without formula supplementation can be conducted for all infants whose

mothers initiated breastfeeding. The methods for analyzing the timing of formula

supplementation and the factors that are associated with formula supplementation are

presented below.

Percentages of WIC mothers following each of the nursing diets (breastmilk, formula,

mixed) were examined. The association of the nursing diet at each month with selected

socio-demographic factors was tested using chi-square statistics that were computed by

accounting for the multistage stratified and clustered sampling design of the WIC-IFPS.

SUDAAN statistical software was used to estimate these percentages and chi-square

statistics. In addition, among breastfeeding mothers, percentages by the type of

breastfeeding practice (exclusive or partial) were examined over the first year of life for

each month of interview.

The analysis of the timing of initiation of formula supplementation among

breastfeeding mothers requires special methods of analysis, for three reasons:

(1) Formula supplementation occurs over a period of time when mothers are

gradually diminishing breastfeeds and initiating formula feeds. Unlike the

initiation of breastfeeding, which occurs immediately following the birth within a

condensed time period, formula supplementation occurs over early infancy,

and some predictors of formula supplementation (for example, maternal
86

employment) may change over early infancy. The timing of formula

supplementation may be associated with the timing of other changes in a

mother’s life. The method of analysis must accommodate this complexity.

(2) A number of breastfeeding mothers never initiate formula supplementation.

Data from these mothers must be included in the analysis because excluding

them would lead to an overestimation of the extent of formula supplementation

among WIC mothers. The method of analysis must account for this group of

mothers who never supplement breastfeeding with formula.

(3) A few mothers were lost from the study before they initiated formula

supplementation. Partial information is available from these mothers, and their

data must not be excluded from the analysis, because they may have some

feeding practices that are different from the women who did not drop out of the

study. The method of analysis must be able to include these truncated

observations.

These requirements can be satisfied by “life table” methods. A life table provides a

series of rates of occurrence of an event of interest at time points measured from an

event of origin. In this case, life tables of formula supplementation provide a series of

rates of initiation of formula supplementation at each time point since the infant’s birth,

measured in days. More specifically, at any given infant age, one can estimate the

likelihood that a mother will initiate formula supplementation, given that she has not

started formula supplementation until that day. These rates can be used to estimate

various quantities. Most commonly, these rates are used to estimate the proportions (or

percentages) of mothers who have not yet initiated formula supplementation at each age.

On the basis of these proportions, the median age of formula supplementation is

estimated. This is equivalent to the age when one-half of the infants’ mothers have

initiated formula supplementation, and one-half are still exclusively or predominantly

breastfeeding.

To identify the unique contributions of socio-demographic, health-related, attitudinal,

social contextual, WIC, and other program-related factors to the rates of formula

supplementation, the basic life table methodology can be expanded. Multivariate life

table methods of analysis were used to examine the timing of initiation of formula

supplementation. These models are briefly described here. For a more detailed

description, see Appendix G.
87

The models estimated by expanding the life table methodology are often labeled

multivariate models of “hazard” rates (so called due to the original development of these

models for engineering products’ expected life times). In this case, “hazard” rates refer

to the rates of initiation of formula supplementation. These models take the following

form:

where h(t) refers to the likelihood (rate) of formula initiation at time t, h0 refers to the

“baseline” rate (see below), and refers to the estimated coefficient that represents the

strength of the association between a given characteristic (x) and the likelihood of

initiation of formula. The characteristics that predict formula supplementation may

themselves be changing over time (e.g., maternal employment). Hence, x2 in equation

IV.3 may change depending on the time indicator t. In contrast, x1 and x3 are

characteristics that remain constant over time (e.g., maternal race).

The coefficients estimated by the multivariate models of “hazard” rates are more

easily interpreted if they are exponentiated. The exponentiated coefficients can be

interpreted as the estimated relative risk. For example, if the coefficient of the variable

such as African American race is exponentiated, it can be interpreted as the relative risk

that an African American mother will initiate formula supplementation as compared to a

white mother (comparison category) who is similar to the African American mother in all

relevant aspects except for race. Below, in the discussion of the findings of the analyses

of formula supplementation, all estimated coefficients are interpreted this way.

In building multivariate models of formula supplementation, a protocol was followed

that tested the predictive power of groups of variables. This protocol is identical to that

described in Section IV.3. The variables that were not significantly associated with the

likelihood of formula supplementation and the variables that were not of primary

substantive interest were eliminated from the models (see Appendix H for a description

of this protocol).

Results

Nursing diet of WIC infants. Figure IV.5 illustrates the percentages of mothers, who,

at the time of each monthly interview, were breastfeeding only, breast and formula

feeding, or only formula feeding.

log log ( ) h(t) = h0 t + x + x (t) + x + ...   1 1 2 2 3 3 (IV.3)
88

Figure IV.5. Percentages of only breastfeeding, combined breast- and formulafeeding, and only formula-feeding WIC mothers at each month of interview.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Only Breastfeeding Breast and formula feeding Only formula feeding

Interview Month

Percentage
89

 The percentage of WIC infants who are breastfed without formula

supplementation through their infancy is very small.

Only a small minority of WIC infants have nursing diets that consist of breastfeeding

only. At the time of the Month 1 interview, only 13 percent of all infants receive

breastmilk only, and an additional 20 percent receive breastmilk and formula. At that

time, two-thirds of the WIC-IFPS infants have a nursing diet that consists of formula only.

By the Month 2 interview the combined share of breastfeeding infants and infants on a

combined breastmilk-formula diet drops to one-quarter of all infants. By the Month 3

interview, this proportion drops to just over one-fifth of all infants, with only 9 percent of

the infants receiving breastmilk without formula and almost 12 percent of the infants

receiving breastmilk and formula. By the Month 5 interview, the percentage of infants

receiving breastmilk only is down to 7 percent; infants receiving breastmilk and formula

is down to 9 percent.

 Maternal race and ethnicity, immigrant status, and maternal education are

significantly associated with the choice of nursing diets. Hispanic mothers,

mothers born outside of the United States, and highly educated mothers are more

likely to choose nursing diets that involve some breastfeeding.

The investigation of the association between the socio-demographic characteristics

of the mothers and their choice of nursing diets reveals some significant associations.

Table IV.6 provides the differences in the nursing diets of the mothers at the time of the

Month 1 and Month 3 interviews.18 Mother’s race/ethnicity is significantly associated with

the nursing diet, with a very small minority (3%) of African American mothers

breastfeeding only, as compared to somewhat larger proportions of white and Hispanic

mothers (15% each) at Month 1. While these race and ethnicity differences are mostly

maintained through the months, the pattern of change in nursing diets differs between

white and Hispanic

 

18 The complete table of nursing diets at each month is provided in Appendix I.
90

Table IV.6. Percentage distribution of the infants by nursing diets at the time of each interview

month, by selected socio-demographic characteristics.

 Nursing Diet

Characteristics Only

Breastfed

Breast and

Formula

Fed

Only Formula

Fed

Neither

Breast Nor

Formula Fed

N1

MONTH 1

Race and ethnicity** White

African American

Hispanic

Other

14

3

15

34

17

14

33

13

67

82

51

53

2

0

1

0

295

125

125

32

Immigrant status** Born in the U.S.

Born elsewhere

12

16

15

40

72

43

1

2

452

116

Age of the mother at birth of

child

14-19

20-25

26 or older

8

14

15

9

40

25

82

61

59

0

2

1

135

247

195

Highest grade completed by the

mother*

9th grade or less

10th or 11th grades

12th grade

More than high school

11

7

14

20

22

12

17

34

64

80

68

46

3

0

2

1

90

112

242

122

MONTH 3

Race and ethnicity** White

African American

Hispanic

Other

8

4

15

11

9

4

23

20

82

92

61

69

1

0

1

0

392

167

154

42

Immigrant Status** Born in the U.S.

Born elsewhere

7

15

8

29

85

55

1

1

601

138

Age of the mother at birth of

child

14 - 19

20 - 25

26 or older

6

9

12

4

12

16

89

78

72

1

1

1

175

332

248

Highest grade completed by the

mother**

9th grade or less

10th or 11th grades

12th grade

More than high school

11

3

9

14

13

6

9

22

74

90

81

63

2

0

0

0

121

152

323

145

Notes:

1. Includes all infants whose mothers were interviewed that month.

* Chi-square statistic testing the group differences is significant at p<.05.

** Chi-square statistic testing the group differences is significant at p<.01.
91

mothers. Among the white mothers, the proportion of breastfeeding alone declines from

15 percent at Month 1 to 8 percent at Month 3. In contrast, this proportion is maintained

at a constant level among the Hispanic mothers through the first three months.

In addition to the significant race and ethnicity differences in breastfeeding only, there

are strong race and ethnicity differences in the proportions feeding a combined nursing

diet of breastmilk and formula. One-third of Hispanic mothers choose this diet at the time

of the Month 1 interview, as compared to about 15 percent of the mothers from other

races or ethnicities (17% whites, 14% African Americans, 13% other mothers). Over the

first three months, the proportions of breast-and-formula-feeding mothers of each race

and ethnic group decline, with corresponding increases in the formula-feeding mothers.

The only exception is the Hispanic mothers (proportions on a combined diet remain at

about one-quarter level).

Immigrant status is also significantly associated with the maternal choice of nursing

diets. The mothers who were born in the United States are more likely to be only

formula feeding than mothers who were born elsewhere. This difference persists

through the early infancy.

Maternal age is significantly associated with the choice of nursing diets when

comparing teenage mothers to older mothers. Age differences among the mothers older

than 20 are not significant. Nursing diets involving any breastfeeding are much less

common among teen mothers than among older mothers. Less than one in ten teen

mothers breastfeed only or feed a combined breastmilk-formula diet in Month 1. These

rates compare to almost 15 percent breastfeeding only and almost one-quarter feeding a

combined diet among older mothers.

There are significant differences in the choice of infants’ nursing diets by mother’s

educational level. However, these differences do not appear to be linear. While highly

educated mothers are more likely to adopt nursing diets that include some

breastfeeding, the group of mothers with lowest education (9th grade or less) also

maintain high levels of breastfeeding through early infancy. This may partly be attributed

to other characteristics of lesser-educated mothers. It is likely that the group with the

lowest education includes high proportions of immigrant mothers, who tend to have

higher rates of breastfeeding.
92

Breastfeeding practices. Figure IV.6 provides an overview of the types of

breastfeeding practices that WIC mothers adopt. The three types of breastfeeding

practices are defined on page 84. The percentages of exclusively or predominantly

breastfeeding mothers, partial breastfeeding mothers (who also feed formula, cow’s milk,

or other milk), and complementary breastfeeding mothers who also feed supplemental

foods are displayed. The exclusive and predominant breastfeeders are combined in a

single category because there are too few exclusive breastfeeders among WIC mothers.

 In addition to formula supplementation of breastfeeding, substantial proportions of

breastfeeding infants also receive some supplemental foods during the first few

months.

Among the WIC infants who are breastfeeding at all, the proportion of exclusive or

predominant breastfeeders declines rapidly after Month 3, from 32 percent to 6 percent at

Month 5. Breastfeeding infants who also receive formula decline steadily from Month 1

on, and the percentage of breastfeeding infants who also receive supplemental foods

increases steadily. By the Month 2 interview, almost one-quarter (24%) of breastfeeding

Figure IV.6. Percentages of breastfeeding WIC mothers, by type of breastfeeding

practice at each month of interview.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

0123456789

Exclusive or predominant breastfeeding

Breastfeeding with formula or milk

Complementary breastfeeding (with formula and/or supplemental foods)

Interview Month

Percentage
93

infants receive some supplemental foods, and hence enter the transitional phase of infant

feeding. By the Month 3 interview, the proportion of breastfeeding infants receiving

supplemental foods is almost one-third. More than one-half of all breastfeeding infants

receive formula or milk in addition to breastmilk by Month 1. By the Month 3 interview,

breastfeeding mothers are almost evenly divided between those who practice exclusive

or predominant breastfeeding, those who practice a combined breastmilk and formula

diet, and those who practice complementary breastfeeding with supplemental foods.

Timing of the initiation of formula supplementation. The WIC-IFPS provides a unique

opportunity to examine the introduction of formula to the nursing diets of breastfeeding

infants. Using the WIC-IFPS, the proportion of breastfeeding infants at each age whose

nursing diets do not include formula can be estimated.

 Formula supplementation occurs quite early among breastfeeding mothers, with

one-half initiating formula supplementation about the time their infants are two

weeks old.

The estimated percentages of infants whose mothers have not yet initiated formula at

each age are displayed in Figure IV.7. About 50 percent of breastfeeding WIC mothers

initiate formula supplementation by the time their infants are 16 days old. About onequarter initiate formula supplementation by 5 days of age and three-quarters initiate

formula supplementation prior to two months of age (49 days).

Table IV.7 shows the median age of the infants when their mothers initiate formula

supplementation, by selected socio-demographic characteristics. One-half of

breastfeeding African American infants receive formula supplementation by 12 days of

age. Although Hispanic mothers maintain high levels of breastfeeding, one-half of them

initiate formula supplementation when their infants are 13 days old.
94

Table IV.7. Median age in days of the infant at the time when formula supplementation is initiated,

by selected socio-demographic characteristics.

Characteristics

Median Age in Days of the

Infants at the Time

Formula Supplementation

is Initiated1 N

Total 16 477

Race and ethnicity

White

African American

Hispanic

Other

20

12

13

24

233

69

135

40

Age of the mother at birth of child

14 - 19

20 - 25

26 or older

13

16

20

95

206

176

Highest grade completed by the mother

9th grade or less

10th or 11th grades

12th grade

More than high school

12

14

16

24

75

88

184

116

Note:

1. Age when 50% of the mothers have initiated formula supplementation.

Figure IV.7. Percentages of breastfeeding WIC mothers who have not yet initiated

formula, by the age of the infant.

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200

Age of the infant in days

Percentage
95

Younger mothers initiate formula supplementation slightly earlier. Highly educated WIC

mothers maintain breastfeeding without formula supplementation for longer durations,

with one-half of the mothers who have completed schooling beyond high school

postponing formula supplementation until their infants are 24 days old.

Predictors of initiation of formula supplementation. The multivariate models of rates

of initiation of formula supplementation were estimated for all infants who breastfeed.

Model I tests the association between maternal socio-demographic characteristics and

initiation of formula supplementation. Model II includes all non-program factors: sociodemographic characteristics, health-related characteristics, factors describing maternal

social context, sources of nutrition advice other than WIC, and hospital practices. Model

III includes these non-program factors and the program factors: infant feeding attitudes

and beliefs of the mothers and WIC Program components. The following equations

describe the three models presented in Table IV.8.

Model

I

Rate of Initiation

of Formula

Supplementation

= Baseline

Rate

* SocioDemographic

Characteristics

Rate of Initiation

of Formula

Supplementation

= Baseline

Rate

* SocioDemographic

Characteristics

* Health Related

Characteristics

* Social

Context

Model

II * Sources of

Nutrition Advice

Other Than

WIC

* Hospital

Practices

Rate of Initiation

of Formula

Supplementation

= Baseline

Rate

* SocioDemographic

Characteristics

* Health Related

Characteristics

* Social

Context

Model

III

* Sources of

Nutrition Advice

Other Than

WIC

* Hospital

Practices

* Infant

Feeding

Attitudes

and Beliefs

* WIC Program

Components
96

Table IV.8. Estimates of the relative risk1

 estimated by the multivariate models of rates of

initiation of formula supplementation (N=477).

Predictors Model I Model II Model III

SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS

Age of the mother at birth of child .98* .98** .98*

African American 1.50* 1.44* 1.17

Hispanic 1.12 1.05 1.06

Maternal immigrant status - foreign born 1.31 1.39 1.28

Birth order of the infant - firstborn 1.09 .60** .60**

Use of non-maternal child care 2.30** 2.17** 2.22**

HEALTH-RELATED CHARACTERISTICS

Birthweight of the infant 1.00 1.00

Reported problems with the breast or feeding 1.11 1.11

Reported problems with the breastmilk 1.70** 1.63**

SOCIAL CONTEXT

Receipt of advice to breastfeed from relatives .81 .87

Mother breastfed previous children .45** .50**

HOSPITAL PRACTICES

Length of hospital stay of the mother 1.10 1.09

Receipt of formula or bottle from the hospital gift package 1.09 1.10

SOURCES OF NUTRITION ADVICE OTHER THAN WIC

Receipt of advice to breastfeed from physician 1.00 .95

Receipt of information about breastfeeding elsewhere .91 .91

INFANT FEEDING ATTITUDES AND BELIEFS

Perceived benefits of breastfeeding .99**

Perceived barriers to breastfeeding 1.01

WIC PROGRAM COMPONENTS

Knowledge of the special WIC breastfeeding food package2 .71*

Maternal report on receipt of information about breastfeeding from WIC3 .98

Maternal report on receipt of advice to breastfeed from WIC.4 1.16

Notes:

1. Relative risk greater than one implies that the characteristic considered is associated with higher likelihood of formula

supplementation. Relative risk less than one implies that the characteristic considered is associated with lower likelihood

of formula supplementation.

2. The answer to the question “Have you been told that there is a special WIC food package from breastfeeding women who

do not accept infant formula from WIC?” is “yes.”

3. The answer to any one of the three questions “Have you received information or advice from the WIC office about (1)

benefits of breastfeeding?, (2) how to breastfeed?, or (3) mother’s diet while breastfeeding?” is “yes.”

4. The answer to the question “Have WIC program staff told you that you should breastfeed?” is “yes.”

* p<.05

** p<.01
97

Among the socio-demographic markers, younger maternal age, African American

race, and use of non-maternal child care are associated with higher likelihood of initiating

formula supplementation. As indicated by Model I in Table IV.8, older maternal age is

significantly associated with lower rates of initiation of formula among breastfeeding

mothers. According to the estimates, each additional year of age reduces the rate of

formula initiation by 2 percent (relative risk is 0.98). African American mothers are more

likely to initiate formula supplementation. The likelihood that an African American mother

will initiate formula supplementation is 50 percent higher than a comparable white

mother. Although Hispanic mothers and mothers who were born outside the United

States are more likely to adopt nursing diets that involve some breastfeeding (see

above), among the breastfeeding mothers, Hispanic ethnicity is not associated with the

likelihood of formula supplementation.

Both maternal employment and use of non-maternal child care are associated with the

initiation of formula supplementation. Multivariate models including both of these

indicators (not shown in Table IV.8) reveal that it is the use of non-maternal care (often

associated with maternal employment) that predicts the initiation of formula

supplementation. In other words, breastfeeding mothers who recruit others’ help for caring

for their infants are highly likely to begin formula supplementation regardless of their

employment status. The rate of formula initiation among the mothers who use nonmaternal child care is 2.3 times higher than the rate of formula initiation among the

mothers who care for infants themselves.

 Mothers who report having problems with their breastmilk are 70 percent more

likely to initiate formula supplementation.

Among the health-related characteristics, birthweight of the infant is not significantly

associated with the likelihood of formula initiation. The association between the nursing

problems and formula supplementation is examined using two indicators of such

problems, as reported by the mothers: problems with the breasts or feeding (e.g., sore

nipples, infant choking while breastfeeding) and problems with breastmilk (e.g.,

something wrong with the milk, not enough milk for the infant). A detailed description of

nursing problems may be found in Section VII.3. Model II in Table IV.8 shows that the

mothers who report problems with breastmilk are 70 percent more likely (relative risk

1.70) to initiate formula supplementation than the mothers who do not report such
98

problems. There is no significant association of formula supplementation with other

nursing problems.

Mothers who breastfed previous children are about half as likely to initiate formula

supplementation as the mothers who previously had children but did not breastfeed them.

Firstborn children are about 40 percent less likely (relative risk is 0.60) to receive formula

supplementation. Drawing together these results, it is concluded that the mothers who

had children before but did not breastfeed them are most likely to start formula

supplementation, even if they initiate breastfeeding, followed by the mothers of firstborn

children, and the mothers who breastfed their previous children. Neither the length of the

maternal hospital stay nor the receipt of gift packages with a bottle or formula are

associated with formula supplementation. This latter finding regarding the gift packages,

however, must be interpreted in light of the fact that almost all mothers receive such gift

packages, making it difficult to measure the differences between the mothers who did or

did not receive them (see Chapter V).

Physicians’ advice to breastfeed and receipt of information about breastfeeding from

sources other than WIC are not significantly associated with the initiation of formula

supplementation, although these are associated with breastfeeding initiation (see Section

IV.3). This finding is not surprising, because most of such information is disseminated

through birthing classes that will have little effect after the infant is born.

Model III in Table IV.8 includes breastfeeding attitudes and beliefs as well as WIC

Program components.

 Perceived benefits of breastfeeding are associated with lower likelihood of

formula supplementation. Furthermore, the differences in formula

supplementation between African American and white mothers appear to be

mostly due to the differences in perceived benefits of breastfeeding.

Mothers who perceive more benefits of breastfeeding have reduced rates of initiation

of formula. Each percentile point increase in the scale that measures the mother’s belief

in the benefits of breastfeeding is associated with a percentile point reduction in the

relative risk of formula supplementation (relative risk is 0.99). When the effects of

maternal attitudes toward breastfeeding are controlled, African American race is no

longer significantly associated with formula supplementation. This finding indicates that

the racial differences in formula supplementation may be attributed to the differences in
99

perceived benefits of breastfeeding that prevail among African American and white

mothers.

 Knowledge of the special WIC breastfeeding food package is significantly

associated with lower likelihood of initiating formula supplementation.

Maternal report on receipt of information about breastfeeding from WIC and receipt

of advice to breastfeed from WIC are not associated with the likelihood of supplementing

breastfeeding with formula. However, the mothers who know about the special WIC

breastfeeding food package for the mothers who do not accept formula from WIC are

about 30 percent less likely to initiate formula supplementation.

Conclusions

WIC mothers are not very likely to choose nursing diets that include breastfeeding,

with the exception of Hispanic mothers. Among the breastfeeding mothers, those who

exclusively or predominantly breastfeed are a small minority. Hispanic mothers not only

choose nursing diets that include breastfeeding more than any other group, they also

have a relatively stable level of breastfeeding during early infancy. Steady declines in

the proportions of breastfed only and combined breast-and-formula fed infants were

observed during the first few months of infancy, especially among the white and African

American WIC mothers. The choice of nursing diets varies greatly between subgroups

of WIC mothers. In general, however, nursing diets that involve any breastfeeding at all

are relatively rare, and the percentages adopting these diets decline rapidly over early

infancy.

Breastfeeding WIC mothers introduce formula to the nursing diet very early in infancy.

The estimated proportions who introduce formula by two weeks and one month of age

are one-half and two-thirds, respectively. These estimates are in close agreement with

earlier estimates of Bevan et al. (1984), suggesting that while breastfeeding initiation

rates may have been going up over the last few decades, exclusive breastfeeding may

not have increased.

Use of non-maternal child care is a strong predictor of formula supplementation

among breastfeeding mothers. Use of child care more than doubles the likelihood of

formula supplementation, underscoring the importance of supporting continued

breastfeeding among employed mothers and mothers who attend school. This finding
100

also highlights the importance of maternal leave policies, on-site day care policies, and

the education of breastfeeding mothers to support continued breastfeeding even when

the mother must be away from the infant for several hours a day.

Mothers who did not breastfeed previous children are highly likely to supplement

breastfeeding with formula. These mothers are also much less likely to initiate

breastfeeding (see Section IV.3). These two findings taken together point to two groups

of mothers as targets for breastfeeding education and support programs: First, the

mothers who have older children and who have never breastfed constitute a group who

may need strong encouragement to initiate breastfeeding and support for exclusive or

predominant breastfeeding. Second, the first-time mothers constitute a group who may

be key to higher overall and exclusive breastfeeding rates. If a pattern of infant feeding

practices that include breastfeeding may be established in this group, it will benefit future

infants as well.

Maternal perception of problems with breastmilk predicts an increased likelihood of

formula supplementation among breastfeeding mothers. One particular breastfeeding

problem, i.e., milk insufficiency, was previously found to be significantly associated with

formula supplementation among WIC participants (Hill & Aldag, 1993). This finding is

supported by the WIC-IFPS.

Breastfeeding attitudes and beliefs are significantly associated with formula

supplementation. Since the attitudes are shaped by a woman’s breastfeeding

experience, they should ideally be measured early during the breastfeeding career. In

the WIC-IFPS, attitudes were measured at the time of the Month 2 interview. By

including these measures in the models of initiation of formula among breastfeeders, an

implicit assumption is made that these attitudes remain relatively constant after the

initiation of breastfeeding. This issue is discussed in Section IV.4. Nevertheless,

perceived benefits of breastfeeding predict a lower likelihood of formula supplementation.

Knowledge of the special WIC breastfeeding food package for mothers who do not

receive formula from WIC is significantly and negatively associated with initiation of

formula supplementation. This finding supports the hypothesis that this food package

may be acting as an incentive for exclusive or predominant breastfeeding.
101

CHAPTER V

HOSPITAL PRACTICES AND NEONATAL CIRCUMSTANCES

EXPERIENCED BY MOTHERS

V.I. Overview

This chapter describes of the experiences of WIC mothers and their infants during

the period immediately after birth. It focuses on:

 the feeding decisions made by the mothers during the neonatal period

 the linkages between hospital practices and the feeding decisions of the mothers.

V.2. WIC Program Components that Pertain to the Neonatal Period

FCS’s (as well as other pediatric and nutritional authorities’) policy is to encourage

breastfeeding whenever possible (FNS, 1993a). The WIC Program could influence

hospital practices related to neonatal feeding by:

 informing the mothers prior to the birth of the infant about the benefits of

breastfeeding and how to breastfeed

 coordinating breastfeeding promotion and support with health care providers and

hospitals

 providing breastfeeding support during the immediate postpartum period (NAWD,

1994).

A recent GAO study (1993) indicated that 42 state WIC agencies had community task

forces to promote breastfeeding. These task forces carried out activities such as training

local health care providers and giving them educational materials, and encouraging

hospitals to adopt policies supportive of breastfeeding. The report concluded that the

WIC Program may have direct ways (i.e., targeting mothers) as well as indirect ways (i.e.,

targeting health care providers) of influencing feeding practices during the neonatal

period, when the mother and the infant are still in the hospital.
102

V.3. Research Questions

This chapter presents the linkages between hospital practices and neonatal feeding.

The following research questions are addressed:

 How long do the mothers and infants stay in the hospital and what are their

rooming arrangements?

 How are the WIC infants fed at the time of their first feeding? How are maternal

and infant characteristics associated with the choice of first feeding?

 Do mothers who initiate breastfeeding in the hospital experience nursing

problems? If yes, do they receive any help from the hospital staff?

 Do WIC mothers receive gift packages from the hospital? What do these gift

packages contain?

 What is the nursing diet of WIC infants at the time of hospital discharge? Are

hospital practices associated with feeding practices at the time of discharge? Do

WIC Program components predict feeding practices at the time of discharge?

In addressing the last study question listed above, multivariate models are estimated,

predicting the feeding practices at hospital discharge based on a set of non-program

and program factors. These models are derived from the general conceptual model

presented in Chapter III. Figure V.1 depicts the models considered in predicting the

feeding practices at the time of hospital discharge. These models are estimated

separately for the mothers who breastfeed at the first feeding and for the mothers who

formula feed at the first feeding.

V.4. Main Findings

 A majority of WIC infants spend one or two days in the hospital postnatally.

 The majority of WIC infants sleep away from their mothers during their hospital

stay after birth.
103

 For the majority of the WIC infants, the first feeding in the hospital is formula, with

slightly over one-quarter receiving breastmilk.

 One-half of the mothers who ever initiate breastfeeding do so within three hours

of the birth.

 Almost three-quarters of the mothers who breastfeed in the hospital report

experiencing some nursing problems. Up to one-third of the mothers

experiencing specific nursing problems report receiving no help.

 Hospital gift packages almost always include an item that is considered to be

unsupportive in the establishment of breastfeeding.

 Forty-five percent of WIC mothers report breastfeeding at the time of hospital

discharge. Thirty percent report breastfeeding exclusively, and 15 percent report

breast- and formula-feeding.

Figure V.1. A model of feeding practices at hospital discharge and the

measures of its predictors from the WIC-IFPS.

Socio-Demographic Characteristics

Age, race-ethnicity, immigrant status, birth order,

presence of the infant’s father, poverty level,

maternal education

Health Related Characteristics

Experience of nursing problems in the hospital,

medical problems of the infant

Social Context

Grandmother’s advice on breastfeeding,

breastfeeding of previous children

Non-Program Factors Program Factors

WIC Program Components

Knowledge of the special WIC

breastfeeding food package, receipt of

information about breastfeeding from

WIC, receipt of advice to breastfeed

from WIC

Sources of Nutrition Advice Other than WIC

Receipt of information about breastfeeding

elsewhere, receipt of advice to breastfeed from the

physician

Hospital Practices

Length of the hospital stay, rooming arrangements,

availability of help with nursing problems

Feeding Practices at

Hospital Discharge
104

 African American mothers who initiate breastfeeding at the first feeding are

seven times more likely to be using formula at the time of hospital discharge than

comparable white mothers.

 Among the mothers who breastfeed at the first feeding, maternal perception of

problems with breastmilk is a significant predictor of formula use at the time of

hospital discharge. However, those mothers who receive help from the hospital

staff to address their nursing problems are about half as likely to be feeding

formula at the time of hospital discharge.

 An overnight stay in the hospital nursery doubles the odds of formula feeding at

the time of hospital discharge among the mothers who breastfeed at the first

feeding.

 Among the mothers who breastfeed at the first feeding, those who report that

they received advice from WIC staff to breastfeed are significantly less likely to

formula feed at the time of hospital discharge.

 Hispanic mothers and mothers who were born outside the United States are

significantly more likely to be breastfeeding at the time of hospital discharge,

even if they do not breastfeed at the first feeding.

 Knowledge of the special WIC food package for breastfeeding women is

significantly and positively associated with the odds of breastfeeding at hospital

discharge for the mothers who do not breastfeed at the first feeding.

V.5. Previous Studies

Neonatal circumstances and hospital practices are likely to have a strong impact on

feeding practices during the nursing phase (Jelliffe & Jelliffe, 1988). Separation of the

infant from the mother, feeding of formula or sugar water in the nursery (Glover, 1995),

and insufficient breastfeeding support in the hospital are associated with decreased

likelihood of breastfeeding (Ilollen, 1976; Michelman et al., 1990; Simon et al., 1988;

Winikoff et al., 1986). Initiation of breastfeeding within ten hours of birth is found to be

associated with higher rates of breastfeeding (Romero-Gwynn & Carias, 1989).

The “Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative,” jointly sponsored by the World Health

Organization (WHO) and UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund, formerly United
105

Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund), encourages maternity services

throughout the world to adopt policies and practices that have been shown to encourage

breastfeeding (WHO, 1989). A survey of state WIC directors recommends that hospitals

receiving federal funds (Medicare/Medicaid) be required to adopt these policies (GAO,

1993). The “Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding” specified by WHO and UNICEF

include such items as help mothers initiate breastfeeding within a half hour of birth; give

newborns no food or drink other than breastmilk; and allow mothers and infants to stay

together 24 hours a day.

Early hospital discharge negatively influences breastfeeding (Ryan & Martinez, 1989),

probably because returning home diminishes the mother’s opportunity to consult with

professionals regarding any breastfeeding difficulties. On the other hand, a long hospital

stay may be indicative of maternal health problems that are also associated with lower

levels of breastfeeding. Maternal health in the immediate postnatal period is found to

have a significant effect on the feeding practices during the early nursing period. For

example, cesarean delivery is associated with significantly lower rates of breastfeeding

(Romero-Gwynn & Carias, 1989). Some studies found that the hospital gift packages

containing formula gifts may promote early cessation of breastfeeding (Bergevin et al.,

1983; Dungy et al., 1992).

Error! Not a valid filename.The WHO International Code for Infant Formula

Marketing specifically prohibits distribution of hospital formula samples. This code is

voluntary and not legislated in the United States, although it was affirmed in 1994.

Numerous studies have examined the effect of hospital gift packs on breastfeeding rates,

with mixed results. No effect on breastfeeding initiation would be expected, because

breastfeeding should have begun before hospital discharge, but it is hypothesized that

receipt of a gift pack containing formula and/or a bottle for feeding formula could be

associated with shorter breastfeeding duration. A randomized, controlled trial among

middle-class women in Iowa, for example, showed that women who received a breast

pump in their gift pack continued breastfeeding, without supplementation, longer than

mothers who received formula in their gift packs (Dungy et al., 1992). Similarly, a gift

pack that did not contain formula was associated with significantly longer exclusive

breastfeeding in a study of low-income mothers in Boston (Frank et al., 1987). Hispanic

mothers in California were more likely to exlusively breastfeed if they had not received
106

any gift packs, compared to those who received the standard gift pack containing formula

(Snell et al., 1992).

Various studies demonstrated that professional advice has strong influence on infant

feeding choices throughout the nursing phase. The presence of a lactation consultant in

the hospital is found to be associated with higher rates of breastfeeding initiation

(Auerbach, 1985; Jones & West, 1985, 1986; Kistin, Benton, Rao, & Sullivan 1990).

V.6. Statistical Methods

Descriptive analyses presented in this chapter rely on comparisons of percentages of

mothers who experienced a given hospital practice or who adopted a given feeding

practice. For example, percentages of mothers who breastfeed at the first feeding are

compared by racial/ethnic group membership. These comparisons were done using chisquare statistics that account for the multistage stratified and clustered sampling design

of the WIC-IFPS.

Multivariate analyses consist of logistic regression analyses that predict the

likelihood (log-odds) of a given nursing practice at the time of hospital discharge. For

mothers who breastfeed at the first feeding, the log-odds of feeding formula at the time

of hospital discharge were modeled. Similarly, for mothers who do not breastfeed at the

first feeding, the log-odds of breastfeeding at hospital discharge were modeled.

Logistic regression models yield estimates of relative odds that are equivalent to the

odds that a mother with a given characteristic will adopt a given feeding practice at the

time of hospital discharge as compared to the odds for a comparable mother who is

different only in that characteristic. For example, the relative odds that an African

American mother who breastfeeds at the first feeding will be formula feeding at hospital

discharge is 6.04 (the actual estimate from Table V.4 Model I). It is inferred that the odds

that an African American mother who breastfeeds at the first feeding will be formula

feeding at the time of hospital discharge is about six times that for a comparable white

mother (white mothers constitute the comparison category in that model). Relative odds

greater than one imply that the characteristic considered is associated with higher odds of

the outcome that is being modeled. Relative odds less than one imply that the

characteristic considered is associated with diminished odds of the outcome of interest.
107

In building multivariate models of type of feeding at hospital discharge, a protocol was

followed that allowed testing of the predictive power of groups of variables, and allowed

elimination of those variables if the following three conditions were satisfied: (1) they had

no significant predictive power, (2) there was no strong theoretical justification for keeping

them in the model regardless of their predictive power, and (3) they were not of primary

substantive interest (also see Appendix H).

V.7. Results

Almost 98 percent of the mothers reported that their infants were born in a hospital.

Only six mothers in the WIC-IFPS reported that their infants were born at home.

About 13 percent of the WIC mothers reported that their infants had serious medical

problems associated with the birth. The mothers subjectively defined what they consider

a “serious” medical problem (e.g., low blood sugar, jaundice, respiratory problems, heart

murmur). The percentage of serious problems reported by WIC mothers appears to be

substantially higher than that in the general population, in which slightly more than 3

percent of births were reported to have major abnormal conditions (Schmittroth, 1994).

The medical problems of infants in the WIC-IFPS were not independently confirmed by

medical records. The comparison of the percentage of major problems with other

sources of data must, therefore, be cautiously interpreted. A small proportion (4%) of

WIC infants return to the hospital as an in-patient shortly after birth because of medical

problems such as jaundice or infection.

 A majority of WIC infants spend one or two days in the hospital postnatally.

Figure V.2 shows the distribution of number of days of hospital stay among WIC

mothers and infants. Slightly higher percentages of mothers than infants stay in the

hospital for one or two days, and higher percentages of infants than mothers stay in the

hospital for seven days or longer. Although long hospital stays are not a norm, almost

one in ten WIC infants stay in the hospital for one week or longer.

 The majority of WIC infants sleep away from their mothers during their hospital

stay after birth.
108

Figure V.3 shows the rooming arrangements by race and ethnicity of the mother.

Overall, 72 percent of the mothers spend at least one night away from their infants

during their stay in the hospital. There are significant differences in the rooming

arrangements between African American mothers on one hand, and white or Hispanic

mothers on the other (2

=10.1, p<.05).

 For the majority of the WIC infants, the first feeding in the hospital is formula, with

slightly over one-quarter receiving breastmilk.
109

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Percentage

Figure V.2. Number of days of hospital stay for WIC mothers and infants.

 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12+ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12+

Mothers Infants

Figure V.3. Percentage of WIC infants who stayed in the nursery overnight, by

race and ethnicity of the mother.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Percentage

Total White African

American

Hispanic Other
110

Table V.1 shows the percentages of WIC infants who receive formula, breastmilk, sugar

water, water, or something else at the first feeding. Significantly higher percentages of

African American infants than white or Hispanic infants receive formula at the first

feeding in the hospital. Figure V.4 shows these differences. Overall, almost 60 percent

of all WIC infants (and three-quarters of African American infants) receive formula at the

first feeding. Even among the Hispanic infants, 84 percent of who are eventually

breastfed (see Section IV.3), a majority (57%) receive formula at the first feeding. Only

about 10 percent of the infants receive something other than formula or breastmilk at

their first feeding. Sugar water and plain water are the most common other first feeds.

Just under 30 percent of all WIC mothers breastfeed their infants at the first feeding.

Among the mothers who do not breastfeed at the first feeding, over one-third (36%) try

to breastfeed during the first week after the infant’s birth.

Table V.1. Type of first feeding received by the WIC infants in the hospital.

Percentage Receiving

Characteristics

Formula Breastmilk

Sugar

Water

Plain

Water Other N

Total 60 29 6 4 2 815

Race/Ethnicity

White

African American

Hispanic

Other

55

76

57

41

34

12

33

36

6

5

3

9

4

6

3

11

1

1

4

4

419

191

157

48

Father of the infant lives with the

mother

Yes

No

48

68

40

21

8

4

4

5

1

2

362

453

Number of days in hospital

postpartum

0 or 1

2

3

4 or more

50

60

74

76

38

28

16

13

6

6

5

5

4

5

4

3

2

1

1

3

305

296

127

72

Note:

 Chi-square statistic for the subtable is significant at p.05.
111

The type of first feed is not significantly associated with the age of the mother,

whether the mother is foreign born, birth order of the infant, marital status of the mother,

maternal education, whether the mother was employed during pregnancy, and the

birthweight of the infant. Only two of the characteristics examined are significantly

predictive of type of first feeding: father’s presence in the household and length of the

maternal hospital stay. Table V.1 also shows the distribution of the type of first feeding

by these two characteristics. A significantly higher proportion of infants whose fathers

live with their mothers receive breastmilk at the first feeding than the infants whose

fathers do not live with their mothers (40% versus 21%). It is possible that the fathers

who live with the mothers are likely to be present during the delivery, and this may

change the handling of the infant immediately after birth. Alternatively, father presence

may provide support to the mother for breastfeeding.

The length of the mother’s hospital stay is significantly associated with increasing

percentages of formula at the first feeding and declining percentages of breastmilk at the

Figure V.4. The first feeding of the WIC infants in the hospital, by race and

ethnicity of the mother.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

White African American Hispanic Other

Formula Breastmilk Sugar water Plain water Other

Percentage
112

first feeding. This finding strongly suggests that the length of the hospital stay as well as

the method of first feeding are associated with maternal health.

Many WIC infants receive formula, sugar water, and plain water sometime during

their stay in the hospital. Over three-quarters (78%) receive formula, and almost onequarter (24%) each receive plain water or sugar water (results not shown).

 One-half of the mothers who ever initiate breastfeeding do so within three hours

of the birth.

The WIC-IFPS also provides information on the number of hours or days,

postnatally, when breastfeeding was initiated. Among the mothers who ever initiate

breastfeeding, just under one-fifth (19%) do so within an hour postpartum, and another

30 percent do so between one and three hours postpartum. Another 29 percent of the

mothers initiate breastfeeding 13 or more hours postpartum.

There are no statistically significant group differences in the breastfeeding initiation

rates by the number of hours postpartum. Nevertheless, some large differences are

observed. For example, white mothers are most likely to initiate breastfeeding within an

hour postpartum (26%), and African American mothers are least likely to do so (9%).

Similarly, the mothers who cohabit with the infant’s father are more likely to initiate

breastfeeding sooner after birth than the mothers who do not cohabit with their infant’s

father. These results are similar to those reported about breastfeeding at the first

feeding.

 Almost three-quarters of the mothers who breastfeed in the hospital report

experiencing some nursing problems. Up to one-third of the mothers

experiencing specific nursing problems report receiving no help.
113

Substantial proportions of mothers report experiencing nursing problems while in the

hospital. Table V.2 provides the percentages of mothers reporting various breastfeeding

problems or problems with their milk, among those who initiate breastfeeding while in the

hospital. The most commonly reported problem is sore nipples, experienced by close to

one-half of breastfeeding mothers while in the hospital. Almost two-fifths of the mothers

report that their infants are not getting enough milk. Almost one-quarter of the mothers

report that their milk came in late. Overall, almost three-quarters of the mothers report

experiencing at least one nursing problem while in the hospital.

A majority of the mothers who experience nursing problems receive some help in the

hospital. Up to three-quarters of the mothers who experience some nursing problems

report having a hospital staff person help them. Furthermore, 23 percent of the mothers

who experience nursing problems also report pumping breastmilk while in the hospital

(compared to 11% among those who do not report nursing problems). While there

appears to be a high overall level of support provided to breastfeeding mothers in the

hospital, substantial proportions of mothers reporting specific nursing problems do not

receive help from the hospital staff. Figure V.5 provides the percentages of mothers,

among those who report common nursing problems, who do not receive help from the

hospital staff. Most importantly, about one-third (33%) of the mothers who report

problems with their milk while breastfeeding in the hospital also report that they did not

receive help from the hospital staff. The association between the reported problems with

breastmilk and feeding practices at the time of hospital discharge is investigated below

(see page 115). In Section IV.5, the role of problems with breastmilk in initiation of

formula supplementation is investigated.

Table V.2. Percentages of mothers reporting nursing problems while in the hospital.

Problem Percentage

Reported Problems with the Breast and Feeding

Sore nipples 46

Breasts were too full 25

Inverted nipples 8

Baby choked 3

Reported Problems with Breastmilk

Not enough milk 39

Milk came in late 24

N 458
114

 Hospital gift packages almost always include an item that is considered to be

unsupportive in the establishment of breastfeeding.

 Almost all mothers receive some type of a hospital gift package that includes some

items known to discourage breastfeeding. Figure V.6 displays the percentages of

mothers receiving various items in their gift packages. Overall, 93 percent of WIC

mothers receive a gift package as they leave the hospital after birth. The most common

item included in the gift package is formula (86%), followed by a pacifier (64%) and a toy

(48%). Altogether, 92 percent of all WIC mothers receive some item in their gift package

that is considered by the American Academy of Pediatrics to be unsupportive in the

establishment of breastfeeding (bottle, formula, pacifier, or sugar water). In other words,

virtually all mothers who receive a gift pack receive an item in that pack that is

unsupportive of breastfeeding.

Figure V.5. Percentage of WIC mothers who did not receive help from the hospital

staff among those who had common nursing problems.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Sore

nipples

Breasts

were

too full

Milk

came in

late

Not

enough

milk

Percentage
115

 Forty-five percent of WIC mothers report breastfeeding at the time of hospital

discharge. Thirty percent report breastfeeding exclusively, and 15 percent report

breast- and formula-feeding.

At the time when they leave the hospital, about 30 percent of the WIC mothers are

breastfeeding only, 55 percent are formula feeding, and the remaining 15 percent are

both breast- and formula feeding. Not surprisingly, the nursing diet at the time of hospital

discharge is strongly associated with the type of first feeding. Table V.3 provides the

percentages of WIC mothers who are breastfeeding, formula feeding, or both at hospital

discharge relative to three different types of first feeding. About 20 percent of the infants

who receive formula at their first feeding receive breastmilk at the time of the hospital

discharge, but a vast majority of these infants are only partially breastfed. Similarly,

almost one-fifth of the infants who receive breastmilk at the first feeding are only partially

breastfed at the time of hospital discharge. Only 3 percent of the infants whose first

feeding is a breastfeed are exclusively formula feeding at the time of hospital discharge.

Figure V.6. Percentage of WIC mothers who reported receiving various items in

their gift packages from the hospital.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Formula Bottle Breast

pump

Sugar

water

Pacifier Toy

Percentage
116

Multivariate logistic regression models were estimated in order to investigate the

association of the type of feeding at the time of hospital discharge with maternal

characteristics and hospital practices. Two sets of models were estimated: Models for

the mothers who breastfeed at the first feeding and models for the mothers who feed

something other than breastmilk at the first feeding. It was necessary to estimate the

models separately for mothers who do and do not breastfeed at the first feeding, because

as shown in Table V.3, the type of first feeding very strongly determines the feeding

practices at hospital discharge.

The following set of models were estimated for the mothers who breastfeed at the

first feeding:

Model

I

Odds of Feeding

Formula at Hospital

Discharge

= SocioDemographic

Characteristics

Odds of Feeding

Formula at Hospital

Discharge

= SocioDemographic

Characteristics

* Health Related

Characteristics

* Social

Context

Model

II Sources of

Nutrition Advice

Other Than WIC

* Hospital

Practices

Odds of Feeding

Formula at Hospital

Discharge

= SocioDemographic

Characteristics

* Health Related

Characteristics

* Social

Context

Model

III Sources of

Nutrition Advice

Other Than WIC

* Hospital

Practices

* WIC

Program

Components

For the mothers who do not breastfeed at the first feeding:

Table V.3. Percentages of type of feeding at hospital discharge by type of first feeding.

Type of Feeding at Hospital Discharge

Type of First

Feeding Breastfeeding

Breast- and Formula

Feeding Formula Feeding N

Breastfeeding 79 18 3 251

Formula 6 14 80 448

Other 33 9 58 103

Total 30 15 55 823
117

Model

I

Odds of

Breastfeeding at

Hospital Discharge

= SocioDemographic

Characteristics

Model

Odds of

Breastfeeding at

Hospital Discharge

= SocioDemographic

Characteristics

* Social

Context

* Sources of

Nutrition Advice

Other Than WIC

II

Hospital

Practices

Odds of

Breastfeeding at

Hospital Discharge

= SocioDemographic

Characteristics

* Social

Context

* Sources of

Nutrition Advice

Other Than WIC

Model

III Hospital

Practices

* WIC Program

Components

Mothers who breastfeed at the first feeding. Table V.4 shows the odds ratios that

predict the odds of initiating formula while in the hospital among the mothers who

breastfeed at the first feeding. The feeding of formula at the time of hospital discharge

defines the outcome of these models. Model I in Table V.4 includes socio-demographic

characteristics of the mother.

 African American mothers who initiate breastfeeding at the first feeding are seven

times more likely to be using formula at the time of hospital discharge than

comparable white mothers.

African American mothers are not only more likely to give formula at the first feeding,

but even among those mothers who breastfeed at the first feeding, African American

mothers are the racial/ethnic group most likely to be using formula by the time of hospital

discharge. The poverty level of the mother is significantly and negatively associated with

the odds of formula use at hospital discharge, indicating that the mothers who are

economically better off are less likely to feed formula at the time of hospital discharge.

The odds of formula use diminish by about three-quarters for a unit increase in the

income-to-poverty ratio (i.e., poverty level) of the maternal household.
118

Table V.4. Relative odds1

 of formula feeding at hospital discharge for WIC mothers who

breastfeed at the first feeding (N=251).

Predictors Model I Model II Model III

SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS

African American 6.04** 6.12** 7.15**

Hispanic 1.65 1.53 1.44

Maternal immigrant status - foreign born 3.15 3.13 4.16*

Birth order of the infant - first born 1.22 1.22 1.45

Father of the infant lives with the mother 1.78 1.76 1.69

Income reported 3.73** 4.56** 5.11**

Poverty level 0.23* 0.22* 0.21*

HEALTH RELATED CHARACTERISTICS

Reported problems with the breast and feeding -- 1.73 1.69

Reported problems with the breastmilk -- 1.89* 1.76*

SOCIAL CONTEXT

Mother breastfed previous children -- 0.85 0.91

Receipt of advice to breastfeed from the grandmother -- 0.82 1.05

SOURCES OF NUTRITION ADVICE OTHER THAN WIC

Maternal report on receipt of advice to breastfeed from her doctor -- -- --

HOSPITAL PRACTICES

Length of the hospital stay of the mother -- 1.39* 1.36*

Stayed in the nursery overnight -- 2.01* 1.83

Received help from the hospital staff to address breastfeeding

problems

-- 0.56 0.54*

WIC PROGRAM COMPONENTS

Knowledge of the special WIC food package2 -- -- 0.99

Maternal report on receipt of information on breastfeeding from

WIC3 -- -- 0.91

Maternal report on receipt of advice to breastfeed from WIC4 -- -- 0.41*

Notes:

1. Relative odds greater than one imply that the characteristic considered is associated with higher odds of the outcome.

Relative odds less than one imply that the characteristic considered is associated with lower odds of the outcome.

2. The answer to the question “Have you been told that there is a special WIC food package for breastfeeding women who do

not accept infant formula from WIC?” is “yes.”

3. The answer to any one of the three questions “Have you received information or advice from the WIC office about (1) benefits

of breastfeeding?, (2) how to breastfeed?, or (3) mother’s diet while breastfeeding?” is “yes.”

4. The answer to the question “Have WIC program staff told you that you should breastfeed?” is “yes.”

* p .05

** p .01
119

Model II in Table V.4 includes all of the non-program factors, predicting formula use

at hospital discharge.

 Among the mothers who breastfeed at first feeding, maternal perception of

problems with breastmilk is a significant predictor of formula use at the time of

hospital discharge. However, those mothers who receive help from the hospital

staff to address their nursing problems are about half as likely to be feeding

formula at the time of hospital discharge.

Maternal perception of problems with breastmilk is a significant predictor of formula

use (see Model II). The odds of formula use for the mothers who report problems with

their breastmilk are about 80 percent higher than those for mothers who do not report

such problems. As indicated in Model II, the availability of hospital staff to address

nursing problems counteracts the detrimental impact of experiencing such problems.

Among those mothers who have nursing problems, those who receive help from the

hospital staff have about one-half the odds of formula feeding at hospital discharge as

compared to those who do not receive help. Breastfeeding of previous children or

receipt of advice to breastfeed from the grandmother of the infant do not significantly

predict formula use at hospital discharge among the mothers whose first feeding is a

breastfeed.

Length of the hospital stay is positively associated with formula use at the time of

hospital discharge. Each additional day of stay in the hospital predicts an increase in the

odds of formula use by over 40 percent. This may be due to two reasons: First, the

length of the hospital stay may be associated with maternal health. The mothers who

stay in the hospital longer may have experienced complications after the birth that

interfere with breastfeeding. Second, the length of hospital stay may be associated with

hospital practices. Those hospitals where new mothers are allowed to stay longer may

be more inclined to offer formula to the infants. It should be noted that the presence of

medical problems with the infant, controlling for other relevant characteristics, is not a

significant predictor of feeding status at hospital discharge. The relative odds associated

with this variable are not displayed in Table V.4.

 An overnight stay in the hospital nursery doubles the odds of formula feeding at

the time of hospital discharge among the mothers who breastfeed at the first

feeding.
120

The measure indicating if the infant stayed in the hospital nursery overnight is

significantly associated with formula use at hospital discharge in Model II. While this

variable is no longer significant at the 5 percent level in Model III (which also includes

variables describing the WIC Program components), the relative odds associated with it

remain large (1.83). An overnight stay in the hospital nursery is predicted to double the

odds of formula feeding at the time of hospital discharge. This finding may be due to two

factors: First, the overnight nursery stay may be necessitating formula supplementation

during nighttime. Second, mothers who have already initiated formula supplementation

may be asking to have their infants stay in the nursery overnight.

 Among the mothers who breastfeed at the first feeding, those who report that they

received advice from WIC staff to breastfeed are significantly less likely to formula

feed at the time of hospital discharge.

Model III in Table V.4 includes indicators describing WIC Program components.

Among the mothers who breastfeed at the first feeding, those who report that they

received advice from the WIC staff to breastfeed are only 40 percent as likely to formula

feed at hospital discharge. The two other WIC program components considered here are

not significantly associated with the odds of formula feeding at the time of hospital

discharge. The mothers who know about the special breastfeeding package and the

mothers who do not are similarly likely to formula feed at hospital discharge. The

mothers who receive information on breastfeeding from WIC and those who do not are

similarly likely to formula feed at the time of hospital discharge. The association of the

receipt of advice from the physician regarding breastfeeding with the odds of formula

feeding at hospital discharge was tested, but found to be not significant.

Mothers who do not breastfeed at the first feeding. Table V.5 provides the relative

odds of breastfeeding at the time of hospital discharge among the mothers who do not

breastfeed at the first feeding. Model I in this table includes socio-demographic

characteristics of the mother.

Table V.5. Relative odds1 of breastfeeding at hospital discharge for WIC mothers who

formula feed at the first feeding (N=551).

Predictors Model I Model II Model III

SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS

African American 0.90 0.90 1.05

Hispanic 3.35** 2.36* 2.64*

Maternal immigrant status - foreign born 3.19** 3.70** 3.75**

Birth order of the infant - first born 1.31 2.29** 2.55*

Father of the infant lives with the mother 1.83* 1.67* 1.73*

Income reported 1.39 1.52 1.61

Poverty level 1.06 0.97 0.87

SOCIAL CONTEXT

Receipt of advice to breastfeed from the grandmother -- 1.28 1.21

Mother breastfed previous children -- 4.26** 4.12**

SOURCES OF NUTRITION ADVICE OTHER THAN WIC

Maternal report on receipt of advice to breastfeed from her doctor -- 2.28** 2.15*

HOSPITAL PRACTICES

Length of the hospital stay of the mother -- 1.13 1.12

Stayed in the nursery overnight -- 1.00 0.98

Received help from the hospital staff to address breastfeeding

problems

-- -- --

WIC PROGRAM COMPONENTS

Knowledge of the special WIC food package2 -- -- 2.52**

Maternal report on receipt of information on breastfeeding from

WIC3 -- -- 1.07

Maternal report on receipt of advice to breastfeed from WIC4 -- -- 1.24

Notes:

1. Relative odds greater than one imply that the characteristic considered is associated with higher odds of the outcome.

Relative odds less than one imply that the characteristic considered is associated with lower odds of the outcome.

2. The answer to the question “Have you been told that there is a special WIC food package for breastfeeding women who do

not accept infant formula from WIC?” is “yes.”

3. The answer to any one of the three questions “Have you received information or advice from the WIC office about (1) benefits

of breastfeeding?, (2) how to breastfeed?, or (3) mother’s diet while breastfeeding?” is “yes.”

4. The answer to the question “Have WIC program staff told you that you should breastfeed?” is “yes.”

* p .05

** p .01
121

 Hispanic mothers and mothers who were born outside the United States are

significantly more likely to be breastfeeding at the time of hospital discharge, even

if they do not breastfeed at the first feeding.

Model II in Table V.5 includes the non-program predictors of breastfeeding at hospital

discharge. The odds of breastfeeding at hospital discharge for Hispanic and immigrant

mothers are 2.5 and three times that of white mothers and non-immigrant mothers,

respectively. The firstborn infants are more than twice as likely to be breastfeeding at the

time of hospital discharge than infants of higher birth order whose mothers have not

breastfed previous children. Breastfeeding previous children predicts a fourfold increase

in the odds of breastfeeding at hospital discharge.

Among the mothers who do not breastfeed at the first feeding, the length of hospital

stay is not significantly associated with the likelihood of breastfeeding at hospital

discharge. For the same group of mothers, an overnight nursery stay is also not

significantly associated with the likelihood of breastfeeding at hospital discharge.

The indicator showing the receipt of advice to breastfeed from the physician is

significantly and positively associated with breastfeeding at hospital discharge. The

mothers who formula feed at the first feeding and who report receiving such advice are

more than two times as likely to breastfeed at hospital discharge.

 Knowledge of the special WIC food package for breastfeeding women is

significantly and positively associated with the odds of breastfeeding at hospital

discharge for the mothers who do not breastfeed at the first feeding.

Model III in Table V.5 includes the indicators of WIC Program components. Among

the mothers who do not breastfeed at first feeding, those who know about the special

breastfeeding package are about 2.5 times as likely to breastfeed at hospital discharge

than those who do not know about the package. Receipt of information on breastfeeding

and receipt of advice to breastfeed from WIC staff are not significantly predictive of the

odds of breastfeeding at hospital discharge in this group of mothers.
122

V.8. Conclusions

While a hospital stay following the birth is a nearly universal experience for WIC

mothers and their infants, many experiences during this stay are not conducive to the

establishment of breastfeeding. Some neonatal experiences in the hospital may be due

to the policies and established practices of the hospitals while others may be due to the

stated preferences of the mothers. Although it is not possible to distinguish maternal

preferences from the hospital practices imposed on mothers, it is evident that a number

of neonatal experiences that appear to be common among the WIC mothers are

detrimental to the establishment of healthy breastfeeding patterns (FNS, 1993a).

Examples of such experiences are the choice of first feeding, the rooming arrangements

in the hospital, and the inclusion of supplementary food items in the hospital gift package.

Maternal race and ethnicity is significantly associated with the hospital experiences

that may influence nursing practices. For example, African American infants are more

likely to spend time away from their mothers in the nursery and more likely to receive

formula at the first feeding. WIC-IFPS data on prenatal feeding intentions are limited, so

the hypothesis of differential hospital practices controlling for infant feeding preferences

prior to birth cannot be thoroughly tested. However, among the mothers who prenatally

reported that they wanted to exclusively breastfeed their infants (N=122), a higher

proportion of white than African American and Hispanic mothers ended up breastfeeding

at the first feeding (74%, 57%, and 34%, respectively). These data, while limited, may

be indicative of some race/ethnicity-specific hospital practices. Similarly, low rates of

breastfeeding at the first feeding among foreign-born mothers who intended to

exclusively breastfeed indicate that there may also be some communication problems

between the hospital staff and the mothers, or that these mothers are following the

customary practices of their homeland in giving prelacteal feeds (Morse et al., 1990).

A very large proportion of mothers who initiate breastfeeding while in the hospital

experience some nursing problems. About one-third of these mothers do not receive

help from the hospital staff. Some nursing problems such as sore nipples and breasts

being too full are common and often of little consequence for the nursing practices of the

mothers during the neonatal period. Other problems, however, especially those that

pertain to the maternal perception of problems with her breastmilk, have significant

negative consequences for continued breastfeeding. The WIC-IFPS data indicate that
123

about one-third of the mothers who report such problems do not receive support from

the hospital staff. Furthermore, the WIC-IFPS data also indicate that, other things being

equal, the neonatal breastfeeding practices of the mothers significantly benefit if they do

receive help from the hospital staff addressing their nursing problems.

WIC Program components are significantly associated with neonatal feeding

practices, controlling for the method of first feeding. Among the mothers who breastfeed

their infants at the first feeding, formula supplementation during the neonatal period is

substantially less likely if they receive advice from WIC to breastfeed. Among the

mothers who do not breastfeed their infants at the first feeding, initiation of breastfeeding

during the neonatal period is substantially more likely if they know about the special food

package for breastfeeding women. These findings indicate that WIC Program

components positively contribute to the shaping of neonatal nursing diets of the WIC

infants by promoting increased breastfeeding.
124

CHAPTER VI

BREASTFEEDING AND FORMULA-FEEDING PRACTICES

IN THE NURSING PHASE

VI.1. Overview

This chapter describes of the results from two sets of analyses addressing the

breastfeeding practices and formula-feeding practices of WIC mothers. The analysis of

breastfeeding practices addresses issues such as the schedule of breastfeeding, number

of breastfeeds, and the extent of breastmilk expression.

The analysis of formula-feeding practices addresses issues such as the use of ironfortified formula, addition of other foods and liquids to the formula, and overdilution of

formula. The findings pertaining to the breast- and formula-feeding practices are

presented in two separate sections.

VI.2. WIC Program Components that Pertain to Breastfeeding and

Formula-Feeding Practices

FCS provides guidance regarding breastfeeding and formula-feeding practices.

Specifically, regarding breastfeeding, FCS advises that (FNS, 1993a):

 Infants be breastfed often through the day and night to increase milk production,

to keep the breasts from being engorged, and to promote optimal growth

 Infants be breastfed whenever they are hungry

 Infants be breastfed as long as they want to nurse

 Mothers may express milk to plan for time away from the infant or to relieve

engorged breasts.

Regarding formula feeding, FCS advises that (FNS, 1993a):

 Iron-fortified formula be fed

 Cereal, other supplementary foods, or fruit juices not be mixed with formula in the

bottle
125

 Formula not be overdiluted. (If the infant has a need for additional water, it should

be provided separately, and not in excessive amounts.)

The next two sections present the findings about breastfeeding and formula-feeding

practices of WIC mothers from the WIC-IFPS.

VI.3. Breastfeeding Practices

Research Questions

In addition to the choice of nursing diets, WIC mothers make choices regarding the

schedule of feeding, how often and how many times to feed, and whether to feed directly

from the breast or to express breastmilk. The analysis of breastfeeding practices of WIC

mothers informs program implementation for breastfeeding education and support.

Furthermore, breastfeeding practices are likely to have implications for the ultimate

duration of breastfeeding (American Academy of Pediatrics, 1993). In this section, the

breastfeeding practices of WIC mothers are described over the period of infancy for the

nationally representative WIC-IFPS sample, and for subgroups of mothers defined by

their socio-demographic characteristics. The following research questions are

addressed:

 Do WIC mothers breastfeed on a set schedule or when their infants seem

hungry?

 How many times a day do WIC mothers breastfeed?

 What percentage of WIC mothers express milk?

 What are the factors associated with the daily number of breastfeeds?

The daily number of breastfeeds is an important factor to stimulate milk production

and ensure continued breastfeeding. Therefore, an understanding of non-program and

program factors associated with the daily number of breastfeeds is valuable. To address

this issue, a multivariate analysis of the daily number of breastfeeds was conducted.

The models estimated for these analyses were derived from the conceptual model

depicted in Figure VI.1.
126

Main Findings

 A majority of WIC mothers breastfeed their infants when they cry or seem

hungry.

 Socio-demographic characteristics are not significantly associated with the

schedule of breastfeeding.

 The average frequency of breastfeeds among WIC mothers is below the level

recommended for exclusive breastfeeders; six times per day compared to the

recommended 8 to 12, depending on the age of the infant.

 One-third of breastfeeding WIC mothers report having expressed breastmilk.

Most mothers express breastmilk in order to be able to leave the infant in

someone else’s care or to relieve engorged breasts.

 Mothers who report receiving advice from a physician to breastfeed, breastfeed

more frequently.

Socio-Demographic Characteristics

Age, race/ethnicity, immigrant status,

birth order, presence of the infant’s father,

poverty level, education, employment status, 

use of non-maternal childcare 

Health-Related Characteristics

Birthweight of the infant,

experience of nursing problems

Social Context

Lay sources of advice on infant feeding,

breastfeeding of previous children

Non-Program Factors Program Factors

Infant Feeding Attitudes and Beliefs

Perceived benefits of breastfeeding,

Perceived barriers to breastfeeding

WIC Program Components

Knowledge of the special WIC breastfeeding food

package, receipt of information about breastfeeding

Sources of Nutrition Advice Other than WIC from WIC, receipt of advice to breastfeed from WIC

Receipt of information about breastfeeding 

elsewhere, receipt of advice to breastfeed from

the physician 

Daily Number of

Breastfeeds Reported

in Month 1

Figure VI.1. A model of daily number of breastfeeds at Month 1 interview and

its predictors available from the WIC-IFPS.

Concurrent Infant Feeding Practices

Current use of formula
127

 Concurrent formula supplementation has a large and significant negative effect

on the daily number of breastfeeds.

See the Results section for more information on these findings.

Previous Studies

Few studies to date have collected information on breastfeeding practices. No

studies were found that investigated the factors associated with choices of schedule of

breastfeeding, number of breastfeeds, and breastmilk expression. Several sources

indicate the consequences of breastfeeding practices for the ultimate success of

breastfeeding: on-demand breastfeeding, frequent breastfeeding, and breastfeeding

during the night are known to promote continued breastfeeding because these practices

stimulate milk production and are said to be better suited to meet the needs of the infants

(American Academy of Pediatrics, 1993; FNS, 1993a; Hill, 1991). Hill and Aldag (1993)

found that the mothers who breastfeed frequently are less likely to report milk

insufficiency. Although the result was not statistically significant, Hill and Aldag (1993)

also report a higher number of daily breastfeeds among white than among African

American WIC mothers.

Statistical Methods

WIC-IFPS questions on breastfeeding practices elicited the following information:

 Whether the mother breastfed on a set schedule, when the infant cried or

seemed hungry, or on a mixed schedule

 The usual daily number of times the mother breastfed

 Whether the mother expressed milk during the week preceding each monthly

interview.

Descriptive and multivariate analyses of these data are presented below.

Descriptive analyses consist of the following:

Comparisons of the percentages of the mothers who adopted given breastfeeding

practices by selected socio-demographic characteristics: These comparisons were done

using chi-square statistics that are computed accounting for the multistage stratified and

clustered sampling design of the WIC-IFPS, using the SUDAAN statistical software.

Comparisons of mean usual number of breastfeeds by selected socio-demographic

characteristics: These comparisons were done using the Satterthwaite-adjusted F-
128

statistics. These statistics were computed accounting for the multistage stratified and

clustered sampling design of the WIC-IFPS, using the SUDAAN statistical software.

In addition, multivariate analyses of usual daily number of breastfeeds were

conducted using a linear regression model. The linear regression models take the

following form:

where y is the predicted usual number of breastfeeds per day for a mother who has the

relevant non-program or program characteristics indicated by x1, x2, x3, ...,;  is the

estimated coefficient representing the association between a characteristic x and the

usual number of breastfeeds per day. The  coefficients represent the change in the

predicted number of breastfeeds for a unit change in the characteristic x. For example,

the estimated coefficient for the variable that indicates whether the mother is using child

care is -1.4 (Model 1 in Table VI.4). This is interpreted as follows: a mother who is using

child care will breastfeed 1.4 fewer times per day, on average, than a similar mother who

is not using child care.

The multivariate models were built by following a protocol that allowed testing of the

predictive power of groups of variables, and that allowed elimination of the variables that

had no significant association with the daily number of breastfeeds and that were not of

primary substantive or programmatic interest.

Results

Descriptive Analyses. Table VI.1 shows the percentage of mothers who breastfeed

on a set schedule, when the infant cries or seems hungry, and on a mixed schedule

during the first five months of infancy.

y = + x + x + x + ...    0 1 1 2 2 3 3 (VI.1)

Table VI.1. Breastfeeding schedules of WIC mothers over the first five months of their infants'

first year.

Interview Month

Set Schedule

When the

Infant Cries or

Seems Hungry

Mixed Schedule

N1

Month 1 23 64 12 198

Month 2 19 67 13 185

Month 3 19 69 12 163

Month 4 12 72 16 165

Month 5 12 70 17 143

Note:

1. Breastfeeding mothers who were interviewed at that month only.
129

 A majority of WIC mothers breastfeed their infants when they cry or seem hungry.

At the time of the Month 1 interview, just under one-quarter of the mothers reported

breastfeeding on a set schedule and almost two-thirds reported breastfeeding when the

infant seemed hungry. Only about one in ten mothers follow a mixed schedule (i.e.,

feeding occasionally when the infant seems hungry and occasionally on a set schedule).

The changes in the percentages of mothers breastfeeding on these three alternative

schedules are examined in Figure VI.2. The percentage of mothers feeding on a set

schedule declines steadily from 23 percent in Month 1 to 12 percent in Month 5. In

contrast, the percentage of mothers who breastfeed when the infant seems hungry

increases slightly, from 65 percent of breastfeeding mothers in Month 1 to 70 percent in

Month 5.

 Socio-demographic characteristics are not significantly associated with the

schedule of breastfeeding.

There are no significant differences in breastfeeding schedules by race and ethnicity,

maternal age, birth order, maternal immigrant status, presence of the father in the

household, poverty level, or maternal education (results not presented).
130

 The average frequency of breastfeeds among WIC mothers is below the level

recommended for exclusive breastfeeders; six times per day compared to the

recommended eight to twelve, depending on the age of the infant.

Table VI.2 provides the mean number of daily breastfeeds for breastfeeding mothers.

The WIC-IFPS elicited information specifically about the “usual” number of daily

breastfeeds, as well as the number for the day preceding the day of the interview. In this

chapter, results pertaining to the usual number of breastfeeds are presented.

Breastfeeding WIC mothers nurse their infants approximately six times per day, with the

frequency decreasing somewhat from almost seven times in the first month to just under

six by Month 5. These averages are well below the recommendation that exclusive

breastfeeders feed eight to twelve times per day, depending on the age of the infant

(FNS, 1993a).

Figure VI.2. Percentages of WIC mothers who breastfeed on a set schedule,

when the infant cries or seems hungry, and on a mixed schedule.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Set-schedule When cries or seems hungry Mixed Schedule

Interview Month

Percentage
131

Table VI.2 also shows the number of breastfeeds by selected socio-demographic

characteristics. Race/ethnicity, maternal age, birth order of the infant, and educational

attainment of the mother are not significantly associated with usual daily number of

breastfeeds (see Appendix I). Mothers who were born in the United States breastfeed

more times per day than immigrant mothers. This difference is significant in Month 2.

Mothers who live with their infant's father have a significantly higher daily frequency of

breastfeeds during the first two months of infancy. Poverty level is significantly

associated with the daily number of breastfeeds during the first two months. During these

months mothers with income levels at less than 50 percent of the federal poverty level

have the lowest breastfeeding frequency.

 One-third of breastfeeding WIC mothers report having expressed breastmilk.

Most mothers express breastmilk in order to be able to leave the infant in

someone else’s care or to relieve engorged breasts.

Table VI.3 provides the percentages of WIC mothers who express milk by hand or

using a manual or electric pump. About one-third of breastfeeding mothers report

expressing milk in the first two months. This percentage decreases somewhat in Month

3, to 24 percent. Mothers who have older children, mothers who were born outside of the

United States, and mothers who do not live with their infant's father are less likely to

express breastmilk that other mothers. There are no significant differences by

race/ethnicity, age, poverty level, or education in percentages of WIC mothers expressing

Table VI.2. Usual number of daily breastfeeds, by selected maternal socio-demographic

characteristics.1

 Interview Months

Socio-Demographic Characteristics Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5

Total 6.87 6.59 6.66 6.12 5.97

Immigrant status

Born in the U.S.

Born elsewhere

7.45

5.88

*

7.05

5.90

7.01

6.15

6.28

5.94

6.28

5.46

Father of the infant lives with the mother

Yes

No

*

7.73

6.06

*

7.18

6.02

7.02

6.35

6.40

5.90

5.98

5.96

Poverty level

< 50%

50 - 100%

100% or more

*

5.99

7.25

7.62

*

5.11

7.08

6.68

6.94

6.16

6.53

5.82

6.40

5.66

6.12

5.99

5.14

N2 196 186 163 165 143

Notes:

1. Numbers presented are means.

2. Breastfeeding mothers who were interviewed at that month only.

* F-statistic comparing the means for this month is significant at p<.05.
132

breastmilk (see Appendix I). Breastmilk expression is significantly more common among

mothers of firstborn infants than among mothers of later-born infants; an exception to this

is the second-born infants in Month 1. Immigrant status is also statistically significantly

associated with breastmilk expression. Mothers born in the United States are more likely

to express milk than foreign-born mothers. Mothers living with the infant's father also

have a higher prevalence of breastmilk expression; this difference is significant in Month

3.

In addition to leaving the infant in someone else’s care and relieving engorged

breasts, the mothers cite mixing cereal, training the infant to use a bottle, stimulating

breastmilk production, and avoiding embarrassment while feeding in the presence of

company as reasons for expressing breastmilk. Over 80 percent of the mothers who

express milk use electric or manual pumps. Percentage of breastfeeding WIC mothers

expressing milk by using manual pumps, electric pumps,

Table VI.3. Percentage of WIC mothers who report expressing milk during the past week, by

selected maternal socio-demographic characteristics.

 Interview Months

Characteristics Month 1 Month 2 Month 3

Total 36 32 24

Birth order of the infant

First born

Second born

Third born or younger

*

37

56

24

39

34

26

*

37

21

16

Immigrant status

Born in the U.S.

Born elsewhere

*

43

23

*

40

18

*

34

8

Father of the infant lives with the mother

Yes

No

45

27

37

27

*

34

16

N1 198 186 163

Notes:

1. Among the mothers who were breastfeeding and who were interviewed at that month only.

Although the numbers who were breastfeeding at each monthly interval were not large, the

differences between subgroups are large enough that they are significant.

* Chi-square statistic testing the group differences for that month is significant at p<.05.
133

or by hand are provided in Figure VI.3. Most WIC mothers express milk using a manual

breast pump.

Multivariate Analysis. Multivariate analysis of the usual daily number of breastfeeds

was conducted to examine the unique contributions of various non-program and

program factors to the frequency of breastfeeds. The following models are presented:

Model

I

Usual Daily

Number of

Breastfeeds

= SocioDemographic

Characteristics

Model

II

Usual Daily

Number of

Breastfeeds

= SocioDemographic

Characteristics

+ Health Related

Characteristics

+ Social

Context

+ Sources of

Nutrition

Advice Other

Than WIC

Usual Daily

Number of

Breastfeeds

= SocioDemographic

Characteristics

+ Health Related

Characteristics

+ Social

Context

+ Sources of

Nutrition

Advice Other

Than WIC

Model

III + Concurrent

Infant Feeding

Practices

+ Infant Feeding

Attitudes and

Beliefs

+ WIC Program

Components

As mentioned previously, the number of mothers in the WIC-IFPS who were

breastfeeding at the time of the Month 1 interview is quite low. In the following months,

Figure VI.3. Percentage of breastfeeding WIC mothers expressing milk,

using electric breastpumps, using manual breastpumps, and expressing

milk by hand.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Expressing

milk

Using

electric

breastpump

Using

manual

breastpump

Expressing

by hand

Percentage
134

these numbers diminish even further because of the high rates of breastfeeding

cessation. The results from the model of usual number of breastfeeds must be

interpreted with caution because of the small size of the sample (N=196) for these

analyses19. These results are presented in Table VI.4. A complete list of all variables

tested to arrive at the models presented in Table VI.4 can be found in Figure VI.1.

Model I includes socio-demographic factors only. Maternal race/ethnicity and

maternal immigrant status are not significantly associated with breastfeeding frequency

in Month 1. Maternal poverty level and use of non-maternal child care are significantly

associated with the frequency of breastfeeds. An increase in the poverty level

(household income divided by the federally determined poverty cutoff for a household of

that size) by one is associated with an increase of over 1.5 breastfeeds per day. Among

the WIC mothers who reported on their income, mothers with low levels of income

breastfeed less frequently than mothers with high levels of income. As expected, the

use of non-maternal child care is associated with significantly diminished number of

breastfeeds per day (about 1.4 breastfeeds). This is likely to be associated with the

number of hours per day an infant spends in non-maternal care (see Appendix F).

 Mothers who report receiving advice from a physician to breastfeed, breastfeed

more frequently.

Model II in Table VI.4 includes all non-program factors that were considered for

these analyses. Mothers who perceive problems with their breastmilk breastfeed less

frequently. Mothers who breastfed previous children breastfeed 1.2 times per day more.

Physician’s advice to breastfeed has a significant, large, and positive impact on the

frequency of breastfeeds. Mothers who receive advice from their

 

19 Power analysis indicates that N=196 is sufficient to detect an effect size of 0.106 (standardized beta) in a

regression model with 15 predictors as in the case of Model III in Table VI.4.
135

Table VI.4. Relative contribution of selected non-program and program factors to the usual

daily number of breastfeeds reported at Month 1 interview (N=196).

Predictors Model I Model II Model III

SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS

African American -1.19 -.68 -.02

Hispanic -.92 -.51 -.16

Maternal immigrant status - foreign born -1.07 -1.13* -.56

Birth order of the infant - firstborn .07 .87 .69

Income reported -1.15* -1.12* -.91

Poverty level 1.66** 1.42** 1.40**

Use of non-maternal child care -1.42* -1.31* -.46

HEALTH-RELATED CHARACTERISTICS

Reported problems with the breastmilk -.82* -.32

SOCIAL CONTEXT

Mother breastfed previous children 1.20* 1.03

SOURCES OF NUTRITION ADVICE OTHER THAN WIC

Receipt of advice to breastfeed from physician 1.42** 1.69**

CONCURRENT INFANT FEEDING PRACTICES

Currently supplementing with formula -1.29**

INFANT FEEDING ATTITUDES AND BELIEFS

Perceived barriers to breastfeeding -.03

WIC PROGRAM COMPONENTS

Knowledge of the special WIC breastfeeding food package1 .07

Maternal report on receipt of information about breastfeeding from WIC2 .27

Maternal report on receipt of advice to breastfeed from WIC.3 -.87

Notes:

1. The answer to the question “Have you been told that there is a special WIC food package from breastfeeding women who

do not accept infant formula from WIC?” is “yes.”

2. The answer to any one of the three questions “Have you received information or advice from the WIC office about (1)

benefits of breastfeeding?, (2) how to breastfeed?, or (3) mother’s diet while breastfeeding?” is “yes.”

3. The answer to the question “Have WIC program staff told you that you should breastfeed?” is “yes.”

* p<.05,

** p<.01
136

physician breastfeed, on average, 1.4 additional times a day (Model II). This effect is

even larger when WIC program factors are accounted for (Model III). When other nonprogram factors are controlled, immigrant status is significantly associated with the

frequency of breastfeeds, with foreign-born mothers breastfeeding less frequently than

the mothers who were born in the United States.

 Concurrent formula supplementation has a large and significant negative effect on

the daily number of breastfeeds.

Model III in Table VI.4 includes three groups of program factors: concurrent infant

feeding practices, infant feeding attitudes and beliefs, and the WIC Program components.

Infants who receive formula breastfeed 1.3 less times a day. This finding indicates that

breastfeeding WIC mothers do not complement breastfeeds with formula (i.e., feed some

formula after breastfeeding) but rather supplement breastfeeds (i.e., substitute some

breastfeeds with formula feeds). This information is important in understanding the use

of formula among breastfeeding WIC mothers, and in inferring its likely effects on

continued breastfeeding. When concurrent formula supplementation is controlled, the

associations between non-maternal child care, perceived problems with breastmilk, and

breastfeeding of previous children with the frequency of breastfeeds are no longer

significant, indicating that these factors predict the frequency of breastfeeds only because

they predict formula supplementation.

Perceived barriers to breastfeeding and WIC Program components do not

significantly predict the frequency of breastfeeds.

Conclusions

About a two-thirds majority of the WIC mothers who breastfeed do so when their

infants cry or seem hungry. This feeding schedule is recommended by FCS and other

sources (FNS, 1993a; American Academy of Pediatrics, 1993). With an average of six

nursing episodes per day, those WIC infants who are breastfed are presumably

receiving a large proportion of their nourishment from breastmilk. The mean number of

breastfeeds through the first five months indicates that most WIC infants are not "token"

breastfeeders (i.e., infants breastfeeding only once or twice a day while receiving almost

all nutrient needs from other sources).

WIC-IFPS data indicate that WIC mothers may not be breastfeeding often

enough to stimulate milk production. It is particularly important for stimulation of breastmilk

production that the daily frequency be high in the first month postpartum. During the first
137

few weeks, it is recommended that infants breastfeed at least eight to twelve times per day

(i.e., every two to three hours) (FNS, 1993a; Queen & Lang, 1993; Riordan & Auerbach,

1993). The mean number of daily breastfeeds among these WIC-enrolled infants in Month

1 is almost seven, suggesting that many of these infants do not nurse sufficiently often to

adequately stimulate milk production. This may contribute to short durations of

breastfeeding common among WIC mothers (see Chapter VII).

The multivariate analyses of usual number of breastfeeds per day reveal that

concurrent formula feeding is a very important factor that is associated with reduced

breastfeeding frequency. It appears that supplementary rather than complementary use

of formula is common among WIC mothers. The significant, positive impact of

physicians’ breastfeeding advice indicates that breastfeeding frequency may be a

feeding practice that responds to nutrition advice from a health care provider.

Breastmilk expression is quite prevalent among WIC mothers, practiced by about

one-third of breastfeeding mothers. The mothers who are least likely to express milk,

who could therefore benefit from more information about breastmilk pumping, include

foreign-born mothers who may perceive cultural barriers and mothers who do not live with

the fathers of their infants. This latter group of mothers may not have sufficient social

support to continue breastfeeding when they have to be away from their infants because

of work or school.

VI.4. Formula-Feeding Practices

Research Questions

The mothers who choose to formula feed face many choices regarding formula

feeding practices, such as the choice of the type of formula and preparation of the

formula. These practices may have far-reaching consequences for the nutritional status

of the infant. For this reason, WIC offers nutrition advice to mothers on the preparation

and feeding of formula. In this section, formula-feeding practices of the WIC mothers

are described over the period of infancy.

The following questions are addressed:

 What percentage of WIC infants receive iron-fortified formula?

 Do WIC mothers add other foods or liquids into the bottle with the formula?

 Do WIC mothers overdilute formula?
138

 What brand names of formula are most commonly used by the WIC mothers?

Main Findings

 More than 90 percent of the formula-fed infants receive formula that is fortified

with iron; this percentage increases over early infancy.

 Mothers who receive advice from a health care provider about how to prepare

formula are significantly more likely to feed iron-fortified formula.

 About one-quarter of the WIC mothers report adding other foods or liquids to the

bottle with formula by Month 3. African American and teenage mothers are

significantly more likely to add other foods. Less than one in ten WIC mothers

report overdiluting the formula to make it last longer.

 The most commonly reported reasons for switching formula brands are spitting

up or other digestive problems, allergies or intolerance, doctor's

recommendations, change in WIC vouchers, and cost.

See the Results section for more information on these findings.

Previous Studies

Formula-feeding practices have not been studied before, mostly because of lack of

data and because breastfeeding practices have taken priority in research. This lack of

research on formula-feeding practices may have been misplaced, because by the end of

the first month of infancy, a majority of the low socio-economic status mothers in the

United States are formula feeding rather than breastfeeding (see Section III.2). Hence,

the prevalent formula-feeding practices may influence the nutritional status of a very large

proportion of infants.

Most research on formula-feeding practices is concerned with recommended formulafeeding guidelines, as opposed to the investigation of such feeding practices in the

general population. FCS advises formula-feeding mothers to feed iron-fortified formula,

to avoid adding foods or liquids other than water into the bottle with formula, and to

always follow the directions regarding the recommended amount of water to be added to

formula (FNS, 1993a). Information is also provided about the possibility of water

intoxication due to overdiluting. For breastfed infants, FCS also suggests using

powdered infant formula as opposed to concentrated or ready-to-eat liquid formula. FCS

does not advise the use of one brand of formula over another.
139

Statistical Methods

WIC-IFPS questions on formula-feeding practices elicited the following information

from all mothers who fed any formula to their infants over the past seven days:

 at each month of interview, whether the mother fed iron-fortified or non-fortified

formula

 at each month of interview, whether the mother added anything else into the

bottle together with the formula other than water

 at Month 2, whether the mother added more than the prescribed amount of water

into the formula to make it last longer

 at each month, the brand name of the formula that the mother is currently using.

Descriptive analyses of these data are presented below. These analyses consist of

comparisons of the percentages of the mothers who feed iron-fortified formula, who add

other foods or liquids into the bottle with formula, and who overdilute the formula. These

percentages are also provided for subgroups of mothers by their socio-demographic

characteristics and by whether they received information about formula feeding from

WIC or from another health care provider. In addition, a distribution of the formulafeeding WIC mothers by their use of brand names of formula is provided. Comparisons

were made using chi-square statistics that are accounted for the multistage stratified and

clustered sampling design of the WIC-IFPS, using SUDAAN statistical software.

Results

 More than 90 percent of the formula-fed infants receive formula that is fortified

with iron; this percentage increases over early infancy.

The percentage of WIC infants receiving iron-fortified formula increases slightly from

91 percent in Month 1 to 92 percent in Month 3, to 95 percent in Month 6. There are few

differences among socio-demographic subgroups. The proportions of WIC mothers who

feed iron-fortified formula are not significantly different by race/ethnicity, maternal age,

birth order of the infant, immigrant status, whether the mother lived with the father of the

infant, poverty level, educational attainment, or birthweight of the infant.

 Mothers who receive advice from a health care provider about how to prepare

formula are significantly more likely to feed iron-fortified formula.
140

Receipt of information from WIC about formula feeding is not significantly associated

with the feeding of iron-fortified formula. However, mothers who received advice from a

health care provider other than WIC about how to prepare formula were significantly more

likely to feed iron-fortified formula at the time of the Month 1 interview than the mothers

who received that information from lay sources or from reading formula labels (100%

versus 90%).

 About one-quarter of the WIC mothers report adding other foods or liquids to the

bottle with formula by Month 3. African American and teenage mothers are

significantly more likely to add other foods. Less than one in ten WIC mothers

report overdiluting the formula to make it last longer.

The percentage of mothers who report adding other foods or liquids into the bottle

with the formula increases from 11 percent in Month 1 to 24 percent in Month 3 (see

Table VI.5). Figure VI.4 shows maternal race/ethnicity and age differences in adding

other foods into the bottle with formula. African American mothers are significantly more

likely than other racial and ethnic groups to add other foods or liquids to the formula.

Teenage mothers are most likely to add other foods into the infant's bottle; the

percentages by maternal age decrease significantly in
141

Month 3. Addition of other foods or liquids during the first three months is significantly

more common among mothers born in the United States than among those born

elsewhere. During the first three months, this feeding practice is least prevalent for the

least educated mothers. The differences by educational level are significant. Addition of

other foods does not significantly differ by infant birth order, poverty level, or infant

birthweight.

It may be hypothesized that adding other foods and liquids into the bottle may be

associated with not having received professional advice on formula feeding. This

hypothesis is not supported by the WIC-IFPS data. Adding other foods or

Table VI.5. Percentage of WIC mothers who add other foods or liquids into the

bottle with the formula by selected socio-demographic characteristics.

 Interview Months

Characteristics Month 1 Month 3

Total 11 24

SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS

Race/ethnicity

White

African American

Hispanic

Other

*

12

16

6

4

**

22

36

18

12

Age of the mother at birth of child

14 - 19

20 - 25

26 or older

14

12

9

*

28

25

18

Immigrant status

Born in the U.S.

Born elsewhere

*

14

2

**

26

14

Highest grade completed by the mother

9th grade or less

10th or 11th grades

12th grade

More than high school

*

3

12

13

13

*

18

28

23

25

N1 478 674

Notes:

1. Among the mothers who were formula feeding and who were interviewed at that month

only.

* Chi-square statistic testing the group differences for this month is significant at p<.05.

** Chi-square statistic testing the group differences for this month is significant at p<.01.
142

liquids into the bottle is not significantly associated with the receipt of information from

WIC about formula feeding or receipt of similar information from a health care provider

other than WIC.

The WIC-IFPS did not inquire about the nature of the foods or liquids added to the

formula. This information may be inferred from the maternal reports on what other foods

mothers were feeding their infants at each interview. These data indicate that infant

cereal is the most common addition to the formula. At the Month 3 interview, over 85

percent of the mothers who reported adding other foods into the bottle with formula also

reported feeding cereal to their infants.

From the Month 2 interview, information is available about overdilution of formula.

Almost 8 percent of WIC mothers reported having overdiluted formula to make it last

longer. The group differences by socio-demographic and health-related characteristics

are not statistically significant. However, additional analysis (not presented) of

proportions overdiluting showed a significant association with birthweight such that a

higher birthweight (measured in ounces as opposed to

Figure VI.4. Percentage of mothers who report adding other foods or

liquids in the bottle with the formula at Month 3.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Total

White

African

American

Hispanic

Other

14-1920-25

26 or older

Race and Ethnicity of the Mother Age of the Mother in Years

Percentage
143

low-, normal-, and high-birthweight categories) predicted a higher likelihood of

overdilution. Overdiluting the formula is not significantly associated with receiving

information from WIC about formula feeding or receiving similar information from a

health care provider other than WIC.

The WIC-IFPS included a question about the mother’s perception about the amount

of formula she receives from WIC. The mothers who were receiving formula from WIC

reported whether they perceived that the amount of formula was more than enough, the

right amount, or not enough. In Month 1, 62 percent of WIC mothers who are receiving

formula vouchers perceive that the amount of formula is more than enough, 24 percent

perceive that it is the right amount, and 14 percent perceive that it is not enough. There

is a significant association between this perception and adding other foods of liquids in

the bottle with the formula at Month 1. This association is no longer significant in Month

2 or later. Figure VI.5 shows the percentages of mothers adding other foods in the

formula among the mothers who perceive the amount of WIC formula as more than

enough, the right amount, or not enough. The mothers who perceive that WIC formula is

the right amount are the least likely to add other foods. This perception is not

significantly associated with overdiluting the formula. It is likely that some mothers

Figure VI.5. Percentage of mothers who report adding other foods in the bottle

with the formula at Month 1 among those who think that the amount of formula

given by WIC is more than enough, the right amount, or not enough.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Percentage

Total More than

enough

The right

amount

Not

enough
144

perceive receiving excess formula because they add other foods (e.g., cereal) to

increase the volume of the formula.

 The most commonly reported reasons for switching formula brands are spitting up

or other digestive problems, allergies or intolerance, doctor's recommendations,

change in WIC vouchers, and cost.

An investigation of the brands of formula used by the WIC mothers was conducted. It

must be noted that formula use may be determined by WIC formula contracts as well as

the physician’s prescriptions and maternal preferences. Similac is the most common

brand used by the WIC mothers throughout the infancy, given to 30-40 percent of infants

in Months 1-9, with the percentages decreasing steadily over time (Table VI.6). Enfamil

is the second-most popular brand, given to at least 20 percent of infants at each month.

These two brands account for more than one-half of the infants. SMA and Isomil are

each given to about 10 percent of WIC infants at each month. The WIC-IFPS also

elicited information about the reasons why the mother changes the formula brand. The

most commonly reported reasons are spitting up or other digestive problems, allergies or

intolerance, doctor's recommendations, change in WIC vouchers, and cost.

Conclusions

WIC mothers generally give their infants formula that is iron fortified. Less than 10

percent of WIC infants receive formula that is not iron fortified.

More than one in ten WIC mothers add other foods or liquids in the bottle with the

formula at Month 1 and about one in four do so by Month 3. There is seldom any reason

to add anything other than water to infant formula during early infancy, and thus it is of

concern that this practice is so common. It is noteworthy that this practice increases

with the age of the infant—perhaps mothers think that older infants need other foods.

The increase in addition of other foods over early infancy suggests that mothers may not

be learning or agreeing that this type of supplementation is not necessary, and may

even be harmful.
145

Mothers may decide that the bottle is an easy route for the introduction of cereal,

particularly for infants who are not developmentally ready to eat from a spoon. They may

want to begin feeding cereal as early as possible, in part due to the belief that the infant

may sleep for longer periods of time. Clinicians may recommend "thickening of the

formula" with cereal in order to minimize problems of mild gastroesophageal reflux

(Carré, 1985; Vardenplas, et. al., 1996). Anecdotally, this practice appears to be

beneficial, and is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Adverse effects

of this practice are associated with inappropriately early feeding of supplemental foods

(see Chapter VIII).

WIC mothers in some socio-demographic subgroups are more likely to add other

foods or liquids to the formula than others. The WIC-IFPS data identify African

American mothers and teenage mothers as target groups who are likely to adopt this

feeding practice, which is not advised by the FCS or other infant nutrition authorities

(FNS, 1993a). The WIC-IFPS data suggest that the mothers who regard the formula

they receive from WIC as the right amount are less likely to add other foods to the

formula. This finding indicates that addition of foods into the formula may partly be

motivated by the perception that the infant needs more food.

Table VI.6. Percentage distribution of formula-feeding WIC mothers by brand name of formula.

Interview Month

Brand Name Month 1 Month 3 Month 6 Month 9

Similac 42 36 33 31

Enfamil 24 22 22 22

SMA 12 12 10 10

Isomil 10 10 11 12

Prosobee 6 8 9 10

Good Start 2 3 4 4

Nursoy 2 3 4 4

Nutramigen 0 2 3 2

Other 2 3 4 4

N1 478 674 746 747

Note:

1. Formula feeding mothers interviewed at that month only.
146

It is of concern that 8 percent of WIC mothers report overdiluting the formula to make

it last longer. It is likely that the true percentage is somewhat higher than this, since

some underreporting of this information is expected due to the social undesirability of the

response.
147
148

CHAPTER VII

NURSING PROBLEMS, CONTINUATION AND CESSATION OF

BREASTFEEDING

VII.1. Overview

This chapter addresses the issues regarding continuation of breastfeeding. As stated

before (see Section IV.2), there are many benefits of breastfeeding, including protection

from respiratory illnesses, ear infections, and gastrointestinal illness; optimal weight gain;

and psychological benefits that promote maternal and infant bonding. Furthermore, the

economic benefits of breastfeeding may be significant particularly for low-income families.

Almost all of the benefits of breastfeeding depend on its duration. Recent evidence

indicates that even some of the immunological benefits of breastfeeding cannot be

observed if the duration of breastfeeding has been shorter than approximately three

months (Bedinghaus & Doughten, 1994; Howie et al., 1990). Therefore, breastfeeding

cessation prior to three months of age may reduce the ultimate benefits of breastfeeding.

There is no agreed-upon optimal age for ceasing breastfeeding. FCS advises that

this is left up to the mother and the infant (FNS, 1993a). However, if the infant is under

one year of age and a decision is made to wean, it is advised that breastmilk be

substituted with formula rather than cow’s milk. FCS and the NAWD (1990, 1994) advise

that the infant be breastfed as long as the mother wishes to continue breastfeeding. If

the decision is made to cease breastfeeding, FCS advises that breastfeeding cessation

be accomplished gradually, so that the infant and the mother have adequate time to

adjust and that the mother experiences less discomfort.

Although breastfeeding cessation may be because of maternal choice, it is

sometimes an outcome of problems associated with nursing. Mothers may experience a

variety of problems ranging from engorged breasts to infected breasts. It is important to

understand the extent of the prevalence of these problems as well as their role in the

decision to cease breastfeeding.
149

This chapter includes the following sections:

 Section VII.2 discusses WIC Program components that pertain to the

continuation of breastfeeding, breastfeeding problems, and breastfeeding

cessation.

 Section VII.3 discusses nursing problems among WIC mothers.

 Section VII.4 discusses the process and timing of breastfeeding cessation.

VII.2. WIC Program Components that Pertain to Continuation of

Breastfeeding, Nursing Problems, and Cessation of Breastfeeding

Two program components of WIC are expected to promote the continuation of

breastfeeding:

 breastfeeding education and counseling

 enhanced food package for breastfeeding women.20

An important goal of the WIC nutrition education program is to promote the initiation

and continuation of breastfeeding (FNS, 1993a). The enhanced breastfeeding women’s

food packages are also expected to help promote longer durations of breastfeeding.

The WIC clinics are encouraged to provide on-going support to breastfeeding women

regardless of whether they are exclusively or partially breastfeeding (NAWD, 1990;

1994). For example, WIC clinics provide support for nursing problems. FCS suggests a

series of simple and effective remedies for nursing problems (FNS, 1993a).

WIC clinics are encouraged to minimize the use of supplemental formula, and

instead to provide peer support and professional support through referral to local health

care providers as well as through WIC Programs. Furthermore, to prolong breastfeeding

to the extent possible, clinics are encouraged to address the needs of breastfeeding

women who are employed or who attend school. WIC clinics are

 

20 Another WIC Program component that promotes the continuation of breastfeeding is the provision of breast pumps.

The WIC-IFPS elicited information about WIC breast pumps from currently breastfeeding mothers in the Month 3

interview. At that time, 47 mothers reported expressing milk and only nine reported receiving a breast pump from

WIC.
150

also encouraged to coordinate their breastfeeding support activities with those of other

health care providers (NAWD, 1994).

NAWD guidelines (1994) recommend that breastfeeding women receive food

packages that address their high level of need for nutrients. Furthermore, NAWD

specifies that the WIC food packages for exclusively breastfeeding mothers should not

contain any vouchers for infant formula. For the mothers who wish to supplement

breastfeeding with formula, it is recommended that the infant’s food package contain

powdered formula as opposed to liquid formula, because powdered formula can be

prepared in very small amounts and is not wasted if unused.

VII.3. Nursing Problems

Research Questions

In this section, analyses describing the prevalence of nursing problems among the

WIC mothers are presented. The following two questions are addressed:

(1) What is the overall prevalence of nursing problems over the first half of

infancy?

(2) Are there group differences in the prevalence of nursing problems by

race/ethnicity and age of the mother?

One of the major breastfeeding support activities provided by WIC addresses nursing

problems. While some of these problems are common and not very severe, others may

be quite severe and interfere with the continuation of breastfeeding. It is important to

understand the prevalence of these problems in order to assess the extent of need

among WIC mothers for breastfeeding support and counseling. The role of nursing

problems in the process of breastfeeding cessation is investigated in Section VII.4.

Main Findings

 During their early breastfeeding experience, WIC mothers report sore nipples

and not having enough milk as the most common nursing problems.

 There are no significant differences in the experience of nursing problems by

socio-demographic characteristics.

See the results section for more information on these findings.
151

Previous Studies

While a national study of prevalence of nursing problems does not exist, regional

studies have been conducted. One-third of the WIC mothers in a Missouri study of

nursing problems in the hospital had such problems (McClurg-Hitt & Olsen, 1994). The

most common problems were improper latch-on, sleeping or uninterested baby, and

sore nipples. The same study indicated that the primary complaint after hospital

discharge was sore nipples.

The nursing problem that has been most studied is the suspected insufficiency of

milk. Clinical research identifies a number of symptoms that may be indicative of

inadequate milk supply, such as low infant weight gain and small number of wet diapers.

Low breastfeeding frequency and formula supplementation may lead to insufficient milk

supply (American Academy of Pediatrics, 1993; Freed, et al., 1991; Riordan & Auerbach,

1993).

It has been suggested that an “insufficient milk syndrome” has developed in

industrialized countries, for which there is a “biocultural explanation” (Gussler &

Briesemeister, 1980). Components of this explanation include the lack of supportive

social networks; changing patterns of infant care, which involve leaving infants alone in a

crib while asleep, rather than being together with their mothers; attempting to establish a

feeding schedule, rather than nursing whenever the infant shows any signs of being

hungry; and maternal anxiety, which can simultaneously be caused by her concern

about sufficient milk and inhibit the let-down reflex, hindering release of milk from the

breast. The antecedents and consequences of insufficient milk supply syndrome have

been studied extensively by Hill and Aldag (1993). Milk insufficiency predicted shorter

durations of breastfeeding.

Breast infection, or mastitis, while not very common, is a severe nursing problem

requiring treatment with antibiotics (Freed et al., 1991). It is recommended that

breastfeeding continue during the period of infection, with frequent nursing episodes.

Statistical Methods

WIC mothers reported experience of each of eight different nursing problems in the

Month 1, Month 3, and Month 5 interviews. The eight breastfeeding problems were

choking of the infant while breastfeeding, sore nipples, cracked nipples, breasts that are
152

too full, breasts that leak, breast infections, milk insufficiency, and the maternal

perception that there was something wrong with the milk.

The nursing problems were considered under two categories: problems with the

breast or feeding, and problems with breastmilk. Percentages were estimated of mothers

who reported experiencing any problems with the breast or feeding, and those who

reported having problems with breastmilk. These percentages were compared across

subgroups of WIC mothers distinguished by socio-demographic characteristics. The

differences in subgroups were tested using chi-square statistics that were computed by

accounting for the multistage stratified and clustered sampling design of the WIC-IFPS.

SUDAAN statistical software was used to estimate these percentages and chi-square

statistics.

In coding the nursing problems into two summary indicators (i.e., problems with

breasts/feeding, and problems with the milk), leaking of milk was not coded as a

“problem” because of two reasons. First, it is unclear that this problem interferes with

breastfeeding. Some leaking is normal in that, especially during early weeks of

breastfeeding, milk may be let down due to a variety of stimuli. Second, a very large

majority of the mothers report leaking of the breasts (see below). Hence, leaking of the

breasts may not be a very good indicator for discriminating between the mothers who

have nursing problems and those who do not.

Results

Table VII.1 provides the proportions of breastfeeding women who report

experiencing a set of eight different nursing problems. This table also provides the

proportions of women reporting problems with breasts/feeding, and problems with the

milk.

 During their early breastfeeding experience, WIC mothers report sore nipples

and not having enough milk as the most common nursing problems.
153

In Month 1, almost two-fifths of the mothers (38%) report having sore nipples and more

than one-third (34%) report not having enough milk for the infant. Problems with sore or

cracked nipples affect relatively few mothers after Month 3. The percentage of mothers

who report having sore nipples declines rapidly to 10 percent at Month 3 and 7 percent at

Month 5. The prevalence of the maternal perception that her milk is insufficient also

declines but not as quickly. As a result, by Month 3, reported milk insufficiency is the most

common nursing problem (25%).

Nipple care may be an important issue during the first few weeks of breastfeeding.

After this critical period, problems with breasts and, to a large extent, problems with

feeding diminish. By Month 3, maternal perception of problems with the milk are just as

prevalent as the problems with breasts/feeding.

There are relatively few women who feel that there is something wrong with their

milk. This proportion is 10 percent in Month 1 and declines to 2 percent by Month 5.

Experience of breast infections is also rare, with only 2 percent of the mothers reporting

a breast infection. In addition to these problems, leaking of the breasts is reported by 86

percent of the mothers in Month 1, 62 percent in Month 3, and 45 percent in Month 5.

Leaking of breastmilk appears to be a common inconvenience experienced by a majority

of breastfeeding mothers.

Table VII.1. Reported nursing problems by WIC mothers at the time of the Month 1,

Month 3, and Month 5 interviews.

 Interview Months

Nursing Problems Month 1 Month 3 Month 5

Problems with breasts or feeding 55 29 16

Sore nipples 38 10 7

Infant chokes while breastfeeding 20 19 8

Cracked nipples 17 4 3

Breasts are too full 12 6 2

Breast infection 2 2 0

Problems with milk 36 27 16

Milk is not enough for the infant 34 25 15

Something is wrong with the milk 10 4 2

N1 198 163 143

Note:

1. Breastfeeding mothers who were interviewed at that month only.
154

In addition to the indicators of reported problems with breasts/feeding and with milk,

a measure was developed that distinguished between the following four groups of

breastfeeding mothers:

(1) Mothers reporting no nursing problems

(2) Mothers reporting problems with breasts and feeding but none with milk

(3) Mothers reporting problems with milk but none with breasts and feeding

(4) Mothers reporting problems with breasts/feeding and problems with milk.

Figure VII.1 shows the percentages of breastfeeding WIC mothers in each one of

these groups at Months 1, 3, and 5. As can be seen in this figure, percentage of WIC

mothers who report no nursing problems increases from 31 percent in Month 1 to 71

percent in Month 5. In Month 1, almost one-quarter of the mothers report having

problems with breasts/feeding and problems with the milk. By Month 5 only 4 percent of

the mothers report having both types of nursing problems.

Figure VII.1. Percentage of breastfeeding WIC mothers who report

experiencing nursing problems in Months 1, 3, and 5.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Month 1 Month 3 Month 5

No nursing problems

Problems with breasts/feeding but none with the milk

Problems with the milk but none with breasts/feeding

Problems with breasts/feeding and milk

Percentage
155

 There are no significant differences in the experience of nursing problems by

socio-demographic characteristics.

The analysis of the experience of nursing problems by socio-demographic

characteristics shows that the reported experience of nursing problems is not

significantly associated with these characteristics.

Conclusions

There is a decline in the percentages of mothers reporting nursing problems over the

first five months of infancy. This decline may be due to two reasons: (1) women who

breastfeed longer durations may learn to manage nursing problems and (2) women

experiencing nursing problems may cease breastfeeding at higher rates, leaving a group

of women who continue breastfeeding who are less prone to experiencing problems.

This latter possibility is explored further in Section VII.4.

During the first month, the most commonly reported problem that may interfere with

breastfeeding is sore nipples. FCS suggests the following remedies for this problem:

changing of the position of the infant while breastfeeding, more frequent feedings to

avoid vigorous nursing, keeping the nipples dry, and use of nipple guards (FNS, 1993a).

The most commonly reported problem at Months 3 and 5, and the second most

commonly reported problem at Month 1, is insufficient milk. The proportion of mothers

who report this problem is very similar to that reported by Hill and Aldag (1993), and the

high prevalence of this problem underscores its importance as a focus of breastfeeding

support activities.

VII.4. Analysis of Continuation and Cessation of Breastfeeding

Research Questions

In this section, descriptive and multivariate analyses of continuation and cessation of

breastfeeding are presented. One of the main purposes of the WIC-IFPS is to identify

attitudes/beliefs and practices of WIC participants associated with the continuation of

breastfeeding (FNS, 1993b). Accordingly, four research questions are addressed here:

(1) What is the duration of breastfeeding of WIC mothers?
156

(2) What is the duration of breastfeeding among WIC mothers in major sociodemographic subgroups?

(3) What are the unique contributions of socio-demographic characteristics of WIC

mothers to the duration of breastfeeding?

(4) What are some program factors that are associated with the duration of

breastfeeding?

Error! Not a valid filename.Main Findings

 One-half of the WIC mothers who initiate breastfeeding cease breastfeeding their

infants by 57 days of age.
157

 Substantial percentages of WIC mothers cease breastfeeding very shortly after

birth. One-fifth of the mothers who initiate breastfeeding cease to do so within

ten days after birth. By the time infants are one month of age, almost two in five

WIC mothers cease breastfeeding.

 Younger mothers, African American mothers, less educated mothers and

mothers who use child care are more likely to cease breastfeeding than other

mothers.

 Reported problems with breastmilk are associated with 70 percent higher rates of

breastfeeding cessation.

 Mothers who breastfed previous children are half as likely to cease breastfeeding

than mothers who did not breastfeed their previous children.

 Breastfeeding at the first feeding predicts longer durations of breastfeeding.

 Positive attitudes and beliefs about breastfeeding are associated with lower rates

of breastfeeding cessation.

 Concurrent feeding of breastmilk and infant formula is associated with a more

than doubled rate of breastfeeding cessation.

 WIC mothers who know about the special WIC breastfeeding food package for

women whose infants do not receive formula from WIC have significantly lower

rates of breastfeeding cessation.

 The receipt of each additional WIC Program component that supports

breastfeeding is associated with a 20 percent additional reduction in

breastfeeding cessation rates.

See the Results section for more information on these findings.

Previous Studies

Although there are more studies of breastfeeding initiation than breastfeeding duration,

the latter is a relatively well-studied infant feeding practice. Socio-demographic

characteristics, health-related characteristics, social context of the mother, professional

advice, hospital practices, feeding of other foods, breastfeeding attitudes and beliefs, and

WIC Program components have all been found to be associated with breastfeeding

duration.
158

Socio-demographic characteristics. The national Ross Laboratory Mothers Study

(RLMS) and the NMIHS data have been used to investigate the socio-demographic

correlates of breastfeeding duration samples that have national coverage. African

American race, lower education, and young maternal age were found to be associated

with shorter durations of breastfeeding (Ryan et al., 1991b; Schwartz et al., 1995).

Other studies with local samples obtained similar results, with African American race

(Hill, 1991; Hill & Aldag, 1993) and younger maternal age (Bagwell et al., 1992)

correlating with shorter durations of breastfeeding. In addition, maternal employment

was found to be negatively associated with breastfeeding duration (Fomon, 1993: 409;

Ryan et al., 1991b).

Health-related characteristics. Attributes pertaining to infant and maternal health are

found to be associated with the duration of breastfeeding. Low birthweight was found to

be associated with a shorter duration of breastfeeding in the analysis of the RLMS (Ryan

et al., 1991b). Among the maternal health indicators, nursing problems have been

studied most extensively as a predictor of breastfeeding cessation. Bagwell et al. (1992)

found that, among women aged 20-29, insufficient milk is the most likely reason (over

one-fifth) to cease breastfeeding. A study of the mothers participating in the Missouri

WIC Program found that inadequate milk supply is cited as the primary reason (McClurgHitt & Olsen, 1994). In New York City, one-fourth of mothers said that they stopped

breastfeeding because their milk “dried up” and another fourth because their breasts

were sore (Bevan et al., 1984). Similar findings are shown in Hill and Aldag (1993) and

Hawkins et al. (1987).

Social context of the mother. Few studies have examined the role of the social

context of the mother in her decision to stop breastfeeding. The RLMS and NMIHS do

not yield data on the social context. Two studies with local samples elicited information

on this factor. Bagwell et al. (1992) categorized social context factors for ceasing

breastfeeding under the “other reasons” category, and did not examine them in detail.

Hill (1991) examined factors describing the social context of the mother but found that

they did not significantly predict breastfeeding duration.

Sources of breastfeeding advice other than WIC. Many previous studies emphasize

the importance of providing support and instruction to breastfeeding mothers to help

them overcome any problems associated with breastfeeding, and to promote continued

breastfeeding (American Academy of Pediatrics, 1993:1-2; FNS, 1993a; Freed et al.,
159

1991; Riordan & Auerbach, 1993; NAWD, 1990). Unfortunately, the mothers who

experience nursing problems are sometimes advised by their physicians to supplement

with formula or to stop breastfeeding (Freed, 1993; Michelman et al., 1990; Reames,

1985). Nevertheless, it has been shown that targeted professional breastfeeding

support promotes longer durations of breastfeeding (Ryan et al., 1990; Saunders &

Carroll, 1988).

Hospital practices. It is commonly believed that formula availability may suppress

continued breastfeeding, because mothers who initiate supplementing breastfeeding

with formula may experience a reduced milk supply. For example, it has been shown

that aggressive formula marketing interferes with breastfeeding by rendering formula

more accessible (Oski & McMillan, 1991). There is strong indication that formula

availability may decrease breastfeeding (Bevan et al., 1984; Hill, 1991). Hospital gift

packages containing formula gifts are suspected to inhibit continued breastfeeding

(Bergevin et al., 1983; Dungy et al., 1992).

Breastfeeding attitudes/beliefs. Breastfeeding attitudes and beliefs are often

recommended as targets for intervention, in order to promote breastfeeding initiation and

continuation. The guidelines for breastfeeding promotion issued by the NAWD (1994)

stress the need to monitor the attitudes/beliefs of WIC mothers as one component of an

effective breastfeeding promotion program. A recent review article shows that women

who breastfeed are more likely to be aware of the benefits of breastfeeding (particularly

the health benefits for the infants) and are less likely to be concerned about such

perceived barriers to breastfeeding as embarrassment, fear of discomfort, limitations on

freedom and social life, and potential lack of the fathers involvement in feeding (Losch

et al., 1995). A few previous studies examined the association between breastfeeding

attitudes/beliefs and duration of breastfeeding. Belief in the benefits of breastfeeding

over formula feeding and knowledge about breastfeeding are found to be significantly

and positively associated with breastfeeding duration (Hill, 1991; Fomon, 1993: 409; Leff

et al., 1994).

Feeding of other foods. Many previous studies demonstrated a strong association

between the breastfeeding cessation process and formula feeding. For example, Hill

(1991) found that concurrent formula feeding alone was responsible for almost one-third of

the variance in the duration of breastfeeding. There are physiological reasons for this

association. Infants who receive formula feeds and breastfeeds at the same time may
160

suffer from nipple confusion (due to the difference between artificial nipples and the

breast), may develop a weak suck, may refuse the breast, or may suckle less intensively

on the breast, thereby reducing milk production (FNS, 1993a). In response to such

research, NAWD (1994) suggests that breastfeeding women not be offered formula or

samples unless they specifically request them. Furthermore, NAWD advises clinics to

inform breastfeeding mothers of the possible negative consequences of formula

supplementation.

The relations between perceived milk insufficiency, formula supplementation, and

reduced duration of breastfeeding may be bi-directional. While formula supplementa-tion

may lead to reduced breastmilk and cessation of breastfeeding, mothers who decide to

wean may initiate formula for the purpose of weaning (Hill, 1991; Hill & Aldag, 1993). One

study that examined the association between the feeding of supplemental foods and

duration of breastfeeding found a positive association (Hill, 1991).

WIC Program components. The WIC Breastfeeding Promotion Study and

Demonstration (USDA, 1990) yields evidence that intensive breastfeeding promotion

and support by WIC is associated with increased 6-week breastfeeding prevalence (four

of seven sites) and increased 3-month prevalence (five of seven sites). A local study of

WIC participants indicated that duration of breastfeeding was not associated with

prenatal WIC participation, but women participating in WIC postnatally did breastfeed for

longer periods of time (Armotrading et al., 1992). In national studies, Schwartz et al.

(1992) found that WIC breastfeeding education increased the incidence and duration of

breastfeeding among WIC participants. In a later study, however, Schwartz et al. (1995)

found that prenatal WIC breastfeeding education and advice increased breastfeeding

initiation but did not affect breastfeeding duration. The evidence from these studies

indicates that postnatal breastfeeding education and support are associated with the

continuation of breastfeeding while prenatal participation in WIC breastfeeding programs

may be more effective in breastfeeding initiation.

Statistical Methods

The WIC-IFPS included a series of probes that allowed the determination of the

infant’s age (in days) at the time of complete breastfeeding cessation. In addition, for all

infants, mothers were asked when formula (see Section VI.6) and supplemental foods

were initiated. Because of the detailed questionnaire and the study design consisting of
161

frequent interviews, the errors in measuring the duration of breastfeeding are likely to be

small.

The life table method was used to analyze the timing of breastfeeding cessation.

There are three reasons why the life table approach is appropriate:

(1) Breastfeeding cessation occurs at a different time for each infant. Over the

period of breastfeeding, characteristics of the mother that are predictive of

breastfeeding cessation may change (e.g., household composition, formula

supplementation, and maternal employment). The changes in these predictors

must be accounted for when investigating their association with the duration of

breastfeeding.

(2) There are a number of mothers who were still breastfeeding at the time of the

Month 12 interview. Data from these mothers must be included in the analysis

because they are likely to be different in those characteristics that are predictive

of breastfeeding duration. If they are excluded from the analysis, the remaining

sample of women will no longer be representative of the national population of

mothers who participated in WIC prenatally.

(3) A small number of mothers were lost from the study before they ceased

breastfeeding. Life table methods allow the use of the partial information that is

available from these mothers.

The first step in applying the life table method was to obtain a series of age-specific

rates of breastfeeding cessation. These rates were used to estimate the proportions (or

percentages) of mothers who were still breastfeeding at each age of the infant.

Furthermore, the median age of breastfeeding cessation was estimated. The median age

of breastfeeding cessation is the age when one-half of the breastfed infants are weaned.

The life table methodology can be extended to estimate multivariate models of rates

of breastfeeding cessation. Most of the recent efforts to model breastfeeding cessation

(Adair et al., 1993; Guilkey et al., 1990; Schwartz et al., 1992) have relied on models

similar to those used here. These models yield a series of coefficients that show the

strength of the association between the rates of breastfeeding cessation and factors that

are hypothesized to be predictors of those rates. A transformation of the estimated

coefficients allows them to be interpreted as the estimated relative risk. For example, if

the transformed coefficient of the predictor factor x is 2, it is said that the factor x is
162

predicted to double the rates of weaning or, conversely, is predicted to be negatively

associated with the duration of breastfeeding.

In building multivariate models of formula supplementation, a protocol was followed,

as before, that tested the predictive power of groups of variables. Those variables that

were not significantly associated with the likelihood of breastfeeding cessation and those

variables that were not of primary substantive interest were eliminated from the models

of weaning.

Results

Descriptive Analysis. Table VII.2 shows the estimated median duration of

breastfeeding by maternal socio-demographic characteristics.

 One-half of the WIC mothers who initiate breastfeeding cease breastfeeding their

infants by 57 days of age.

The median duration of breastfeeding of the WIC mothers is estimated to be 57

days, meaning one-half of the WIC mothers stop breastfeeding their infants by 57 days

of age. By 13 days of age, one-quarter of the infants are weaned. By 199 days (about

6.5 months), three-quarters of the infants are weaned.
163

 Substantial percentages of WIC mothers cease breastfeeding very shortly after

birth. One-fifth of the mothers who initiate breastfeeding cease to do so within ten

days after birth. By the time infants are of one month of age, almost two in five

WIC mothers cease breastfeeding.

The Healthy People 2000 report (USDHHS, 1990) specifies the goal that 50 percent

of all infants be breastfed until five to six months of age. At five months, or 150 days of

Table VII.2. Median age of breastfeeding cessation, age when 25% and age when 75% of

the infants are weaned from the breast.

Characteristics

Median

Age1

Age When

25%

of Infants Are

Weaned from

the Breast

Age When

75%

of Infants Are

Weaned from

the Breast N

Total 57 13 199 463

SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS

Race and ethnicity

White

African American

Hispanic

Other

52

42

77

128

13

8

14

58

151

182

246

364

227

66

131

39

Age

14 - 19

20 - 25

26 or older

19

61

87

6

14

20

68

191

280

89

202

172

Birth order of the infant

Firstborn

Secondborn

Thirdborn or younger

32

56

78

7

13

24

136

152

304

189

84

180

Immigrant status

Born in the U.S.

Born elsewhere

50

96

12

22

180

304

326

125

Father of the infant lives with the mother

Yes

No

52

63

13

13

199

196

226

237

Poverty level2

< 50%

50 - 100%

100% or more

53

67

49

12

13

14

152

250

199

150

134

62

Highest grade completed by the mother

9th grade or less

10th or 11th grades

12th grade

More than high school

65

25

48

87

8

12

10

39

224

77

196

304

71

81

184

113

Notes:

1. Age when 50% of the mothers are still breastfeeding.

2. Poverty level measures the income of the respondent’s family relative to the federal poverty level for a family of that

size.
164

age, about 31 percent of WIC infants are breastfed among those who initiated

breastfeeding. That is equivalent to about 16 percent of all WIC infants being breastfed

at 150 days of age.

Figure VII.3 shows the percentages of the WIC mothers who are still breastfeeding at

given ages of the infant, as well as the Healthy People 2000 goal. Among the

breastfeeding mothers, only 38 percent continue breastfeeding beyond 90 days. Since

56 percent of the mothers ever initiate breastfeeding, an estimated 21 percent of all WIC

mothers breastfeed for 90 days or more. Furthermore, the percentages of breastfeeding

mothers during the first 30 days indicate that 21 percent of the mothers who initiate

breastfeeding cease within ten days. By 30 days of age, 38 percent of the WIC infants

who initiated breastfeeding are weaned.

Table VII.2 also provides information about group differences in duration of

breastfeeding. Race/ethnicity differences are strong and of expected directions. African

American mothers have the shortest duration of breastfeeding, with nearly one-quarter

ceasing breastfeeding by eight days postpartum and one-half doing so by 42 days.

Hispanic mothers breastfeed longer durations than white and African American mothers,

with one-half breastfeeding at least 77 days.

Figure VII.3. Percentage of all WIC mothers breastfeeding, by the age of

the infant.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 360

Age of the infant in days

Healthy People 2000 Goal

WIC Mothers
165

Maternal age is positively associated with breastfeeding duration, with youngest

mothers having the shortest durations of breastfeeding and the oldest mothers having

the longest durations. These differences are also displayed in Figure VII.4. One-half of

teenage WIC mothers cease breastfeeding their infants by 19 days of age, as compared

to 61 days by 20-to 25-year-old mothers, and 87 days by 26-year-old or older mothers.

Mothers who were born outside the United States have a median duration of

breastfeeding that is almost twice as long as that for the mothers who were born in the

United States (96 days as compared to 50 days). The differences in the median duration

of breastfeeding by the father’s presence are small. The mothers who are in the lowest

and highest income levels have shorter durations of breastfeeding than those in the

middle category (i.e., between 50 and 100% of the poverty level). Level of education is

positively associated with breastfeeding duration with the exception of the lowest

educational level. Mothers with 9th-grade education or less have a longer duration of

breastfeeding than all but the highest education level. This non-linear association

between breastfeeding duration and education is likely because of the high proportion of

immigrant mothers in the lowest education category.

Figure VII.4. Percentage of WIC mothers still breastfeeding, by the age of

the infant and age of the mother.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 360

14-19

20-25

26 or older

Age of the infant in days
166

Additional exploratory analysis of the percentage of mothers who are still

breastfeeding at each age of infant was conducted to examine the differences by

maternal reports of knowledge of the WIC special food package for breastfeeding women

whose infants do not receive formula from WIC. Mothers who report knowing about the

special food package for breastfeeding women breastfeed for longer durations. Figure

VII.5 presents the percentages who are still breastfeeding at each age of the infant for the

group of mothers who report that they know about the special food package and the

group of mothers who report that they do not know about the special food package. At

every duration, higher percentages of mothers who know about the special food package

are still breastfeeding. For example, when the infant is two months old (60 days), 60

percent of the mothers who know about the special food package are still breastfeeding,

as compared to 42 percent of the mothers who did not know about the special food

package.

Multivariate Analysis. In order to delineate the unique contribution of various factors

in predicting the rates of breastfeeding cessation, multivariate analyses of these rates

were conducted. In investigating the predictors of breastfeeding cessation, the following

Figure VII.5. Percentage of WIC mothers still breastfeeding, by the age of

the infant and whether the mother reports knowing about the special WIC

food package for breastfeeding women who do not accept infant formula

from WIC.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 360

Mother does not know about

the special food package

Mother knows about the

special food package

Age of the infant in days
167

models were tested:Error! Not a valid filename.Model III includes the program factors

in addition to the non-program factors considered in Model II. Among the program

factors, three WIC Program components are considered: knowledge of the special WIC

breastfeeding food package, receipt of information about breastfeeding from WIC, and

receipt of advice to breastfeed from WIC. The association between these three WIC

Program components and breastfeeding cessation can be estimated in different ways.

Here, two alternative formulations of this association are presented. These alternative

formulations are described in detail on page 173 and are presented as Model III-a and

Model III-b in Table VII.3.

Table VII.3 displays the results of the multivariate models of the rates of breastfeeding

cessation. Note that in the WIC-IFPS, attitudes and beliefs, receipt of information and

advice on breastfeeding, and knowledge of the special WIC food
168

Table VII.3. Relative risks1

 estimated by the multivariate models of rates of breastfeeding cessation

(N=486).

Predictors Model I Model II Model III-a Model III-b

SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS

Maternal age 0.96** 0.96** 0.96** 0.96**

African American 1.27* 1.03 0.91 0.94

Hispanic 1.02 0.85 0.97 0.98

Maternal immigrant status - foreign born 0.77 0.82 0.63** 0.64**

Birth order of the infant - firstborn 1.18 0.66 0.74 0.75

Maternal household size 0.94 0.97 0.97 0.97

Maternal education 0.94* 0.97 0.96 0.96

Use of non-maternal child care 1.53** 1.48* 1.36 1.36

HEALTH-RELATED CHARACTERISTICS

Reported problems with the breast or feeding 1.08 1.02 1.02

Reported problems with the breastmilk 1.70** 1.48** 1.49**

SOCIAL CONTEXT

Receipt of advice to breastfeed from the grandmother 0.87 0.79 0.79

Mother breastfed previous children 0.45** 0.53** 0.52**

SOURCES OF NUTRITION ADVICE OTHER THAN WIC

Receipt of advice to breastfeed from physician 0.88 0.93 0.96

Receipt of information about breastfeeding elsewhere 0.91 0.91 0.91

HOSPITAL PRACTICES

Mother breastfed at the first feeding 0.68** 0.83 0.83

INFANT FEEDING ATTITUDES AND BELIEFS

Perceived benefits of breastfeeding 0.99** 0.99**

Perceived barriers to breastfeeding 1.01* 1.01*

CONCURRENT INFANT FEEDING PRACTICES

Current use of formula 2.38** 2.42**

WIC PROGRAM COMPONENTS

Knowledge of the special WIC breastfeeding food package2 0.73*

Maternal report on receipt of information about breastfeeding

from WIC3

0.80

Maternal report on receipt of advice to breastfeed from WIC.4 0.90

Maternal report on the number of WIC program components

received

0.81**

Notes:

1. Relative risk greater than one implies that the characteristic considered is associated with higher likelihood of formula supplementation.

Relative risk less than one implies that the characteristic considered is associated with lower likelihood of formula supplementation.

2. The answer to the question “Have you been told that there is a special WIC food package from breastfeeding women who do not

accept infant formula from WIC?” is “yes.”

3. The answer to any one of the three questions “Have you received information or advice from the WIC office about (1) benefits of

breastfeeding?, (2) how to breastfeed?, or (3) mother’s diet while breastfeeding?” is “yes.”

4. The answer to the question “Have WIC program staff told you that you should breastfeed?” is “yes.”

* p<.05,

** p<.01
169

package for breastfeeding women were measured at the Month 2 interview. This timing

may be subsequent to breastfeeding cessation for many mothers, so the association of

these variables with breastfeeding cessation rates must be interpreted with caution.

 Younger mothers, African American mothers, less educated mothers, and

mothers who use child care are more likely to cease breastfeeding than other

mothers.

Maternal age is a significant predictor of rates of breastfeeding cessation. Older

mothers are more likely to continue breastfeeding than younger mothers at any age of the

infant. Each additional year of age is correlated with a 4 percent decline in the rate of

breastfeeding cessation (relative risk is 0.96). African American mothers are significantly

more likely to discontinue breastfeeding by a factor of 27 percent.

As expected, maternal education is significantly and negatively associated with the

rates of breastfeeding cessation. More educated mothers are likely to have lower rates

of breastfeeding cessation than less educated mothers. Each additional year of

education (controlling for other socio-demographic markers) is correlated with a

reduction in the breastfeeding cessation rates by almost 6 percent (relative risk is 0.94).

This indicates that a mother with a 2-year college degree is expected to have a rate of

breastfeeding cessation that is three-quarters that of a mother who dropped out of

school after completing the 9th grade.

Use of child care is associated with significantly higher rates of breastfeeding

cessation. This relative risk is not only significant but it is very large. The rates of

breastfeeding cessation are predicted to be over 50 percent higher (relative risk is 1.53)

if a mother is using child care.

 Reported problems with breastmilk are associated with 70 percent higher rates of

breastfeeding cessation.

Model II in Table VII.3 includes all non-program factors considered as predictors of

breastfeeding cessation. Maternal reports of problems with breastmilk (perceived

insufficiency or perception that something is wrong with the milk) during a month

significantly predicts higher rates of breastfeeding cessation. A mother who experiences

such problems is expected to have about 70 percent higher rates of breastfeeding

cessation than a mother who does not experience such problems. Experience of
170

problems with breasts or feeding (e.g., sore nipples, infant choking while breastfeeding)

does not significantly predict breastfeeding cessation rates. This finding indicates that

such problems may inconvenience the mother but probably do not influence her decision

to continue breastfeeding.

 Mothers who breastfed previous children are half as likely to cease breastfeeding

than mothers who did not breastfeed their previous children.

Two social context measures, the receipt of advice from the infant’s grandmother

(the mother’s mother) to breastfeed and breastfeeding of previous children, are included

in Model II. Grandmother’s advice is not significantly predictive of the rates of

breastfeeding cessation.

 Breastfeeding at the first feeding predicts longer durations of breastfeeding.

Among the hospital practices, initiation of breastfeeding at the first feeding predicts

about one-third reduced likelihood of breastfeeding cessation (relative risk is 0.68).

Receipt of information about breastfeeding somewhere other than WIC and receipt of

advice to breastfeed from the physician do not significantly predict the rates of

breastfeeding cessation.

Note that in Model II, when reported problems with breastmilk, breastfeeding of

previous children, and breastfeeding at the first feeding are controlled, African American

race and maternal education are no longer significant predictors of breastfeeding

cessation rates. It is known that there are no socio-demographic differences in the

reports of problems with breastmilk (see Section VII.3). It is concluded that the

differences in previous breastfeeding history and hospital practices account for the

observed racial and educational differences in breastfeeding cessation rates. For

example, given the same method of first feeding, African American and white WIC

mothers are similarly likely to cease breastfeeding. However, if the method of first feeding

is disregarded, African American mothers are more likely to cease breastfeeding

because they are less likely to breastfeed at the first feeding (see Chapter V).

 Positive attitudes and beliefs about breastfeeding are associated with lower rates

of breastfeeding cessation.
171

Model III-a in Table VII.3 includes the program factors as predictors of breastfeeding

cessation. Perceived benefits of breastfeeding and perceived barriers to breastfeeding

are significantly predictive of breastfeeding cessation rates. Mothers who believe in the

benefits of breastfeeding have lower rates of breastfeeding cessation. Mothers who

perceive barriers to breastfeeding have higher rates of breastfeeding cessation. Each

point increase in the perceived benefits scale score predicts a one-percentage-point

reduction in the rates of breastfeeding cessation. Similarly, each point increase in the

perceived barriers scale score predicts a one-percentage-point increase in the rates of

breastfeeding cessation.

 Concurrent feeding of breastmilk and infant formula is associated with a more

than doubled rate of breastfeeding cessation.

Model III-a in Table VII.3 includes an indicator of concurrent feeding of formula.

Concurrent feeding of formula increases the likelihood of breastfeeding cessation. This

association is not only statistically significant, it is extremely strong. The rate of

breastfeeding cessation for the WIC mothers who are formula feeding concurrently with

breastfeeding is 2.4 times that for a predominantly breastfeeding mother, controlling for

relevant non-program and program factors. The association of feeding of supplemental

foods with rates of breastfeeding cessation was also tested, but was found to be

insignificant (results not presented). Feeding of supplemental foods (cereals, fruits,

vegetables, and meats) is not associated with continued breastfeeding.

It is important to note that breastfeeding cessation following the introduction of

formula supplementation may be intentional or unintentional. In intentional cessation,

mothers may initiate formula supplementation because they are planning on ceasing

breastfeeding. In unintentional cessation, mothers may initiate formula supplementation

for other reasons (e.g., convenience), but find that they can no longer continue

breastfeeding because their milk production is no longer adequate.

Controlling for breastfeeding attitudes/beliefs and concurrent feeding of formula, the

method of first feeding is no longer significantly predictive of the rates of breastfeeding

cessation. In other words, the association between the method of first feeding and

continued breastfeeding appears to be because of the association of this factor with

breastfeeding attitudes/beliefs and use of formula. Furthermore, controlling for these

factors, maternal immigrant status significantly predicts lower rates of breastfeeding
172

cessation by a factor of more than one-third (relative risk is 0.63). Based on analyses

presented previously (see Chapters IV, V, and VI) it is known that foreign-born mothers

are more likely to continue breastfeeding while supplementing with formula. In other

words, controlling for formula use, foreign-born mothers are less likely to cease

breastfeeding.

 WIC mothers who know about the special WIC breastfeeding food package for

women whose infants do not receive formula from WIC have significantly lower

rates of breastfeeding cessation.

Model III-a of Table VII.3 also includes the measures of WIC Program components.

Knowledge of the WIC special breastfeeding food package is significantly associated with

a 27 percent lower rate of breastfeeding cessation (relative risk is 0.73). Receipt of

information from WIC about breastfeeding is not significantly associated with continuation

of breastfeeding, nor is receipt of advice from WIC staff associated with continuation of

breastfeeding. The estimates of the relative risks for the three WIC Program components

listed in Table VII.3, Model III-a are all of similar direction and magnitude. Each program

component is predicted to reduce the rates of breastfeeding cessation by a factor of 10-

25 percent. This finding suggests that there may be a “dose-response” type association

between the reported receipt of WIC Program components and breastfeeding cessation

rates. In other words, mothers who report receiving all three program components may

be the least likely to cease breastfeeding followed by the mothers who report receiving

two of the three program components, and those who report receiving only one program

component. Model III-b tests this hypothesis. It must be noted here that the WIC-IFPS

does not support causal inferences regarding the effects of WIC Program components.

An association is tested here that may not be due to causality.
173

About 12 percent of the WIC mothers report receiving none of the three WIC

Program components considered here (i.e., knowledge of the special WIC breastfeeding

food package, receipt of information about breastfeeding, and receipt of advice to

breastfeed). Twenty-three percent report receiving one of the three program

components, 47 percent report receiving two program components, and 19 percent

report receiving all three program components. Figure VII.6 shows the observed

differences in percentages still breastfeeding at every duration between the women who

report receiving none, one, two, and three WIC Program components. This figure clearly

suggests the presence of a dose-response association between the reported receipt of

WIC Program components that are in support of breastfeeding and the continuation of

breastfeeding.

Figure VII.6. Percentage of WIC mothers still breastfeeding by the age of

the infant and reported receipt of none, one, two, and three WIC Program

components that support breastfeeding.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 360

Mothers who report receiving no program components

Mothers who report receiving one program component

Mothers who report receiving two program components

Mothers who report receiving all three program components

Age of the infant in days

Note: The following program components were considered: knowledge of the special WIC breastfeeding food

package, receipt of information about breastfeeding, and receipt of advice to breastfeed.
174

 The receipt of each additional WIC Program component that supports

breastfeeding is associated with a 20 percent additional reduction in

breastfeeding cessation rates.

Model III-b indicates that the simple count of number of WIC Program components

reportedly received by the mothers is a highly significant (p<.01) predictor of

breastfeeding cessation rates. The estimates indicate that the receipt of each additional

program component predicts a 20 percent additional reduction in the breastfeeding

cessation rates. In other words:

 Women who report receiving one program component are 20 percent less likely to

cease breastfeeding than women who report receiving no WIC Program

components.

 Women who report receiving two program components are 40 percent less likely to

cease breastfeeding than women who report receiving no WIC Program

components.

 Women who report receiving three program components are 60 percent less likely to

cease breastfeeding than women who report receiving no WIC Program

components.

Conclusions

WIC mothers breastfeed for short durations. The median duration of breastfeeding is

just under two months, and substantial proportions of WIC mothers cease breastfeeding

during the first two weeks of life.

Several subgroups of WIC mothers are identified as those who are highly likely to

cease breastfeeding early. These are African American mothers, mothers with low level

of education, and mothers who use non-maternal child-care arrangements. In this study,

models are considered that account for many other characteristics that are associated

with breastfeeding cessation. The association of race with breastfeeding cessation is no

longer significant when previous breastfeeding experience and hospital practices (i.e.,

type of first feeding) are controlled.

Maternal perception of problems with breastmilk (i.e., inadequacy of breastmilk and

something wrong with breastmilk) is predictive of higher likelihood of breastfeeding
175

cessation. This finding is supported by many previous studies that found milk

insufficiency syndrome to be an important barrier to continued breastfeeding.

Previous breastfeeding experience of the mothers play an important role in predicting

their current breastfeeding duration. In Chapters IV and V of this report it is shown that

previous breastfeeding experience of the mothers also predicts their breastfeeding

initiation and formula supplementation once they initiate breastfeeding. It is concluded

that mothers who have not breastfed their older children are the least likely to adopt infant

feeding practices that include breastfeeding. If they do, analyses presented in this

chapter indicate that they are likely to stop breastfeeding early. This finding underscores

the difficulty of changing the established patterns of infant feeding. As a result, first-time

mothers emerge as a critical target group of mothers for promotion of healthy infant

feeding practices. It is likely that once such practices are established, they will be

adopted in raising future children as well.

Program factors examined in this study are strongly and significantly associated with

the rates of breastfeeding cessation. First and foremost, concurrent formula feeding is

associated with a strongalmost 2.5-foldincrease in the rates of breastfeeding

cessation. The WIC-IFPS data do not support the hypothesis that concurrent formula

feeding will ease the stress of breastfeeding and allow the mothers to breastfeed longer

durations. High rates of breastfeeding cessation among concurrently formula feeding

mothers may be due to several reasons:

 Mothers who start feeding formula may find that their milk supply has diminished

because of decreased stimulation (FNS, 1993a). This may result in an

unplanned hastening of the breastfeeding cessation process. In fact, NAWD

(1994) advises the WIC clinics to inform the mothers about this possibility.

 Alternatively, mothers who start feeding formula may find it a more convenient

method of feeding. Note that belief in barriers to breastfeeding (e.g.,

inconvience) increases the rates of formula initiation (see Section IV.5). These

mothers may want to further reduce breastfeeding in order to benefit from what

they see as a more convenient method of feeding.

 Finally, the mothers who initiate formula may be initiating it with the intention of

weaning their infants. In fact, FCS advises that the weaning process be
176

undertaken gradually (FNS, 1993a). The initiation of formula may be a part of

the weaning process rather than its predictor.

Mothers who participate in WIC Program components that support breastfeeding,

breastfeed for longer durations than the mothers who do not participate. Breastfeeding

support provided by the three WIC Program components considered here appear to be

promoting significantly longer durations of breastfeeding. The association of other

breastfeeding education programs and physicians’ advice to breastfeed with

breastfeeding cessation was examined, but found to be insignificant. It appears that

these factors significantly influence rates of initiation of breastfeeding (see Chapter IV),

but the WIC Program provides the primary source of continued support and education to

the mothers after the birth of the infant. Knowledge about the special WIC

breastfeeding package for mothers whose infants do not receive formula from WIC

promotes exclusive or predominant breastfeeding (see Section IV.5) as well as a longer

duration of breastfeeding, when the effects of formula supplementation are controlled.

Furthermore, the receipt of various WIC Program components are associated with

longer durations of breastfeeding in a cumulative way. Women who receive multiple

components of the WIC Program (i.e., receive information about breastfeeding, receive

advice to breastfeed, and know about the special breastfeeding food package) are

predicted to breastfeed for longer durations than women who receive fewer components

of the WIC Program.
177

CHAPTER VIII

INITIATION OF SUPPLEMENTAL FOODS:

THE TRANSITIONAL PHASE OF INFANT FEEDING

VIII.1. Overview

The transitional phase of infant feeding is characterized by a mix of nursing (breast

and/or formula feeds) and other specially prepared foods for the infant. These foods are

known as supplemental foods. The transitional phase constitutes the longest infant

feeding phase. During the transitional phase mothers must make many important

choices regarding what foods to feed and the timing of their introduction.

In this chapter, analyses are presented that describe the initiation of supplemental

foods:

 In Section VIII.2, WIC Program components pertaining to the initiation of

supplemental foods are discussed.

 Detailed analyses of initiation of specific types of supplemental foods are

presented in Section VIII.3. This section also includes some exploratory

analyses of the order of initiation of supplemental foods.

 In Section VIII.4, a brief analysis of initiation of supplemental drinks is presented.

There are two important health- and nutrition-related concerns regarding the feeding

of the supplemental foods to WIC infants. First, early introduction of supplemental foods

is an important health concern (see Section III.1). Second, the inappropriate ordering of

the introduction of supplemental foods may be a health concern. These are the issues

addressed in this chapter.
178

VIII.2. WIC Program Components that Pertain to Infant Feeding Issues in

the Transitional Phase

There is consensus among nutrition and health professionals regarding the optimal

timing of initiation of foods other than breastmilk or formula. It is commonly

recommended that the timing of initiation of supplemental foods be determined based on

the physical, psychological, and physiological maturity of the infant. An infant who can sit

and independently support his or her head and neck and is able to express satiety is

assumed to be ready to initiate supplemental foods alongside nursing (American

Academy of Pediatrics, 1993: 25, 32-33; Bedinghaus & Doughten, 1994; Fomon, 1993:

457). Furthermore, FCS advises that infants are ready to start on supplemental foods

when they can hold their heads steady and sit with support, draw in their lower lips when

using the spoon, and keep food in their mouths to swallow rather than push it back out

(FNS, 1993a). These developments usually occur around four to six months of age.

WIC has two program components that pertain to the initiation of supplemental foods:

(1) food vouchers for the infant and (2) nutrition education and counselling for the mother.

By regulation, WIC is not to issue supplemental food vouchers (i.e., cereal and juice) for

infants under four months of age. However, WIC provides supplemental formula to

mothers who request it for their infants. WIC Program does not necessarily provide

formula to meet all of the needs of all exclusively formula-feeding infants. Since formula

is an expensive food item, it is possible that the mothers who feel that the free formula

available from WIC is not sufficient may look to other supplemental foods to provide

adequate food to their infants. Indeed, a study of WIC clients (Bevan et al., 1984) found

that if WIC formula was not available, the mothers gave cow’s milk products to their

infants. Mothers may also give formula thickened by cereal or other foods when formula

is not available.

Nutrition education on the feeding of supplemental foods is likely to focus on when to

feed, which foods to introduce, and how to feed those foods to the infant. The education

on feeding of supplemental foods may include the risk of too early initiation of

supplemental foods (choking, food allergies, and consumption of less formula or

breastmilk, thus not receiving appropriate nutrients) and risks of postponing

supplemental foods beyond six months of age (difficulties of accepting foods at later

ages and depriving the older infant of needed nutrients) (FNS, 1993a). Nutrition
179

education on supplemental foods may also provide information on the recommended

order of initiation of supplemental foods (iron-fortified cereals first; fruits, vegetables, and

meats next, FNS, 1993a). Furthermore, FCS indicates that fruit juices may be

introduced once an infant can drink from a cupas a source of carbohydrates, vitamin

C, and fluidsbut they should be fed in moderation and never to substitute for

breastmilk or formula (FNS, 1993a). Cow's milk is not recommended before 12 months

of age (FNS, 1993a).21 Similarly, sweetened foods, caffeinated drinks, sodas, and

honey are not recommended prior to one year of age (FNS, 1993a).

VIII.3. Choice of Supplemental Foods and Timing of Their Introduction

Research Questions

The WIC-IFPS elicited information on the initiation of eight different types of

supplemental foods: cereals, fruits, vegetables, meats, starchy foods, dairy foods, highprotein foods, and sweet/snack foods. Detailed information about the time of initiation of

the four major groups of supplemental foods (i.e., cereals, fruits, vegetables, and meats)

was elicited. For the remaining groups of supplemental foods, only the first interview at

which the mother reported feeding these foods is known.

This section addresses four questions:

(1) When do WIC mothers initiate feeding different types of supplemental foods?

(2) Is timing of initiation of supplemental foods associated with the sociodemographic characteristics of the mothers?

(3) What are the non-program and program factors that are associated with a high

likelihood of initiating cereals, fruits, and vegetables inappropriately early?

(4) What is the order in which WIC mothers initiate cereals, fruits, vegetables and

meats?

Figure VIII.1 displays the non-program and program factors considered as predictors

of initiation of cereals, fruits, and vegetables prior to four months of age. The following

non-program factors are considered:

 

21 Until 1996, however, FCS policy permitted whole cow’s milk to be provided to infants on an individual participant

basis when supported with a medical prescription for a documented nutritional need. According to a policy issued

on June 21, 1995 which went into effect on January 1,1996, cow’s milk cannot be issued to WIC infants under 12

months of age.
180

 Socio-demographic characteristics: maternal age, race and ethnicity,

immigrant status, birth order of the infant, maternal household size, father

presence in the household, poverty level of the mother,22 maternal receipt of

public assistance, education, maternal employment status, and use of nonmaternal child care23

 Health-related characteristics: birthweight of the infant

 Social context: mother discussed her current feeding practices with the

grandmother, relatives, or friends28

 Sources of nutrition advice other than WIC: mother discussed her current

feeding practices with her physician28

In addition, the following program factors are considered:

 

22 A variable was included that indicated if the mother reported her income. 23 Maternal employment status and use of child care may vary each month. They were incorporated in the model as

time-varying predictors.

Socio-Demographic Characteristics

Age, race/ethnicity, immigrant status, birth order,

marital status, household size, presence of the

infant’s father, poverty level, receipt of public

assistance, education, employment, use of nonmaternal childcare

Health-Related Characteristics

Birthweight of the infant

Social Context

Discussed current feeding practices with

grandmother, relatives and friends

Non-Program Factors Program Factors

Concurrent Infant Feeding Practices

Current use of formula, 

perception regarding the adequacy of formula

received from WIC 

WIC Program Components

Receipt of information about initiation of

supplemental foods from WIC, discussing current

feeding methods with WIC staff

Early Initiation

of 

Supplemental

Foods

Figure VIII.1. A model of early initiation of supplemental foods and the measures of

its predictors from the WIC-IFPS.

Sources of Nutrition Advice Other than WIC

 Discussed current feeding practices with the

physician
181

 Concurrent infant feeding practices: whether the infant receives formula and

whether the mother perceives that the formula provided by WIC is adequate24

 WIC Program components: receipt of information about initiation of

supplemental foods from WIC, and discussing current feeding practices with WIC

staff28

Main Findings

 Large proportions of WIC infants are given cereal, fruits, and vegetables prior to

four months of age. Indeed, introducing cereal prior to four months of age is the

norm rather than the exception among WIC mothers. More than one-quarter of

WIC mothers introduce cereals prior to two months of age.

 Few WIC mothers introduce starchy foods other than cereals, dairy foods, and

high-protein foods other than meats prior to four months of age. However, over

one-fifth of WIC mothers introduce sweet/snack foods prior to four months of

age.

 White and African American mothers are more likely to initiate cereal earlier than

four months of age than Hispanic mothers. Mothers of Hispanic origin and

immigrant mothers tend to postpone the initiation of cereals.

 Cereal is the first supplemental food introduced for four-fifths of the WIC infants.

Fruits and vegetables are most often the second, and meats are most often

introduced as the third or fourth group of supplemental foods.

 Race/ethnicity of the mother is significantly associated with the order of initiation

of each of the four types of supplemental foods: cereals, fruits, vegetables, and

meats. While cereal is the first supplemental food for nine out of ten white and

African American infants, it is the first supplemental food for only two-thirds of

Hispanic infants.

 Mothers who were born outside of the United States are significantly less likely to

initiate cereals prior to four months of age, with the rate of premature initiation of

cereals being only one-third of that for comparable mothers born in the United

States.

 

24 These variables were incorporated in the model as time-varying predictors.
182

 Use of non-maternal child care increases the likelihood of inappropriately early

initiation of cereals.

 Concurrent feeding of formula is associated with a twofold increase in the

likelihood of inappropriately early initiation of cereals.

 Receipt of information from WIC regarding the initiation of supplemental foods is

associated with a significantly lower risk of inappropriately early introduction of

cereals.

 Older mothers and mothers of African American origin are less likely to initiate

fruits earlier than four months of age.

 Use of non-maternal child care increases the likelihood of inappropriately early

initiation of fruits.

 Concurrent feeding of formula is associated with a threefold increase in the

likelihood of inappropriately early initiation of fruits.

 Older mothers are less likely to initiate vegetables earlier than four months of

age.

 Concurrent feeding of formula is associated with a 3.6-fold increase in the

likelihood of inappropriately early initiation of vegetables.

See the Results section for more information on these findings.

Previous Studies

Very little is known about the pattern of supplementation of the nursing diet

throughout the United States (IOM, 1991), except that data from the RLMS (1988

administration) and various marketing surveys have recently been presented in a

textbook by Fomon (1993: 29-31). In the early 1970s, foods other than breastmilk and

formula were given to most infants by the age of six weeks (Sarett et al., 1983). Since

that time, there has been a trend toward later supplementation, at least through 1988 (the

latest year for which information is available), but the majority of infants receive

supplemental foods before the recommended age of four months. Fomon (1993) cites a

personal communication from Martinez in providing the following information: In 1988,

other foods were fed to one-third of infants age one to two months, half of those age two

to three months, and almost three-fourths of those age three to four months. Among

three to four month-old infants, 64 percent were receiving cereal, 39 percent fruits, 23
183

percent vegetables, 7 percent meats, 4 percent eggs, and 49 percent juice. It is

concluded that, while introducing supplemental foods too early is a significant public

health concern in the United States, introducing these foods too late is not likely to be a

health concern that affects a substantial proportion of infants.

A single study was identified that investigated the pattern of introduction of

supplemental foods in a local sample. Solem et al. (1992), in a study of inner-city

infants, identified as significant nutrition problems the early introduction of supplemental

foods, especially the introduction of cereal in a bottle (67%), and excessive use of sweet

foods.

Statistical Methods

The WIC-IFPS elicited information about the date infants were first fed cereals, fruits,

vegetables, and meats. In addition, at each interview the mothers reported whether their

infants received starchy foods, dairy foods, high-protein foods other than meats, or

sweet/snack foods. The approximate age at which the infant first received these latter

groups of foods can be estimated. Starchy foods include biscuits, crackers, bread,

noodles, rice, potatoes, grits, or tortillas. Dairy foods include yogurt, cheese, ice cream,

and pudding. High-protein foods other than meats include beans (e.g., black beans, pinto

beans, chick peas), peanut butter, and eggs. Sweet/snack foods include chips, pretzels,

candy, cookies, jam, honey, and any other foods not included in previous categories.

Life tables of initiation of these eight categories of supplemental foods were

constructed. As before, the reasons for the use of the life table methods include:

(1) Characteristics of the mother and the infant that are predictive of choice of foods

may change (e.g., household composition, maternal employment, child care

use). Life table analyses allow the changes in these predictors to be accounted

for when investigating their association with the initiation of supplemental foods.

(2) A number of mothers had not initiated various types of supplemental foods by the

time their infants were four months old. Data from these mothers must be

included in the analysis because, if they are excluded, the age of initiation of

supplemental foods will be underestimated and the sample will not be

representative.

(3) Life table methods allow the use of partial information available from the mothers

who dropped out of the study prior to the initiation of various supplemental foods.
184

In applying the life table method, the first step was to obtain a series of age-specific

rates of initiation of groups of supplemental foods. Next, these rates were used to

estimate the percentages of mothers who have not yet introduced supplemental foods at

each age. The median age of the infant at initiation of each type of supplemental food

was estimated. The median age is defined as the age when one-half of the infants

receive those foods.

The order of initiation of four major groups of supplemental foods (i.e., cereals, fruits,

vegetables, and meats) was determined by ranking the dates of initiation of each type of

food for each infant. The order could be determined for those infants whose mothers

reported on the dates of initiation of each supplemental food. If two types of foods were

reportedly initiated on the same date, both were assigned the same rank order. As a

result, for each type of supplemental food, a distribution of the infants who initiated that

type of food as the first, second, third, or fourth type was obtained. For each type of food,

the percentage distributions of the rank orders of initiation were tabulated for all infants

and also for infants classified by maternal race/ethnicity. The latter distribution was tested

for the statistical significance of race/ethnic differences, using chi-square tests. These chisquare statistics were adjusted to account for the stratified and clustered sample design,

using SUDAAN statistical software (Shah, Barnwell, Hunt, & LaVange, 1992).

Multivariate models of rates of initiation of supplemental foods were estimated, using

the life table methodology. These models yielded a series of coefficients that show the

strength of the association of non-program and program factors with the rates of

initiation of specific supplemental foods. An important issue is that the predictors of

inappropriately early introduction of supplemental foods are likely to be different from the

predictors of introduction of these foods after the infant reaches the recommended

developmental level (four to six months of age). The focus here is the inappropriately

early introduction of supplemental foods. In the analyses presented here, the

assumption was made that introduction of supplemental foods is inappropriate prior to

four months (122 days) of age. Therefore, age-specific rates of introduction of

supplemental foods were analyzed up to four months of age. It is possible that some

infants indeed reach the recommended level of physical and motor maturity to receive

supplemental foods before four months. Other infants may not reach that maturity until

six months. The cutoff of four months of age is conservative and is unlikely to

overestimate the appropriate age for the introduction of supplemental foods for a
185

substantial proportion of the infants. Subsequent to that age, the predictors of the

process of initiation of supplemental foods were not analyzed.

The multivariate models yield coefficients for non-program and program predictors of

early initiation of supplemental foods that can be transformed to the relative risks of early

initiation of these foods. A relative risk greater than one indicates a factor that is

associated with increased likelihood of inappropriately early introduction of supplemental

foods. A relative risk less than one indicates a factor associated with lower likelihood of

early introduction of supplemental foods.

In building multivariate models, a protocol was followed, as before, that tested the

predictive power of groups of variables (see Appendix H). Factors that were not

significantly associated with the likelihood of early initiation of supplemental foods and

those that were not of primary substantive interest were eliminated from the final models.
186

Results

Descriptive analyses of initiation of supplemental foods. Figure VIII.2 provides the

percentages of mothers who have not yet initiated cereals, fruits, vegetables, and meats

at each age of the infant.

 Large proportions of WIC infants are given cereal, fruits, and vegetables prior to

four months of age. Indeed, introducing cereal prior to four months of age is the

norm rather than the exception among WIC mothers. More than one-quarter of

WIC mothers introduce cereals prior to two months of age.

Many mothers initiate the four basic groups of supplemental foods (i.e., cereals, fruits,

vegetables, and meats) before four months of age. Cereal is the most common

supplemental food initiated prior to four months of age. Among the WIC infants, 62

Figure VIII.2. Percentage of WIC mothers who have not yet initiated

cereals, fruits, vegetables, and meats, at each age of the infant.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 360

Cereals

Fruits

Vegetables

Meats

Age of the infant in days
187

percent receive cereal prior to four months of age. More than one-quarter (27%) receive

cereal prior to two months of age. Fruits are the next most common supplemental food

initiated prior to four months, at 42 percent of the infants. Vegetables are the third most

commonly initiated food prior to four months, with 29 percent of the infants receiving

vegetables before they reach four months of age. A very small minority (7%) of infants

receive meats prior to four months of age.

 Few WIC mothers introduce starchy foods other than cereals, dairy foods, and

high-protein foods other than meats prior to four months of age. However, over

one-fifth of WIC mothers introduce sweet/snack foods prior to four months of

age.

Supplemental foods other than those in the four basic groups are not very likely to be

introduced prior to four months of age, with the exception of sweet/snack foods (see

Figure VIII.3). These food groups are defined on page 184. Only 6 percent of WIC

mothers introduce starchy foods, 4 percent introduce dairy foods, and 3 percent introduce

high-protein foods other than meats prior to four months of age. The early introduction of

sweet/snack foods may be a more pertinent problem, with over one-fifth (21%) of WIC

mothers feeding foods in this group prior to four months of age. It should be noted that

the WIC-IFPS questionnaire asked about honey and jam in the same question as other

sweet foods, and introduction of these items prior to four months may be more common

than the introduction of other sweet foods such as cookies.

Table VIII.1 provides the median ages of initiation of eight categories of supplemental

foods for all WIC infants and for WIC infants categorized by selected socio-demographic

characteristics of the mothers. This table indicates that cereal is the supplemental food

that is typically initiated earliest. By about 3.5 months of age
188

(106 days), one-half of the infants receive cereal. Fruits and vegetables follow, with

median ages of initiation of about four months (129 days) and a little under five months

(141 days, respectively). Meats and other starchy foods follow fruits and vegetables,

with median ages about 6.5 months (190 and 198 days, respectively). Dairy foods, highprotein foods, and snack foods are initiated later, on average, with median ages of

initiation well over 8 months (250 days).

 White and African American mothers are more likely to initiate cereal earlier than

four months of age than Hispanic mothers. Mothers of Hispanic origin and

immigrant mothers tend to postpone the initiation of cereals.

The racial/ethnic group differences in initiation of supplemental foods are substantial.

White mothers initiate cereal, fruits, and vegetables somewhat earlier, on average, than

the other racial/ethnic groups. African American mothers have a lower median age of

initiation of cereal than Hispanic mothers and the mothers in the "other" category,

although the same is not true for the initiation of fruits and vegetables. These

Figure VIII.3. Percentage of WIC mothers who have not yet initiated dairy

foods, high-protein foods other than meats, and sweet/snack foods, at

each age of the infant.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 360

Dairy foods

High protein foods other than meat

Sweet/snack foods

Age of the infant in days
189

differences may, in part, be due to immigrant status differences between racial/ethnic

groups, with almost 75 percent of Hispanic mothers being born outside of the United

States.

Infants whose mothers were born outside the United States have higher median ages

of initiation of cereal by more than one month. Fifty percent of the mothers born in the

United States initiate cereal by 92 days of age, whereas the same proportion is reached

44 days later (at 136 days of age) among the foreign-born mothers. Indeed, the infants of

the mothers born outside the United States are the only socio-demographic group who

Table VIII.1. Median age of the infant (in days) when specific supplemental foods1 are initiated by

selected socio-demographic characteristics of the mother.

Median Age of Initiation

Socio-Demographic

Characteristics Cereals Fruits

Vegetables MeatsStarchy

Foods

Dairy

Foods

High

Protein

Foods

Other

Than

Meats

Sweet/S

nack

Foods2

Total3 106 129 141 190 198 266 269 257

Race/ethnicity

White

African American

Hispanic

Other

89

101

129

142

117

140

132

147

137

148

144

147

192

184

190

200

197

200

197

209

262

268

271

270

274

268

208

268

265

209

197

208

Age of the mother at birth of

child

14 - 19

20 - 25

26 or older

101

106

110

120

128

133

137

139

142

190

188

194

186

199

201

266

264

269

271

269

266

209

262

227

Immigrant status

Born in the U.S.

Born elsewhere

92

136

128

135

139

148

189

199

198

199

264

274

270

208

260

202

Father of the infant lives

with the mother

Yes

No

103

107

127

131

137

143

194

186

197

199

262

269

271

267

261

213

Poverty level4

< 50%

50 - 100%

100% or more

113

94

102

135

129

116

147

138

127

189

191

178

200

201

198

267

263

262

269

267

265

260

260

209

N 745 803 835 856 827 835 844 829

Notes:

1. Definitions of the supplemental food groups are given on page 184.

2. Includes sweets (e.g. honey, candy, cookies), snack foods (e.g. crackers, chips) and any other supplemental foods not

mentioned before.

3. Median ages estimated for all infants, regardless of maternal characteristics.

4. Poverty level measures the income of the respondent’s family relative to the federal poverty level for a family of that size.
190

have a median age of initiation of cereal that is above the recommended minimum of four

months of age. Figure VIII.4 shows the differences in the proportions of infants who have

not yet initiated cereal at each age, by maternal immigrant status. The median ages of

initiation of other foods are not substantially different by the immigrant status of the

mother, except for the median age of initiation of high-protein foods and snack foods.

The mothers born outside the United States tend to initiate high-protein foods other than

meats and snack foods about 60 days earlier than the mothers born in the United States.

There are small differences in median ages of initiation of starchy foods (other than

cereals) and dairy foods by race/ethnicity. Hispanic mothers initiate high-protein foods

other than meats earlier, with median age of initiation (208 days), when their infants are

almost two months younger than the infants of other racial and ethnic groups. The

findings about high-protein foods other than meats likely pertain to beans, which

constitute a preferred food group among Hispanic families.

Initiation of sweet/snack foods is postponed by white mothers more than any other

racial and ethnic group. The median age of initiation of sweet/snack foods among the

Figure VIII.4. Percentage of WIC mothers who have not yet initiated

cereals at each age of the infant, by maternal immigrant status.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 360

Born in the U.S.

Born outside the U.S.

Age of the infant in days
191

white mothers is almost nine months (265 days), as compared to about seven months

(209 days) for African American, and 6.5 months (197 days) for Hispanic, mothers.

These differences may primarily be due to the use of honey, although WIC-IFPS data do

not yield specific information about honey.

Maternal age differences in the median ages of initiation of supplemental foods are

not large. Although teenage mothers introduce cereal and fruits somewhat earlier, these

differences are not consistent across the groups of supplemental foods. Similarly, there

are small differences in the timing of initiation of supplemental foods by the birth order of

the infant (results not shown).

Mother's cohabitation with the father of the infant does not appear to be associated

with the initiation of supplemental foods. The only large difference is observed for the

initiation of sweet/snack foods. The mothers who do not live with their infant's father

initiate sweet/snack foods earlier, with a median age of about seven months (213 days),

as compared to almost nine months (261 days) for the mothers who live with the infant's

father.

Economic well-being is associated with earlier initiation of four groups of

supplemental foods. Mothers at or above the 100-percent poverty level (i.e., income

relative to the federal poverty level) initiate fruits, vegetables, meats, and snack foods

earlier than the mothers who have lower levels of income. These differences may be

partly due to a higher proportion of immigrant mothers (who postpone supplemental

feeding) in the lower-income category.

There are no large or consistent effects of educational level on the timing of initiation

of different categories of supplemental foods (results not presented). The only exception

is sweet/snack foods. Mothers who finished high school or who attended school beyond

high school delay the introduction of sweet/snack foods by about two months, as

compared to the mothers with less education. This may be due to some further

knowledge of general nutritional principles among higher educated mothers; they may be

aware that sweet foods, excessively salty foods, and fatty foods are inappropriate for

infants.
192

Descriptive analyses of order of initiation of supplemental foods. An important issue

that has not been investigated previously is whether mothers tend to feed supplemental

foods to their infants in a progression, starting from baby cereal and moving to fruits,

vegetables, meats, in that order. Figure VIII.5 provides an overview of the order of

initiation of supplemental foods. Note that two or more types of supplemental foods may

be introduced at the same time, resulting in more than one type of food being ranked as

first, second, or third introduced food. For example, both cereals and fruits can be

ranked as the first supplemental food type if the dates of initiation coincide.

 Cereal is the first supplemental food introduced for four-fifths of the WIC infants.

Fruits and vegetables are most often the second, and meats are most often

introduced as the third or fourth group of supplemental foods.

Cereal is the first supplemental food introduced to 83 percent of the WIC infants.

Fruits and vegetables are most often the second type of supplemental food introduced,

with 58 percent of the mothers introducing fruits second, and one-half of WIC mothers

introducing vegetables as the second food type. One-third of WIC mothers introduce

Figure VIII.5. Percentages of mothers initiating cereals, fruits, vegetables, and

meats as the first, second, third, or fourth type of supplemental food.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Cereals Fruits Vegetables Meats

Percentage

First

Second

Third

Fourth
193

vegetables as the third type of supplemental food. Meats are most often introduced as

the third or fourth group of supplemental food, with about two-fifths each introducing

meats as the third and fourth food types. Only 3 percent of the mothers introduce meats

as the first supplemental food.

 Race/ethnicity of the mother is significantly associated with the order of initiation

of each of the four types of supplemental foods: cereals, fruits, vegetables, and

meats. While cereal is the first supplemental food for nine out of ten white and

African American infants, it is the first supplemental food for only two-thirds of

Hispanic intants.

Table VIII.2 shows the distribution of the rank order of initiation of cereal, fruits,

vegetables, and meats by maternal race/ethnicity. Maternal race/ethnicity is significantly

associated with the order of initiation of each type of food considered here. While cereal

is the first food to be initiated by nine out of ten white and African American mothers, it is

the first food for only two-thirds of Hispanic mothers and mothers of other ethnic origins.

For about one-fifth of Hispanic mothers and mothers of "other" ethnic origins, cereal is the

second type of supplemental food to be initiated. When immigrant status differences are

examined, it is found that mothers born outside the United States are significantly less

likely to initiate cereal as the first type of supplemental food than the mothers who were

born in the United States (61% versus 90%).

Fruits constitute the first supplemental food introduced by a quarter of white mothers

and one-half of Hispanic mothers. They constitute the first supplemental food introduced

by less than one-fifth (16%) of the African American mothers and more than one-third of

the mothers of other ethnic origins. For white, African American, and other mothers,

however, fruits constitute the second type of supplemental food introduced. Hispanic

mothers tend to introduce fruits as the first supplemental food. Vegetables are introduced

as the first supplemental food by almost one-quarter of the Hispanic mothers and almost

one-third of the mothers of other ethnic origins. Nevertheless, for most white, African

American, and Hispanic mothers, vegetables are the second type of supplemental food

introduced to the infant's diet, probably concurrently with the introduction of the fruits.
194

Meat is the third or fourth type of supplemental food introduced by the mothers of all

ethnic and racial groups. Almost one-half of the white and "other" mothers and onequarter of the African American and Hispanic mothers initiate meats as the fourth type of

supplemental food. A substantial proportion of African American and Hispanic mothers

(approximately one-quarter) initiate meats as the second type of supplemental food.

Further analyses (results not presented) revealed that maternal age and birth order of

the infant are not significantly associated with the order of initiation of supplemental

foods. The significant associations between socio-demographic characteristics and order

of initiation of supplemental foods are as follows: mothers who live with the fathers of

their infants are significantly more likely to introduce meats as the fourth type of

supplemental food than the mothers who live apart from their infant's father (47% versus

33%). As a mother's income level increases, she is more likely to initiate cereals as the

first supplemental food (81% for mothers at 50% of the poverty level or below, and 90%

for mothers at 100% of the poverty level or above). Mothers with higher levels of income

Table VIII.2. Percentage distribution of the order of initiation of cereals, fruits, vegetables,

and meats, by race/ethnicity of the mother.

Order of initiation of the supplemental food

Race/Ethnicity First Second Third Fourth N1

CEREAL

White*

African American

Hispanic

Other

90

94

65

61

8

6

22

20

2

1

10

19

1

0

3

0

352

159

147

48

FRUITS

White*

African American

Hispanic

Other

25

16

50

37

63

67

39

50

12

17

8

12

0

1

2

0

353

155

147

47

VEGETABLES

White*

African American

Hispanic

Other

10

14

24

31

48

56

52

27

42

27

24

39

0

3

2

3

352

154

146

47

MEATS

White*

African American

Hispanic

Other

0

4

6

12

12

25

22

17

38

46

44

25

50

25

27

47

352

159

147

48

Notes:

1. The number of cases reflects the number of WIC-IFPS mothers for whom the order of initiation of that supplemental food

can be determined.

* Chi-square statistic testing race and ethnicity differences in the order of initiation is significant at p<.05.
195

are also less likely to initiate meats as the first or second type of supplemental food.

Maternal education is similarly associated with the initiation of cereal as the first

supplemental food. Only 71 percent of the mothers with ninth grade education or lower

initiate cereal as the first supplemental food, as compared to 89 percent of the mothers

who have more than a high school education. These differences may partly be due to the

association of race/ethnicity and immigrant status with maternal education.

Multivariate analyses of initiation of supplemental foods. Multivariate analyses of the

age-specific rates of early initiation of cereals, fruits, and vegetables were conducted (see

page 185). Early initiation of these supplemental foods is defined as their introduction

prior to four months of age. Because of the low proportions of infants who received

meats prior to four months of age (7%), the inappropriately early introduction of meats is

not an issue for the WIC infants. The following multivariate models of early initiation rates

of cereals, fruits, and vegetables were estimated:

Model

I

Rate of Initiation of

Supplemental

Foods Before Four

Months of Age

= Baseline Rate *

SocioDemographic

Characteristics *

Social

Context

Model

Rate of Initiation of

Supplemental

Foods Before Four

Months of Age

= Baseline Rate *

SocioDemographic

Characteristics *

Social

Context *

Concurrent

Infant Feeding

Practices

II

*

WIC Program

Components
196

Table VIII.3 provides the relative risks for inappropriately early initiation of cereals.

Model I includes socio-demographic characteristics. Factors describing the social

context of the mother were not included in this model because none of these factors was

significantly predictive of early cereal initiation rates.

 Mothers who were born outside of the United States are significantly less likely to

initiate cereals prior to four months of age, with the rate of premature initiation of

cereals being only one-third of that for comparable mothers born in the United

States.

Maternal age and race/ethnicity differences in the rates of early introduction of

cereals are not significant, controlling for the other relevant characteristics. However,

Table VIII.3. Relative risk1 of initiation of cereals prior to four months of age (N=745).

Model I Model II

SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS

Age of the mother at birth of child .99 .99

African American 1.00 .92

Hispanic .98 .95

Maternal immigrant status - foreign born .35** .35**

Maternal household size .95 .95

Income reported .87 .88

Poverty level2 1.34* 1.34*

Use of child care 1.69** 1.59**

CONCURRENT INFANT FEEDING PRACTICES

Use of formula 2.09**

Perception that formula given by WIC is inadequate 1.10

WIC PROGRAM COMPONENTS

Discussed current feeding methods with WIC staff3 1.04

Receipt of information about initiation of supplemental

foods from WIC4 .81**

Notes:

1. Relative risk greater than one implies that the characteristic considered is associated with higher rates of early

initiation of supplemental solids. Relative risk less than one implies that the characteristic considered is associated

with lower rates of early initiation of supplemental solids.

2. Poverty level measures the income of the respondent’s family relative to the federal poverty level for a family of that

size.

3. The answer to the question “Have you discussed the methods you are currently using to feed your baby with WIC

staff?” is “yes.”

4. The answer to the question “Have you received information or advice from the WIC office about when to begin giving

cereal or other foods?” is “yes.”

* p<.05,

** p<.01
197

maternal immigrant status is significantly associated with cereal initiation rates. Mothers

who were born outside the United States are significantly less likely to initiate cereals

prior to four months of age. Indeed, the estimated rate of initiation of cereals for foreignborn mothers is almost one-third of that for comparable mothers born in the United

States (relative risk is 0.35). Among the respondents who reported their income level,

the measure of economic well-being (poverty level) is positively associated with cereal

initiation. Mothers who have higher levels of income are more likely to initiate cereal

prior to four months than mothers who have lower levels of income. This finding is

contrary to what was expected. It was expected that mothers may initiate cereals early

because of the expense of formula feeding. This is not supported by the WIC-IFPS

data.

 Use of non-maternal child care increases the likelihood of inappropriately early

initiation of cereals.

Use of non-maternal child care is associated with early introduction of cereal. Infants

who receive non-maternal care are 1.7 times more likely to receive cereal prior to four

months of age.

 Concurrent feeding of formula is associated with a two-fold increase in the

likelihood of inappropriately early initiation of cereals.

Model II in Table VIII.3 includes the program factors associated with early

initiation of cereal. The inclusion of these measures does not alter the estimated effects

of the socio-demographic factors included in Model I. Concurrent feeding of formula is

strongly and positively associated with the rates of early initiation of cereal. An infant

who is receiving formula is over twice as likely to receive cereal prior to four months of

age as an infant who is not receiving formula. Mothers in the WIC-IFPS were asked

about why they decided to feed the infant cereals. The most often quoted reasons are

that the infant consumes too much formula, the infant is too hungry, and the infant

sleeps better at night if fed cereal.

Model II also includes factors describing the WIC Program components. WIC-IFPS

mothers who received formula from WIC reported whether they thought that the amount

of formula from WIC was adequate or too little. Their perception that formula given by

WIC is inadequate is not associated with early initiation of cereal.
198

 Receipt of information from WIC regarding the initiation of supplemental foods is

associated with a significantly lower risk of inappropriately early introduction of

cereals.

Consultation with WIC staff about the current methods of infant feeding is not

significantly associated with cereal initiation, probably because relatively few mothers

report consulting with WIC staff (see Section II.5). Receipt of information from WIC

about initiation of supplemental foods is significantly and negatively associated with the

rates of initiation of cereal prior to four months of age. The mothers who receive such

information from WIC are expected to have lower rates of cereal initiation by almost onefifth (relative risk is 0.81). Although this effect is not large as compared to the effects of

formula use and child care use, it is significant.

 Older mothers and mothers of African American origin are less likely to initiate

fruits earlier than four months of age.

Table VIII.4 provides the results of the models of rates of initiation of fruits prior to four

months of age. Maternal age and maternal race differences in early introduction of fruits

are significant. Older mothers are less likely to introduce fruits prior to four months. The

rate of initiation of fruits for a 26-year-old mother is only 76 percent of the corresponding

rate for a comparable 16-year-old mother. As seen in descriptive analyses, African

American mothers are significantly less likely to initiate fruits than white mothers (or

mothers of "other" origin). Maternal immigrant status is not significantly associated with

the initiation of fruits, unlike the results for this factor found for the early introduction of

cereal. Maternal household size is negatively associated with rates of early initiation of

fruits.
199

 Use of non-maternal child care increases the likelihood of inappropriately early

initiation of fruits.

As with the initiation of cereal, use of non-maternal child care is associated with early

introduction of fruits. Infants who receive non-maternal care are 1.4 times more likely

than the infants who do not receive care from others to initiate fruits prior to four months

of age.

Table VIII.4. Relative risk1 of initiation of fruits prior to four months of age (N=803).

Model I Model II

SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS

Age of the mother at birth of child .97* .98*

African American .63** .60**

Hispanic .95 .97

Maternal immigrant status - foreign born .78 .77

Maternal household size .90** .90**

Use of child care 1.37* 1.29*

SOCIAL CONTEXT

Discussed current feeding methods with grandmother 1.16 1.16

CONCURRENT INFANT FEEDING PRACTICES

Use of formula 2.93**

Perception that formula given by WIC is inadequate .95

WIC PROGRAM COMPONENTS

Discussed current feeding methods with WIC staff2 .97

Receipt of information about initiation of supplemental

foods from WIC3 1.07

Notes:

1. Relative risk greater than one implies that the characteristic considered is associated with higher rates of early

initiation of supplemental solids. Relative risk less than one implies that the characteristic considered is associated

with lower rates of early initiation of supplemental solids.

2. The answer to the question “Have you discussed the methods you are currently using to feed your baby with WIC

staff?” is “yes.”

3. The answer to the question “Have you received information or advice from the WIC office about when to begin giving

cereal or other foods?” is “yes.”

* p<.05,

** p<.01
200

 Concurrent feeding of formula is associated with a threefold increase in the

likelihood of inappropriately early initiation of fruits.

An infant who is receiving formula is almost three times as likely to receive fruits prior

to four months as an infant who is not receiving formula. It is possible that mothers who

use a bottle to feed find it easy to feed mashed fruits. The maternal perception that

formula given by WIC is inadequate is not predictive of early initiation of fruits.

Consulting with WIC staff about the current methods of feeding and receipt of

information from WIC about introduction of supplemental foods are not significant

predictors of early initiation of fruits. It is not clear why nutrition education programs are

associated with lower likelihood of early cereal initiation but not early initiation of fruits.

 Older mothers are less likely to initiate vegetables earlier than four months of

age.

Table VIII.5 provides the results of the models of initiation of vegetables prior to four

months of age. Maternal age differences in early introduction of vegetables are

significant and are larger than those for initiation of fruits. Older mothers are less likely to

introduce vegetables prior to four months of age, with the rates of initiation of vegetables

for a 26-year-old mother being only 62 percent of the corresponding rate for a 16-year-old

mother. Neither race/ethnicity nor immigrant status are associated with significant

differences in initiation of vegetables. Mothers who discuss infant feeding methods with

their mothers (the infant’s grandmother) are 1.3 times more likely to initiate vegetables

prior to four months of age than the mothers who do not do so. It may be that the

grandmothers are proponents of earlier infant feeding practices that encouraged

diversification of diets in early infancy. These feeding practices are no longer supported

by the American Academy of Pediatrics (1993: 25-30).

 Concurrent feeding of formula is associated with a 3.6-fold increase in the

likelihood of inappropriately early initiation of vegetables.
201

Model II in Table VIII.5 shows that, as with the initiation of other supplemental foods,

formula receipt is associated with higher likelihood of early initiation of vegetables. An

infant who is receiving formula is 3.6 times as likely to receive vegetables inappropriately

early as an infant who is predominantly breastfeeding. Model II also includes the

measures of mother’s participation in WIC Program components. These program

components are not significantly associated with the rates of initiation of vegetables.

Table VIII.5. Relative risk1 of initiation of vegetables prior to four months of age (N=835).

Model I Model II

SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS

Age of mother at birth of child .95** .96**

African American .82 .78

Hispanic 1.01 1.02

Maternal immigrant status - foreign born .85 .85

Maternal household size .92 .92

Income reported .96 .97

Poverty level2 1.25 1.24

SOCIAL CONTEXT

Discussed current feeding methods with grandmother 1.31* 1.31*

CONCURRENT INFANT FEEDING PRACTICES

Perception that formula given by WIC is inadequate .93

Use of formula 3.56**

WIC PROGRAM COMPONENTS AND INCENTIVES

Discussed current feeding methods with WIC staff3 .88

Receipt of information about initiation of supplemental foods from

WIC4 .91

Notes:

1. Poverty level measures the income of the respondent’s family relative to the federal poverty level for a family of that size.

2. Relative risk greater than one implies that the characteristic considered is associated with higher rates of early initiation of

supplemental solids. Relative risk less than one implies that the characteristic considered is associated with lower rates of

early initiation of supplemental solids.

3. The answer to the question “Have you discussed the methods you are currently using to feed your baby with WIC staff?” is

“yes.”

4. The answer to the question “Have you received information or advice from the WIC office about when to begin giving cereal

or other foods?” is “yes.”

* p<.05,

** p<.01
202

Conclusions

Early introduction of supplemental foods into the infant's diet is a significant nutrition

problem for WIC infants. The estimated proportion of WIC mothers who introduce

cereals prior to four months of age is three-fifths; this estimate is very close to that

provided by a previous study of inner-city mothers in New York (Solem et al., 1992) and

the estimate from the 1988 RLMS (Fomon, 1993). In addition to the early initiation of

cereals, early initiation of fruits and vegetables affects substantial proportions of WIC

infants. These infant feeding practices have several known health risks, including the risk

of poor nutritional status because of lower consumption of breastmilk or formula, food

allergies, and food intolerances (FNS, 1993a). Unfortunately, the WIC-IFPS reveals that,

for a large proportion of WIC mothers, the reported reason for initiating cereal earlier than

four months is to prevent the infant from consuming "too much" formula.

WIC mothers tend to initiate cereals as the first group of supplemental foods for their

infants. Certain subgroups do not conform to this recommended pattern, however;

among these groups are the less educated mothers, mothers born outside the United

States, and Hispanic mothers, who tend to feed fruits or vegetables as the first

supplemental food more often. There is a less clear ordering of the initiation of fruits,

vegetables, and meats among the WIC mothers. The initiation of fruits and vegetables

tends to occur concurrently. The initiation of meats often follows that of the fruits and

vegetables, although substantial proportions of minority mothers (almost one-quarter of

African American and Hispanic mothers) introduce meats as the second type of

supplemental food.

Several markers have been identified that are indicative of a high likelihood of

initiating supplemental foods too early. Young maternal age and the use of non-maternal

child-care arrangements are predictive of initiating various supplemental foods too early.

The findings, together with the findings of the earlier chapters of this report, indicate that

infants receiving non-maternal care are likely to experience a variety of feeding patterns

that are thought to be less than optimal, such as early initiation of formula

supplementation of breastmilk, early cessation of breast-feeding, fewer breastfeeds a

day, and early initiation of supplemental foods. It is possible that infants who receive care

together with older children are exposed to supplemental foods prematurely, because of

the feeding patterns of the older children.
203

Higher income is found to be positively associated with inappropriately early

introduction of cereals. The most commonly cited reason for initiating cereal in the WICIFPS data is to prevent the infant from consuming "too much" formula. One would have

expected that the most disadvantaged mothers would be more likely to initiate cereals

because provision of more formula is a cost concern. However, the positive association

between the income level and premature initiation of supplemental foods must be

interpreted bearing in mind that all WIC mothers are, by definition, economically

disadvantaged. Hence, the economic well-being measure distinguishes between

extremely disadvantaged and less disadvantaged mothers.

Extremely disadvantaged mothers may receive formula assistance from a variety of

sources in addition to WIC, which are not available to less disadvantaged mothers. For

example, churches, charities, and food banks may provide supplementary formula to the

extremely disadvantaged. Furthermore, in the WIC-IFPS sample, the mothers who are

most disadvantaged are six times more likely to be receiving food stamps as more

advantaged mothers. For the mothers receiving food stamps, the food stamp allowance

of the household will increase after the birth of the infant, possibly allowing the mother to

obtain more formula at no cost. In sum, the extremely disadvantaged mothers may have

additional free formula available to them (from community sources and through food

stamp participation) that may allow them to continue feeding formula without having to

buy it and without feeling the need to supplement it prematurely with supplemental

foods. As a consequence, mothers who are less disadvantaged may be most affected

by the high cost of formula, leading them to introduce supplemental foods that cost less.

Formula-feeding infants are more likely to be given cereals, fruits, and vegetables

inappropriately early than exclusively or predominantly breastfed infants. This is probably

due to two reasons. First, these mothers can conveniently mix a cereal and feed it to

their infants in a bottle, although FCS advises against this feeding practice (FNS, 1993a;

see Chapter IX). It may be more difficult for predominantly breastfeeding mothers to feed

cereal to their infants because it will involve acquiring a bottle or feeding with a spoon.

Second, these mothers may perceive cereal as a means to make formula more nutritive

("to fill him up," "to let him sleep," and "he was starving," are often-reported phrases). If

so, this misperception may need to be addressed.

The analyses presented here revealed a modest but statistically significant

association between the WIC nutrition education program and postponement of initiation
204

of cereal until after four months of age. At the same time, inappropriately early

introduction of cereal cannot be attributed to the maternal perception that formula

provided by WIC is inadequate. Discussion of current feeding practices with WIC staff,

however, is not associated with postponement of initiation of supplemental foods. It is

not clear from WIC-IFPS data whether the mothers do not discuss the feeding of

supplemental foods with WIC staff, whether they do not receive clear recommendations,

or whether they are unable to apply the advice they receive from WIC.

The lack of association between receipt of information from WIC about feeding of

supplemental foods and early initiation of fruits and vegetables raises the question of

whether initiation of foods other than cereal is adequately addressed by WIC staff.

Formula-feeding infants emerge as a group with a high likelihood of premature initiation

of supplemental foods other than cereal. The needs of mothers of these infants for

nutrition education and counselling about feeding of supplemental foods may be

substantially higher than the needs of mothers who predominantly breastfeed.

VIII.4. Choice of Supplemental Drinks and Timing of Their Introduction

Research Questions

The WIC-IFPS elicited information on the initiation of three different types of

supplemental drinks: fruit juices, sweet drinks, and milk (cow’s milk and other milk). The

first interview at which the mother reported feeding these drinks is known. The age of the

infant at the time of initiation of these three groups of drinks was estimated based on this

information.

This section addresses two questions.

(1) When do WIC mothers initiate fruit juices, sweet drinks, and milk?

(2) What are the differences between socio-demographic groups in the initiation of

fruit juices and sweet drinks?

Main Findings

 Substantial proportions of WIC infants receive supplemental drinks such as

sweet drinks and fruit juices prior to four months of age. About two-fifths receive

fruit juices and one-third receive sweet drinks prior to four months of age.
205

 Early initiation of cow's milk or other milk is not a widespread problem among the

WIC mothers.

 Hispanic infants receive sweet drinks very early in infancy.

See the Results section for more information on these findings.

Previous Studies

Initiation of supplemental drinks has not been an area of infant feeding that has

received much attention. The FCS guidelines specify the following: Most of the infant's

needs for fluids during the first year of life should come from breastmilk or formula. Fruit

juices should be offered only when the infant can drink from a cup with assistance,

usually between four and six months of age. If juices are initiated, they should be 100-

percent fruit juice, rather than fruit-flavored drinks (FNS, 1993a). Sodas, punches, aides,

etc., which are high in calories but have no nutritional value, should be avoided, as

should caffeinated beverages. Cows milk is also considered to be inappropriate during

the first year of life.25

A study of low-income families in Brazil found that tea, fruit juices, and soft drinks are

introduced at very early ages in that population (Dorea & Furumoto, 1992). No studies

of supplemental drinks in United States samples have been identified.

Statistical Methods

At the time of each interview, the mothers reported whether their infants received

fruit juices, sweet drinks, cow's milk, or other milk. Sweet drinks include sugar water,

fruit-flavored drinks such as Kool-Aid, sodas, tea, and coffee. The approximate ages at

which the infant first received these drinks were estimated. Life tables of initiation of

these three types of supplemental drinks were constructed. For further discussion of the

life table methods, see Section VIII.3. A series of age-specific rates of initiation of

supplemental drinks was obtained and, from these rates, the percentages of mothers

who have not yet initiated each type of drink were estimated; the median age at which

each type of drink was introduced was estimated. The median age is the age when onehalf of the infants received a specific type of supplemental drink.

 

25 This guideline was not in effect until January 1, 1996.
206

Results

Figure VIII.6 displays the percentages of mothers who have not yet initiated fruit

juices, sweet drinks, and milk at each age of the infant.

 Substantial proportions of WIC infants receive supplemental drinks such as

sweet drinks and fruit juices prior to four months of age. About two-fifths receive

fruit juices and one-third receive sweet drinks prior to four months of age.

Substantial percentages of infants receive sweet drinks (i.e., sugar water, fruitflavored drinks, sodas, tea, and coffee) during early infancy. About 14 percent receive

sweet drinks by one month of age, and more than one-quarter receive sweet drinks by

three months of age. By the fourth month, 31 percent of infants receive sweet drinks.

Although the initiation of fruit juices occurs somewhat more gradually during the first

three months, by the time the infants are four months of age, over two-fifths (43%) have

received fruit juices.

 Early initiation of cow's milk or other milk is not a widespread problem among the

WIC mothers.

Early initiation of cow's milk or other milk appears to be less of a problem for WIC

infants. By six months of age, only 8 percent receive milk. During the second half of

infancy, however, initiation of milk accelerates. By nine months of age, 22
207

percent of the infants receive cow's milk or other milk. For the vast majority of WIC

infants (71%), cow's milk is given between nine and twelve months of age.

Table VIII.6 provides the median ages of initiation of fruit juice and sweet drinks.

This table does not include data for the timing of initiation of cow's milk. The median age

at which cow's milk is initiated among the WIC infants is 356 days. Given the lack of

variance in this feeding practice, and given that it conforms the recommended guidelines

(which were adopted on January 1, 1996) quite closely, initiation of cow's milk will not be

discussed further.

 Hispanic infants receive sweet drinks very early in infancy.

Table VIII.6 shows that the median age of initiation of fruit juice is about 4.5 months

(141 days) and the median age of initiation of sweet drinks is about 8.5 months (261

days). These ages are well beyond the four-month benchmark. There are no racial or

ethnic groups of infants who show an extremely early pattern of initiating these drinks,

Figure VIII.6. Percentage of WIC mothers who have not yet initiated fruit

juices, sweet drinks, and cow’s milk or other milk at each age of the

infant.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 360

Fruit juices

Sweet drinks

Cow's milk or other milk

Age of the infant in days
208

except for Hispanic infants. One-half of the Hispanic infants receive sweet drinks prior to

five months of age. Similarly, the median age of initiation of sweet drinks for the infants

of foreign-born mothers is less than five months.

A further investigation of the distribution of the ages of initiation of sweet drinks

reveals that about 40 percent of Hispanic infants receive sweet drinks by 1.5 months of

age. Figure VIII.7 shows the age-specific percentages of infants who have not yet

received sweet drinks by race/ethnicity of the mother. As seen from this figure, Hispanic

infants are more likely to have received sweet drinks at every age, but these differences

are especially pertinent during the first few months. Exploratory analyses of data

revealed that these differences are mostly due to early initiation of manzanilla tea by

Hispanic mothers. Many Hispanic mothers reported that they gave this tea to prevent or

remedy colic.

Table VIII.6. Median age1 of the infant at the time of initiation of fruit juices and sweet drinks, by

selected socio-demographic characteristics of the mother.

Socio-Demographic Characteristics

Median Age

at Initiation

of Fruit Juice

Median Age at

Initiation of Sweet

Drinks2

Total3 141 261

Race and ethnicity

White

African American

Hispanic

Other

140

145

136

142

241

264

142

364

Age

14 - 19

20 - 25

26 or older

120

142

142

206

260

265

Birth order of the infant

First born

Second born

Third born or younger

117

143

142

209

265

241

Immigrant status

Born in the U.S.

Born elsewhere

141

140

263

142

N 747 806

Notes:

1. Age, in days, when 50% of the infants had received these drinks.

2. Sweet drinks include sugar water, fruit flavored drinks such as Kool-Aid, sodas, tea and coffee.

3. Median ages estimated for all infants, regardless of maternal characteristics.
209

Maternal level of education is positively associated with the median age of initiation of

sweet drinks. Mothers with lower education have earlier median age of initiation of sweet

drinks than mothers with higher education. This is probably because of the association

between race/ethnicity, immigrant status, and educational level.

Younger mothers initiate fruit juices somewhat earlier than the older mothers. One

half of teenage mothers initiate fruit juices prior to four months of age. Similarly, one-half

of the firstborn infants receive fruit juices prior to four months. In response to openended questions, mothers reported relieving constipation, needing more to drink, and

needing too much formula as common reasons for initiating fruit juice prior to four

months of age.

Figure VIII.7. Percentage of WIC mothers who have not yet initiated sweet

drinks at each age of the infant, by race/ethnicity of the mother.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 360

White

African American

Hispanic

Other

Age of the infant in days
210

Conclusions

Early initiation of fruit juices and sweet drinks appears to be a problem affecting twofifths and one-third of the WIC infants, respectively. Important markers for early initiation

of sweet drinks are Hispanic origin and being foreign born. Since 75 percent of Hispanic

WIC mothers are foreign-born, these groups overlap to a large extent. Given the finding

from a Brazilian study (Dorea & Furumoto, 1992) that early feeding of sweet drinks are

pertinent among low income mothers, it is possible that this infant feeding practice is

culturally rooted. Feeding of tea appears to account for much of the early initiation of

sweet drinks among WIC mothers. Another area of concern is the early introduction of

fruit juices to prevent the infant from drinking too much formula.

Throughout the United States, feeding of cows milk to infants, particularly young

infants, has become less common in recent years (Fomon, 1993). The percentage of

five to six month-old infants who received cows milk declined from 61 percent in 1971 to

16 percent in 1980 and 4 percent in 1991. It appears that this trend affected WIC

mothers as well. In 1995, based on the WIC-IFPS data, 8 percent of WIC infants

received milk by the end of six months of age.
211

CHAPTER IX

SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD FEEDING PRACTICES

IX.1. Overview

Use of appropriate methods of feeding of supplemental foods and supplemental

drinks in infancy may contribute to the development of healthy eating habits in children.

This chapter presents a description of the WIC mothers' practices for feeding

supplemental foods and supplemental drinks. The following issues are addressed:

 Section IX.2 reviews the WIC Program components regarding the supplemental

food feeding practices.

 Section IX.3 presents the analysis of the WIC-IFPS data on supplemental food

feeding practices.

IX.2. WIC Program Components that Pertain to Supplemental Food

Feeding Practices

The recommendations on progression of supplemental food types also include a

progression of feeding implements (American Academy of Pediatrics, 1993a; FNS, 1993;

Queen & Lang, 1993). Infant cereal, fruits, vegetables, and other supplemental foods

should be fed by spoon (beginning at four to six months). Juices should be given by cup,

not bottle; infants generally can drink from a cup with assistance at four to six months

and can hold their own cup by ten to twelve months. They can begin eating "finger foods"

by themselves at eight to ten months (FNS, 1993a).

WIC nutrition education and counselling programs may influence the practices

regarding the feeding of supplemental foods by informing and advising mothers. FCS

advises that, in general, no foods other than formula should be given by bottle (FNS,

1993a). There is concern that feeding of fruit juices (and other sweet drinks) by bottle

increases the risk of tooth decay because of prolonged exposure of the teeth to a sweet

liquid (American Academy of Pediatrics, 1993; Fomon, 1993; FNS, 1993a; Queen &

Lang, 1993). Indeed, one of the objectives stated in Healthy People 2000 is that at least

75 percent of parents and caregivers use feeding practices that prevent baby-bottle tooth
212

decay (USDHHS, 1991). The target for less educated parents is 65 percent. If this

objective is translated to the statistics obtained from the WIC-IFPS, one would like to find

that 65 to 75 percent of WIC mothers avoid giving fruit juices prior to the use of a cup.

An infant feeder, which allows soft foods to be pushed into the mouth of the infant,

should not be used because it forces the infant to eat as opposed to providing him with

an opportunity to turn away from the food. FCS advises against infant feeders and

feeding of supplemental foods with a bottle that has a large nipple hole because these

practices may cause the infant to choke, to consume food that may not be needed to

meet nutritional requirements, and to learn eating supplemental foods incorrectly (FNS,

1993a). Generally, infants who are not able to eat from a spoon are not ready for

supplemental foods (FNS, 1993a).

IX.3. Analysis of Supplemental Food Feeding Practices

Research Questions

This section addresses two questions:

(1) What percentages of WIC infants use a cup (with and without assistance), a

spoon, and an infant feeder throughout the first year of life? What percentages

of WIC infants self-feed?

(2) What is the prevalence of initiating supplemental foods prior to using a spoon,

and initiating supplemental drinks prior to using a cup? Are there subgroups of

WIC mothers who tend to adopt these practices?

Main Findings

 By Month 4, nearly three-fifths of the WIC infants receive some supplemental

foods using a spoon and by Month 6, over 90 percent of the infants do so. White

mothers are more likely to feed their infants using a spoon in early infancy than

African American and Hispanic mothers.

 Nearly one-half of the WIC mothers use an infant feeder sometime during

infancy. African American mothers are the most likely to use infant feeders and

Hispanic mothers are the least likely to do so.

 By Month 9, nine out of ten WIC infants who eat supplemental foods pick up

foods and put them in their mouth.
213

 Among the infants who receive supplemental drinks by Month 5, three-quarters

have never used a cup, and among the infants who receive supplemental foods

by Month 4, almost one-third have never used a spoon.

See the Results section for more information on these findings.

Previous Studies

Only one study was identified that investigated the method of feeding supplemental

foods. This was a study of a low-income, mostly African American, inner-city sample

(Solem et al., 1992). The authors report that 82 percent of the African American

mothers and 79 percent of the Hispanic mothers feed cereal with a bottle. No studies of

use of a cup, spoon, or infant feeder could be identified.

Statistical Methods

Since the WIC-IFPS questionnaire was designed for telephone administration, there

were important time constraints on the length of the interview. In order to shorten the

interview, not all questions were asked at every interview. Table IX.1 provides

information about the interview months when questions about the method of feeding

supplemental foods were asked.

First, the percentages of WIC infants using a spoon, an infant feeder, a cup, and a

self-held cup, and percentage who were self-feeding were estimated based on the

maternal reports about these feeding practices. These percentages were also broken

down by selected maternal socio-demographic characteristics. Next, based upon the

reported dates of initiation of supplemental foods and drinks, the percentages of mothers

who initiated supplemental foods prior to using a spoon and the percentages of mothers

who initiated supplemental drinks prior to using a cup were estimated. These

percentages were also broken down by selected socio-demographic characteristics of the

mother. Chi-square tests were conducted to test the significance of the differences

between the subgroups. These were adjusted chi-square tests to account for the

stratified and clustered sampling design of the WIC-IFPS. SUDAAN statistical software

was used.
214

Results

Table IX.2 shows the methods of feeding supplemental foods throughout the infancy,

by the month of interview. The top panel of Table IX.2 shows the percentage of formulafeeding infants who were using a spoon prior to each interview.26

 By Month 4, nearly three-fifths of the WIC infants receive supplemental foods

using a spoon and by Month 6, over 90 percent of the infants do so. White

mothers are more likely to feed their infants using a spoon in early infancy than

African American and Hispanic mothers.

Nearly 20 percent of infants are fed some supplemental foods using a spoon by

Month 2 (see Figure IX.1). By Month 4, this proportion triples to nearly 60 percent of the

infants. By Month 6, over 90 percent of the infants receive supplemental foods using a

spoon. These data indicate a high level of initiation of

 

26 Infants who were fed both formula and breastmilk were also included.

Table IX.1. WIC-IFPS interview months when questions on the methods of feeding

supplemental foods were elicited.

Interview Month

Using a spoon1 Using an infantfeeder

Using a cup with

assistance

Using a selfheld cup Self feeding

Month 2 x x

Month 3

Month 4 x x

Month 5 x

Month 6 x x x x

Month 7 x x

Month 9 x x x x x

Month 12 x x x x

Note:

1. Asked only about the infants who were formula feeding at the time of the interview. The percentages of infants receiving

formula at relevant months is as follows: Month 2, 89%; Month 4, 91%; Month 6, 92%; and Month 9, 91%.
215

Table IX.2. Methods of feeding supplemental foods at interview months when data

were elicited.

Month of Interview Percent N

PERCENT FEEDING SUPPLEMENTAL FOODS USING A SPOON1

Month 2 18 614

Month 4 60 741

Month 6 94 775

Month 9 99 796

PERCENT FEEDING SUPPLEMENTAL FOODS USING AN INFANT FEEDER 2

Month 2 20 690

Month 4 35 817

Month 6 43 833

Month 9 47 840

Month 12 48 839

PERCENT DRINKING FROM A CUP WITH ASSISTANCE

Month 5 23 819

Month 6 45 818

Month 7 68 832

Month 9 87 829

Month 12 93 832

PERCENT DRINKING FROM A SELF-HELD CUP

Month 7 33 827

Month 9 70 825

Month 12 91 828

PERCENT SELF-FEEDING3,4

Month 6 43 758

Month 9 89 786

Month 12 98 796

Notes:

1. These data are available for formula-feeding infants only.

2. Includes all mothers who used an infant feeder any time prior to that interview.

3. Includes infants who were receiving supplemental foods only.

4. Defined by picking up foods and putting them in the mouth.
216

use of a spoon by Month 6, although it is not known if the spoon constituted the primary

method of feeding of supplemental foods.

There are some significant group differences in feeding of supplemental foods from a

spoon among mothers of different race/ethnicity. White mothers are significantly more

likely to feed their infants using a spoon (28% and 71% in Months 2 and 4, respectively)

than African American mothers (10% and 47% in Months 2 and 4, respectively) and

Hispanic mothers (7% and 52% in Months 2 and 4, respectively). However, as infants

grow older (at Month 6 and Month 9), no significant differences remain, since a vast

majority of mothers initiate the use of a spoon by that age.

 Nearly one-half of the WIC mothers use an infant feeder sometime during infancy.

African American mothers are the most likely to use infant feeders and Hispanic

mothers are the least likely to do so.

The second panel of Table IX.2 shows the percentage of mothers who used an infant

feeder prior to each interview by race/ethnicity of the mother. By Month 2, nearly 20

Figure IX.1. Percentage of WIC infants receiving supplemental foods

using a spoon at interview months 2, 4, 6, and 9, by race and ethnicity

of the mother.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Month 2 Month 4 Month 6 Month 9

White

African American

Hispanic

Other

Percent
217

percent of the mothers have used an infant feeder. This percentage gradually

increases: by Month 12 nearly half of the mothers (48%) have used an infant feeder.

There are significant group differences in the use of an infant feeder by maternal

race and ethnicity, throughout the infancy. Hispanic mothers are less likely to use an

infant feeder than white mothers and African American mothers. Conversely, African

American mothers are more likely to use an infant feeder than white mothers. Figure

IX.2 displays these differences.

The third panel of Table IX.2 shows the percentages of infants, during the week

before each interview, drinking from a cup that was held by someone. The proportions of

infants using a cup to drink supplemental drinks increase rapidly between Month 5 and

Month 9 interviews. Just under one-quarter of the infants use a cup by Month 5 and just

under one-half (45%) do so by Month 6. By Month 12, nearly all infants (93%) use a cup

Figure IX.2. Percentage of WIC mothers who have used an infant feeder

sometime during infancy, by race and ethnicity of the mother.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Percent

Total White African

American

Hispanic Other
218

with someone else's assistance. There are no significant race/ethnicity differences in the

use of a cup.

The fourth panel of Table IX.2 shows the percentage of infants using a cup that they

hold themselves. There is a steady increase in the percentage of infants who can use a

self-held cup. By Month 7, one-third of the infants use a self-held cup; by Month 9, 70

percent of them use a self-held cup, and by Month 12, more than 90 percent use a selfheld cup. There are no significant race/ethnicity differences in the proportions of infants

using a self-held cup.

 By Month 9, nine out of ten WIC infants who eat supplemental foods pick up foods

and put them in their mouth.

The last panel of the Table IX.2 shows the percentage of self-feeding infants, among

the infants who eat supplemental foods. By Month 6, more than two-fifths of the infants

who eat supplemental foods start self-feeding. By Month 9, close to 90 percent of the

infants who eat supplemental foods feed themselves. By Month 12, nearly every infant

who eats supplemental foods is able to self-feed. There are no maternal race/ethnicity

differences in the ability of infants to feed themselves.

 Among the infants who receive supplemental drinks by Month 5, three-quarters

have never used a cup, and among the infants who receive supplemental foods

by Month 4, almost one-third have never used a spoon.

Table IX.3 provides the percentage of infants who receive supplemental drinks by

Month 5 who do not use a cup (with or without assistance). These are the percentages

of infants who are known to have initiated supplemental drinks in a bottle.

Table IX.3. Percentages of WIC mothers who adopt supplemental food feeding

practices that are generally not recommended.

Supplemental Food Feeding Practice Percent N

Feeding supplemental drinks by Month 5 prior to using a cup1 77 508

Feeding supplemental foods by Month 4 prior to using a spoon2 31 433

Feeding supplemental foods by Month 4 and have used an infant

feeder sometime during the first 4 months2 40 466

Notes:

1. Among the infants who received supplemental drinks by Month 5.

2. Among the infants who received supplemental foods by Month 4.
219

Over three quarters of WIC mothers feed supplemental drinks to their infants prior to

using a cup as compared to the target set by Healthy People 2000 of one-quarter.

There are no statistically significant group differences in feeding of supplemental drinks

prior to the use of a cup by maternal race/ethnicity, age, immigrant status, living with the

infant's father, poverty level, education, and birth order of the infant (results not

presented).

Table IX.3 also shows the percentage of mothers who give supplemental foods by

Month 4, prior to using a spoon, and the percentage of mothers who give supplemental

foods by Month 4 and who use an infant feeder. Among the infants who receive

supplemental foods by Month 4, 31 percent do not use a spoon. There are significant

group differences by maternal race/ethnicity and whether the mother lives with the father

of the infant. Figure IX.3 displays these differences. African American mothers are

more likely to feed their infants supplemental foods prior to using a spoon in early

infancy than white or Hispanic mothers. Half of African American mothers adopt this

practice, as opposed to less than one-quarter of the white mothers and slightly over onequarter of the Hispanic mothers. Mothers who live with the father of the infant are

significantly less likely to feed their infants supplemental foods prior to using a spoon. It

is estimated that one-quarter of the mothers who live with the infant's father adopt this

practice, as opposed to more than one-third of the mothers who do not live with the

father of the infant.
220

Among the mothers who give supplemental foods by Month 4, more than one-third

use an infant feeder. The only significant group difference is by maternal immigrant

status. Among the mothers who give supplemental foods early (i.e., before Month 4),

those who were born in the United States are more likely to use an infant feeder than

those who were born elsewhere. Nearly one-half of these mothers who were born in the

United States use an infant feeder to feed their infants, as opposed to only 12 percent of

the mothers who were born elsewhere.

Conclusions

A majority of WIC mothers give supplemental foods using a spoon by the time their

infant is about four months of age, and almost all initiate using a spoon by the time their

infant is about six months of age. These data indicate that, developmentally, WIC

infants are able to eat supplemental foods with a spoon between four and six months of

age, as expected (FNS, 1993a). Almost all of the infants could hold a cup and feed

themselves by the end of the first year, and nine out of ten infants could do so by nine

months of age.

Figure IX.3. Percentages of WIC mothers who feed supplemental foods

before Month 4, prior to using a spoon, by race and ethnicity of the

mother.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

White African

American

Hispanic Other

Percent

Total
221

A majority of the WIC mothers who start feeding infants supplemental drinks by

Month 5 and supplemental foods by Month 4 not only adopt a pattern of initiation of

supplemental foods earlier than generally recommended guidelines, but they also adopt

methods of feeding that are considered to be inappropriate.27 Many mothers use an

infant feeder or bottle when feeding supplemental foods and use a bottle when feeding

supplemental drinks other than formula. Such feeding practices may have an adverse

influence on the development of healthy eating habits for the infant as well as the infant's

dental health (FNS, 1993a). These results suggest that feeding of supplemental drinks

using a bottle is a common feeding practice across different socio-demographic groups,

and feeding supplemental foods using a bottle is common enough to be a nutritional

concern. In order to reach the objectives specified in Healthy People 2000 (USDHHS,

1991), the percentage of WIC mothers initiating feeding of supplemental drinks in a

bottle must be reduced by a factor of one-half to one-third.

 

27 The FCS Guidelines were not published until November 1994 and probably not widely disseminated until 1995,

well after the study period began.
222
223

CHAPTER X

CONCLUSIONS

X.1. Overview

The Women, Infants, and Children Infant Feeding Practices Study (WIC-IFPS) is a

unique longitudinal study of infant feeding in a cohort of economically disadvantaged

mothers who received services from the WIC Program of the USDA’s Food and

Consumer Services (FCS). The WIC-IFPS is nationally representative of WIC mothers

who participated in WIC during pregnancy. This study yields data on a group of 874

mothers and their infants, observed over a period of one year. Data collection took place

between August 1994 and December 1995.

The purpose of the WIC-IFPS is to describe the infant feeding practices of a national

sample of WIC mothers in order to understand the feeding choices and some of the

factors that are associated with these choices. WIC-IFPS was not designed to evaluate

the WIC Program’s effect on infant feeding practices. A study to evaluate the WIC

Program would have been very different; for example, there would have been a non-WIC

comparison group, and information on WIC Program participation would not have been

based solely on mother’s recall.

In this chapter, an overview of the findings from the analyses of the WIC-IFPS data is

presented. First, a summary of infant feeding practices is provided, along with a timeline

illustrating these practices. After this summary, conclusions are presented that focus on

the following areas:

 breastfeeding initiation (Section X.3)

 breastfeeding duration (Section X.4)

 formula feeding (Section X.5)

 introduction of supplemental foods (Section X.6).

Each section begins with a statement of the applicable infant feeding guidelines for

WIC participants, followed by a summary of main findings. The guidelines for feeding of

infants were set forth in Infant Nutrition and Feeding—A Reference Handbook for
224

Nutrition and Health Counselors in the WIC and CSF Programs (FNS, 1993a).28 Brief

commentary follows each summary of findings.

X.2. A Summary of Infant Feeding Practices of WIC Mothers

One of the distinguishing characteristics of the WIC-IFPS is that it is nationally

representative of all WIC mother-infant pairs who participated in the WIC Program

prenatally. The findings from the analyses of the WIC-IFPS data can be used to profile

the feeding practices of WIC mothers. Table X.1 presents the percentages of WIC

infants who receive each of the 13 different groups of foods at each month of age.

Five important conclusions can be drawn from an examination of this table:

(1) Small percentages of WIC mothers breastfeed throughout early infancy. By one

month of age, only one-third of the infants receive any breastmilk. By three

months of age, only one out of five infants receives any breastmilk.

(2) Large percentages of WIC mothers feed infant formula even during the first few

months of infancy. More than four out of five mothers feed formula to their

infants by one month of age. This implies that few infants are receiving

breastmilk exclusively, or almost exclusively, in early infancy.

(3) WIC mothers introduce supplemental foods and drinks early in infancy. For

example, almost one-quarter of the infants receive cereal by two months of

age. One-fifth of the infants receive fruits by three months of age. For a

substantial proportion of WIC infants, the nursing phase of infant feeding (i.e.,

when the diet consists of breastmilk and/or formula only) is substantially shorter

than the recommended four to six months.

(4) By the end of the first year of life, the transitional phase29 of infant feeding is

completed for almost all WIC infants. By 12 months of age, almost all infants

receive cereal, fruits, vegetables, meats, and starchy foods (e.g., rice, pasta,

bread). More than 90 percent receive dairy foods and high-protein foods other

than meats (e.g., beans, eggs, peanut butter).

 

28 This document was not published until November 1994, and probably not widely disseminated until 1995, well after

the study period began. However, some of the breastfeeding guidelines were also included in the 1990 National

Association of WIC Directors (NAWD) Guidelines for Breastfeeding Promotion in the WIC Program (NAWD, 1990)

as well as its 1994 revision (NAWD, 1994). 29 The transitional phase is when the diet is being transformed from a nursing diet to a modified adult diet.
225

(5) Some feeding practices of the WIC mothers towards the end of the first year of

life are outside of recommended dietary guidelines. For example, almost 90

percent receive sweet drinks (e.g., fruit-flavored drinks, sodas, coffee, and tea),

and over 90 percent receive sweet/snack foods (e.g., cookies, cakes, jams,

honey, chips) by 12 months of age. FSC advises that sweet drinks and

sweet/snack foods not be fed to infants under 12 months of age (FNS, 1993a).

Figure X.1 provides a timeline that describes the feeding practices of WIC mothers

during the first two months of life. These two months constitute the nursing phase for a

majority of WIC infants. A majority of the WIC infants are fed formula at the first feeding

after birth. Nevertheless, a majority of WIC mothers initiate breastfeeding sometime

during the first week after birth. During the period immediately following birth, most

infants sleep away from their mothers, in the nursery, at least for one night. During the

hospital stay, a majority of the mothers experience nursing problems. By the time of

Table X.1. Percentages of WIC infants who receive each of the 13 groups of foods at each age.1

Age of the Infant in Months

Foods Fed2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Breastmilk 34 26 20 18 16 14 12 11 10 9 8 3

Formula 84 91 92 92 91 90 88 87 85 81 70 19

Fruit juice3 5 13 25 44 68 84 95 95 99 100 100 100

Milk3 0 1 2 2 4 8 13 13 27 28 28 84

Sweet drinks3 14 22 27 32 36 42 29 50 61 62 62 88

Cereal3 9 24 42 64 89 95 98 99 100 100 100 100

Fruits3 2 8 21 44 73 87 95 97 99 99 100 100

Vegetables3 1 4 12 31 61 85 95 96 99 99 99 100

Meats3 0 1 4 8 20 45 66 76 91 93 95 99

Starchy foods3 0 0 2 6 19 44 67 68 88 91 91 99

Dairy foods3 0 0 1 4 10 23 38 39 65 69 69 93

High protein foods3 0 0 1 3 9 20 36 37 60 64 65 93

Sweet foods3 7 13 17 21 29 38 50 50 68 70 70 93

Notes:

1. The ages are actual ages and are not dependent upon the timing of the interview.

2. The food groups are defined in the text.

3. Infants who have received these supplemental foods prior to the corresponding age are

assumed to be receiving those foods at any subsequent age.
226

hospital discharge, more than one-half of WIC mothers are exclusively formula feeding

their infants, and almost all WIC mothers receive a gift package from the hospital that

includes an item that is unsupportive of the establishment of breastfeeding.

During the first two weeks after hospital discharge, a majority of breastfeeding WIC

mothers initiate formula supplementation. Nevertheless, they breastfeed about six to

seven times per day, when the infant cries or seems hungry. Just before the end of the

first two months of life, a majority of breastfeeding WIC mothers cease beastfeeding.

Figure X.1. Timeline describing WIC Program participation, feeding practices, and

hospital practices for WIC mothers from birth through two months of age.

Feeding Practices

A majority of WIC mothers receive information

about breastfeeding and advice to breastfeed from WIC staff

A majority of WIC mothers receive WIC vouchers for infant formula

WIC Participation

A majority of

WIC mothers

initiate

breastfeeding

A majority of WIC mothers experience problems with the

breasts or feeding

At hospital discharge, a majority of WIC mothers

receive gift packages that contain some items

unsupportive of the establishment of breastfeeding

A majority of

WIC mothers

are already

formula

feeding at

hospital

discharge

A majority of WIC

mothers cease

A majority of WIC breastfeeding

mothers initiate formula

supplementation

A majority of WIC mothers breastfeed six to seven times per day, when their infant cries or seems hungry

During hospital stay, a majority

of WIC infants spend

1 night away from mothers

BIRTH 2 WEEKS 6 WEEKS 1 MONTH 2 MONTHS

Hospital Practices

A majority of

WIC infants

receive

formula at

the first

feeding
227

Figure X.2 provides a timeline that describes the infant feeding practices of the WIC

mothers in the transitional phase. A majority of WIC mothers initiate feeding infant cereal

by the time their infants are about 31⁄2 months of age. By the time the infants are a little

over four months of age, a majority of WIC mothers have introduced fruits, vegetables,

and fruit juices, in close succession. Most WIC mothers have not used a cup for their

infants by the time they introduce supplemental drinks. By four months of age, a majority

of WIC mothers use a spoon to feed some supplemental foods.

By the time infants are seven months of age, a majority of WIC mothers introduce

meats and starchy foods such as rice and pasta, offer supplemental drinks using a cup,

and offer finger foods to allow the infants to feed themselves. By the time infants are

nine months of age, a majority of WIC mothers introduce

Figure X.2. Timeline describing WIC Program participation and feeding practices

for WIC infants from three to twelve months of age.

Fruit juices

Sweet drinks

Fruits

Vegetables

Meats

Cereals Starchy

foods

Dairy foods

High-protein foods

other than meats

Sweet/snack

foods

Cow’s

milk

A majority of WIC

infants are using a

cup with assistance

A majority of WIC

infants are using a selfheld cup

A majority of WIC infants

are self-feeding

A majority of WIC mothers receive WIC vouchers for formula

A majority of WIC mothers receive WIC vouchers for supplemental foods

Months: 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

A majority of

WIC infants

are using a

spoon

Feeding Practices WIC Participation
228

dairy foods (cheese, yogurt, etc.), high-protein foods other than meat, sweet/snack

foods, and sweet drinks, and allow their infants to use a cup to drink by themselves. A

majority of WIC infants do not receive cow’s milk until just before their one-year birthday.

X.3. Breastfeeding Initiation

FCS Guideline

• Breastfeeding should be encouraged.

Commentary

 More than one-half of WIC mothers initiate breastfeeding.

The Healthy People 2000 objective regarding breastfeeding initiation is to “increase

to at least 75 percent the proportion of mothers who breastfeed their babies in the early

postpartum period” (USDHHS, 1990). The year 2000 target for low-income women is

the same as the national target, despite the fact that the 1988 baseline figure for this

subgroup (32%) is lower than for the nation as a whole (54%). The definition of

breastfeeding used by Healthy People 2000 is breastfeeding status at the time of

hospital discharge. Using this definition, 45 percent of WIC mothers initiate

breastfeeding. WIC adopts a more comprehensive definition of breastfeeding: any

breastfeeding of the infant at any time during the first few weeks postpartum is taken as

an indication of breastfeeding initiation. Using this definition, 56 percent of WIC mothers

initiate breastfeeding.

The WIC Program has always encouraged breastfeeding as the best method of infant

feeding (Tognetti et al., 1991), and efforts since 1988 have strengthened that support

(Macro International and Urban Institute, 1995). The 1993 report from the U.S. General

Accounting Office (GAO) concluded that “State WIC Programs have substantially

increased their breastfeeding promotional efforts since the 1989 reauthorization of the

WIC Program” (GAO, 1993). This conclusion is based on surveys of all state WIC

directors and on intensive data collection from three local sites in each of four states.

The report also noted that “nationally, USDA has taken many steps to promote

breastfeeding—some of them before the 1989 act that required specific actions...”

Breastfeeding is also strongly recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics

(1993) and the American Public Health Association (1991). The many benefits of
229

breastfeeding are summarized by the Innocenti Declaration: On the Protection, Promotion

and Support of Breastfeeding, issued by an international group of experts assembled by

the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF (WHO/UNICEF, 1991).

A previous study of comparison of trends in breastfeeding initiation rates indicates

that breastfeeding initiation among WIC participants declined from 39 percent in 1984 to

34 percent in 1990, but increased to 44 percent in 1994.30 The fact that the 44 percent

figure from the RLMS is less than that found in the WIC-IFPS is probably due to the

differences in timing of the data collection, sample coverage and data collection

methods.

 Hispanic mothers are most likely to initiate breastfeeding (four-fifths), followed by

white mothers (half) and African American mothers (one-third).

Other characteristics of WIC mothers who are less likely to breastfeed include the

following: under age 20; born in the United States; does not live with the father of the

infant; has lower education; and has older children. These associations with sociodemographic characteristics are similar to those reported in other studies with national

coverage (Ryan et al., 1991a, b; GAO, 1993).

Longer maternal hospital stay, probably associated with postnatal maternal health, is

associated with lower rates of breastfeeding. In addition, infants are more likely to be

breastfed if the mother reports receiving advice to breastfeed from her mother or other

relatives, and if the mother breastfed previous children. Net of other factors, receipt of

advice to breastfeed from a physician and receipt of information about breastfeeding

from sources other than WIC are predictive of higher rates of breastfeeding.

These findings support the recent NAWD guidelines regarding prenatal breastfeeding

encouragement: incorporation of positive peer influence; including the participants family

and friends in breastfeeding education and support sessions; and encouraging the

mother to communicate her decision to breastfeed to appropriate hospital staff (NAWD,

1994). WIC staff are also encouraged to coordinate prenatal breastfeeding education

 

30 This information is from the Ross Laboratory Mother’s Survey (RLMS, 1990 and 1994). The RLMS has been

criticized because its sampling frame and its reliance on a mailed survey contribute to its not being nationally

representative. The sample is obtained from lists that are estimated to include about 75 percent of births in the

United States. Only half of the women selected for the survey actually responded (GAO, 1993). In particular, lesseducated and low-income women are under-represented (Fomon, 1993; Hendershot, 1984).
230

activities with primary care providers, and to know the practices of their community

hospitals and primary health care providers that pertain to breastfeeding.

 Among the mothers who do not receive breastfeeding advice from their

physicians, receiving information from WIC about breastfeeding is associated with

a higher likelihood of breastfeeding initiation. Knowledge of the special WIC

breastfeeding food package for women whose infants do not receive formula from

WIC is also associated with higher likelihood of initiating breastfeeding.

Most mothers recall having received information from WIC on the benefits of

breastfeeding, about how to breastfeed, and about maternal diet during breastfeeding.

Half report that the WIC staff told them to breastfeed. In response to a question about

what type of infant feeding WIC recommends, one-third said “breastfeeding only” and

most of the others said “both breastfeeding and bottle feeding.” In open-ended

responses to the question about why the mother thinks this is what WIC recommends,

most women indicate that they know the WIC Program promotes breastfeeding as the

best method, but that the program also supports whichever method the mother chooses.

There is substantial overlap between receipt of information and advice on

breastfeeding from WIC, and receipt of similar information or advice from the physician.

However, WIC breastfeeding information appears to reach a much larger group of WIC

mothers than physicians’ breastfeeding advice. Among the mothers who do not receive

breastfeeding advice from their physicians, receipt of information about breastfeeding

from WIC predicts more than a 50 percent increase in the likelihood of breastfeeding

initiation. These findings indicate the importance of support and encouragement for the

mother’s decision to breastfeed, a finding that is common to many studies (Bedinghaus

and Doughten, 1994).

Maternal knowledge of the special WIC breastfeeding food package appears to be

successful in encouraging the mothers to breastfeed. Unfortunately, fewer than one-third

of mothers recall receiving information about the special WIC food package for

breastfeeding women (although, of course, more women may have been told about the

package but simply did not remember it).

The causal association of the WIC Program with breastfeeding rates is the subject of

considerable debate. A national impact evaluation of the WIC Program on breastfeeding

initiation has never been conducted, and therefore, inferences regarding the effects of the
231

WIC Program on breastfeeding rates are often speculative. The GAO report documented

considerable variation among local sites in terms of who received breastfeeding

education. In some sites, breastfeeding education was focused on women who either

said they intended to breastfeed or were undecided, while in other sites all pregnant WIC

participants received similar breastfeeding education (GAO, 1993). However, the WIC

Breastfeeding Promotion Study and Demonstration (USDA, 1990), conducted at seven

local WIC agencies throughout the country, documented increased breastfeeding

incidence in response to various breastfeeding interventions (at all sites except the site

that had the highest baseline incidence; Sanders et al., 1990).

The relationship of WIC participation with breastfeeding initiation has also been

examined using data from the 1988 National Maternal and Infant Health Survey (NMIHS)

(Schwartz et al., 1992, 1995). This study is nationally representative of all live births

occurring in 1988, and as such, was too early to assess the effects of the intensified

breastfeeding support activities of the WIC Program. Adjusting for the differences in the

characteristics of the mothers who participate in the WIC Program and those who do not,

women who reported receiving breastfeeding advice from WIC had a higher probability

of breastfeeding (44%) than either non-participants (35%) or WIC participants who did

not report such advice (26%). One of the main limitations of this study is that the data

on receipt of breastfeeding advice could be biased such that mothers who breastfed may

be more likely to recall this advice.

It is highly unlikely that the WIC Program alone can change the infant feeding

preferences of the mothers. The GAO (1993) report notes that “negative influences on,

or barriers to, breastfeeding extend beyond WIC’s ability to affect them,” and concludes

that further increases in breastfeeding rates will require greater support from

breastfeeding throughout the health care system, in the community, and in workplaces.

Indeed, findings of the WIC-IFPS about WIC mothers’ hospital experiences support this

statement. The GAO report includes a comprehensive list of recommendations made by

state WIC directors for changes in regulations pertaining to both WIC and other federal

programs that could help to increase breastfeeding rates.
232

 WIC mothers experience several hospital practices that are unsupportive of the

establishment of breastfeeding. Less than three in ten WIC mothers give their

infants breastmilk at the first feeding. Almost three-quarters of WIC infants sleep

away from their mothers at least for one night during their hospital stay. Almost

all WIC mothers receive a gift package from the hospital that contain items that

are unsupportive to the establishment of breastfeeding. About one-third of the

mothers who experience nursing problems in the hospital receive no help from the

hospital staff.

About 60 percent of infants receive formula at the first feeding and 10 percent receive

either sugar water or plain water. These results suggest that encouragement of

breastfeeding in the neonatal period by the hospital staff may help increase breastfeeding

at the first feeding. African American WIC mothers may constitute a target group, as they

have the lowest rate of breastfeeding at the first feeding: about one in ten African

American mothers breastfeed at the first feeding. Fewer than one-fifth of the mothers

who initiate breastfeeding do so during the first hour of birth, and only about half

breastfeed during the first three hours; one-fourth do not breastfeed until 13 or more

hours after birth. Other hospital practices unsupportive of breastfeeding include rooming

arrangements; the lack of breastfeeding support services for some WIC mothers; and the

dispensing of formula, sugar water, bottle, and pacifier in gift packages.

There is nothing in the WIC reference handbook (FNS, 1993a) about the timing of the

first breastfeed. NAWD guidelines specify that the infant be put to the breast within the

first hour after birth (NAWD, 1990). Furthermore, NAWD suggests working with health

care providers to promote hospital practices that are conducive to breastfeeding. The

GAO (1993) report indicates that a vast majority of WIC state agencies have community

task forces that help promote breastfeeding in collaboration with health care providers.

One of the recommendations made by state WIC directors in the GAO report (1993)

is to require hospitals receiving federal funds (Medicare/Medicaid) to adopt the

WHO/UNICEF “Baby Friendly” policies. The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative encourages

hospitals throughout the world to adopt the “Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding”

(WHO/UNICEF, 1989), which include (1) helping mothers initiate breastfeeding within a

half hour of birth and (2) giving newborn infants no food or drink other than breastmilk

unless medically indicated (Karra et al., 1993).
233

X.4. Breastfeeding Duration

FCS Guidelines

 Breastmilk alone provides sufficient nutrition for infants for the first four to six

months of life.

 Frequent breastfeeding (eight to twelve times per day, depending on the age of

the infant) is important for stimulation of breastmilk supply.

 Breastfeeding should occur whenever the infant appears to be hungry, rather

than following a set schedule.

Commentary

 One-fourth of the WIC mothers who initiate breastfeeding stop by the end of the

second week, and one-half stop by the end of the second month.

The breastfeeding continuation goal in the Healthy People 2000 report is that at least

50 percent of all infants are to be breastfed until five to six months of age (USDHHS,

1990). The corresponding percentage for WIC infants is 16 percent breastfeeding at five

months of age. As with breastfeeding initiation, low-income women had a lower 1988

baseline continuation rate (9%) than the national average (21%), but the year 2000

continuation target is the same for all women. FCS also stresses continuation of

breastfeeding (FNS, 1993a), and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends

breastfeeding for the first six to twelve months (American Academy of Pediatrics, 1993).

The international Innocenti Declaration notes that the benefits of breastfeeding increase

with increasing duration of breastfeeding (WHO/UNICEF, 1991).

Maternal socio-demographic factors associated with early cessation of breastfeeding

are young age, lower education, and using non-maternal child care.

 Mothers who believe that they do not have sufficient milk, or that there is

something wrong with their milk, are more likely to stop breastfeeding; other

nursing problems are not significantly associated with breastfeeding cessation.

Breastfeeding mothers report various problems with nursing, which generally

decrease over time. In the first month, about one-third of mothers think they do not have
234

enough milk and one-tenth think that something is wrong with it. Perception of not having

enough breastmilk is one of the most commonly reported nursing problems.

Infant feeding guidelines of the FCS include a section on “how to know if your baby is

drinking enough milk” (FNS, 1993a). Breastfeeding mothers are advised to monitor

infant weight gain, frequency of breastfeeding episodes, the infant’s swallowing, number

of wet and soiled diapers, and the color of the infant’s urine. When mothers of the WICIFPS were asked what they do about their perception of insufficient milk, very few said

that they breastfeed more frequently or that they monitor infant growth or wet diapers;

most said that they give formula.

There are many practical suggestions that can be offered to mothers who perceive

problems with their breastmilk, as described in various WIC documents (FNS, 1993a;

NAWD, 1990) and elsewhere (American Academy of Pediatrics, 1993; Freed et al., 1991;

Riordan and Auerbach, 1993). Most importantly, mothers may be advised to breastfeed

more frequently if it appears that the infant is truly not getting sufficient breastmilk.

 Mothers who believe that breastfeeding is beneficial are less likely to cease

breastfeeding, while those who express more concern about barriers to

breastfeeding are more likely to do so.

Responses to most questions about attitudes and beliefs concerning breastfeeding in

the WIC-IFPS are significantly different for mothers who breastfeed the infant compared

to those who do not. Non-breastfeeding mothers are significantly less likely to express

positive attitudes on most issues, and are also generally more likely to say that they are

“not sure” about various statements about consequences of breastfeeding. Responses to

many of the questions about attitudes and beliefs also vary considerably by racial/ethnic

background. In particular, African American mothers are most concerned about barriers

to breastfeeding, while Hispanic mothers are most aware of the benefits of breastfeeding.

While beliefs/attitudes may be predicitive of breastfeeding practices, it is not known if a

change in beliefs/attitudes will lead to a change in the rates of breastfeeding cessation.

Nevertheless, the NAWD guidelines recommend the inclusion of questions about

breastfeeding attitudes in the annual participant survey, in order to design more effective

breastfeeding promotion programs (NAWD, 1994).
235

 Breastfeeding mothers who are concurrently feeding infant formula are almost 2.5

times as likely to stop breastfeeding, compared to those who are not receiving

any formula.

Feeding infant formula to a breastfeeding infant can increase the rate of breastfeeding

cessation in several ways (Riordan & Auerbach, 1993). Physiologically, because formula

reduces the infant’s need for breastmilk, breastfeeding frequency is reduced; fewer

breastfeeds result in reduced breastmilk production. Although formula may be given with

the idea of adding to the infant’s diet, in fact it is difficult to give formula without instead

replacing breastmilk, particularly in the early months of life (Greiner, 1996). Infants may

also be confused by the differing suckling actions required for breast- and bottle feeding,

and may prefer bottle feeding because it requires less effort. Mothers also may find that

formula feeding is more convenient, or they may begin formula feeding with the intention

of stopping breastfeeding.

 Mothers who know about the special WIC breastfeeding package have

significantly longer breastfeeding duration. Among the three WIC Program

components that support breastfeeding (i.e., the knowledge of the special

breastfeeding food package, receipt of information about breastfeeding from

WIC, and receipt of advice to breastfeed from WIC staff), receipt of each

additional program component is associated with a further increase in

breastfeeding duration.

Mothers who know about the special WIC breastfeeding package for mothers who do

not accept formula from WIC, tend to breastfeed for longer durations. The WIC-IFPS

provides information about two other WIC Program components that support

breastfeeding: receipt of information about breastfeeding from WIC and receipt of advice

to breastfeed from WIC staff. WIC Program components have a cumulative effect on the

rates of breastfeeding cessation. WIC mothers receiving several of the WIC Program

components that support breastfeeding, breastfeed longer durations than those

receiving fewer program components. In other words, there appears to be a “doseresponse” to WIC Program components that support breastfeeding, suggesting the need

for a multiplicity of program activities that encourage and support breastfeeding. The

recent guidelines of NAWD stress the importance of including questions in the annual

participant survey regarding infant feeding decisions and the WIC Program’s
236

breastfeeding support activities, in order to design more effective breastfeeding

promotion programs (NAWD, 1994).

In the WIC Breastfeeding Promotion Study and Demonstration (USDA, 1990), the

interventions were associated with increased six-week breastfeeding prevalence at four

of the seven sites and increased three-month prevalence at five sites (Sanders et al.,

1990). The recent analysis of the relationship between WIC participation and

breastfeeding using NMIHS data, found that, contrary to the results for breastfeeding

initiation, there were no differences according to WIC participation or receipt of

breastfeeding advice, either in average breastfeeding duration or in the probabilities of

breastfeeding at three or six months (Schwartz et al., 1995). None of these studies

investigated the “dose-response” type association documented here.

 Breastfeeding infants are nursed about six times per day, decreasing from an

average of almost seven in Month 1 to just under six by Month 5. Most are

breastfed when they appear hungry, rather than on a fixed schedule.

While the number of daily breastfeeds declines somewhat as the infants get older,

breastmilk is a major component of the diet for those infants who continue to breastfeed.

Although several socio-demographic and other non-program factors are predictive of

frequency of breastfeeds, these effects are indirect, through the effects of formula

supplementation. Formula supplementation is the strongest and most direct predictor of

frequency of breastfeeds, and it, in turn, is associated with non-program and program

factors. The role of formula supplementation in predicting the frequency of breastfeeds

indicates that WIC mothers may be substituting breastfeeds with formula feeds

(supplemental formula use) rather than providing formula in addition to the breastfeed at

each feeding (complementary formula use). Physician’s advice to breastfeed is

positively associated with the frequency of breastfeeds, indicating that this infant feeding

practice is amenable to specific professional guidance and advice.

Frequent breastfeeding is critical for stimulation of breastmilk production, particularly

in the early weeks (Queen & Lang, 1993; Riordan & Auerbach, 1993). One of the FCS

breastfeeding counseling guidelines is, “Nurse your baby often during the day and night

to allow your body to make enough milk for your baby (the more you nurse, the more

milk your body makes)” (FNS, 1993a). Supplemental formula feeding, especially if the
237

reason for supplementation is the perceived inadequacy of milk, is likely to be

counterproductive.

 One-third of breastfeeding mothers express milk during the first two months.

Many of the breastfeeding mothers in this study report that they express milk from

their breasts (one-third in the first and second month, and one-fourth in the third month).

Breastmilk expression is somewhat more common among mothers of first-born infants,

those who were born in the United States, and those who live with the infant’s father.

The WIC reference handbook on infant feeding provides very general instructions

regarding expression of breastmilk by hand, with manual and electric breast pumps (FNS,

1993a). Most of the WIC mothers who express milk do so with a manual pump.

X.5. Formula Feeding

FCS Guidelines

 Breastmilk alone provides sufficient nutrition for infants for the first four to six

months of life.

 Formula should not be diluted with extra water in order to “stretch” it.

Commentary

 One-half of breastfeeding WIC infants are given formula during the first two weeks

of life.

One-fourth of breastfeeding infants receive formula by the age of five days and onehalf by sixteen days. The NAWD guidelines indicate that mothers be informed that

formula supplementation can be expected to reduce breastmilk supply. These

guidelines specify that WIC staff encourage and support breastfeeding, rather than

offering additional formula (NAWD, 1994). NAWD also specifies that formula vouchers

not be issued for exclusively breastfed infants or when a breastfeeding mother does

not specifically request them (NAWD, 1994).

It is particularly important that foods other than breastmilk not be given during the

first few weeks, when breastfeeding is being established (American Academy of

Pediatrics, 1993; Riordan & Auerbach, 1993). These other foods would have a negative
238

impact on breastmilk production; they could also cause “nipple confusion” (i.e., the infant

could have difficulty with proper suckling at the breast after feeding from an artificial

nipple).

 Breastfeeding mothers who report problems with their milk are more likely to

begin giving formula.

While it is not surprising that mothers who experience nursing problems respond by

beginning to feed formula, this suggests that they do not know how to resolve these

problems. In open-ended responses, many of the WIC mothers report that their reason

for giving formula in addition to breastfeeding is that they do not have sufficient

breastmilk. This answer corresponds to the response given to the question of what they

do when they feel they do not have sufficient breastmilk. As noted previously, changes

in breastfeeding patterns (notably, more frequent feedings) can minimize these

problems, whereas supplementing with formula makes some of these problems worse

and may lead to breastfeeding cessation.

 Breastfeeding mothers who report knowledge of the special WIC breastfeeding

food package are less likely to begin giving formula.

Although reported knowledge of the special WIC breastfeeding food package is

significantly associated with reduced formula use, receipt of advice to breastfeed from

WIC or receipt of information about breastfeeding from WIC are not associated with

formula supplementation. These results suggest that the special WIC breastfeeding food

package may be an incentive for delaying of formula supplementation in addition to being

an incentive for breastfeeding initiation and longer durations of breastfeeding.

 Less than ten percent of mothers report that they mix formula with extra water to

make it last longer.

The percentage of WIC mothers overdiluting formula tends to increase with infant

birthweight, suggesting that larger infants require more formula. FCS specifically

advises that extra water should not be added to the bottle (FNS, 1993a). FCS advises

that if a caregiver complains that he/she is receiving an insufficient amount of infant

formula, WIC staff can offer powdered infant formula, which yields a greater quantity
239

than other forms of formula. Just over half of WIC mothers recall receiving information

on how to formula feed and how to prepare formula.

X.6. Introduction of Supplemental Foods

FCS Guidelines

 Breastmilk alone is sufficient for the first four to six months.

 Infant cereal should be the first supplemental food introduced, at the age of four

to six months. Fruits, vegetables, meats, and other protein-rich foods should

follow, at six to eight months.

 The following foods should not be fed before the age of twelve months: cow’s

milk, sweetened foods and beverages, and caffeinated beverages.

 Fruit juices should be given by cup, not in a bottle. Supplemental foods (other

than finger foods) should be fed with a spoon, not using an infant feeder or a

bottle with enlarged nipple.

Commentary

 Receipt of cereal prior to four months of age is the norm rather than the exception

among WIC infants. Infants who are formula fed are twice as likely to receive

cereal inappropriately early as infants who are breastfed.

WIC infants receive supplemental foods much earlier than recommended. FCS

advises that breastmilk and/or formula are the only foods that infants need until four to

six months of age (FNS, 1993a; American Academy of Pediatrics, 1992). The order of

introduction of supplemental foods by food type follows the guidelines set forth by FCS

and other sources of nutrition guidance (FNS, 1993a; American Academy of Pediatrics,

1993; Fomon, 1993; Queen & Lang, 1993); however, each food type is introduced earlier

than recommended. This finding suggests that the WIC mothers may be able to delay

the whole process by delaying the introduction of the first supplemental food, usually the

infant cereal.

Cultural differences among subgroups of mothers affect the timing of cereal

introduction, as reflected by differences by immigrant status. Mothers who are born in

the United States initiate infant cereal earlier than foreign-born mothers.
240

The analyses of the initiation of cereals, fruits, and vegetables suggest that formulafed WIC infants constitute a group that is highly likely to receive these foods

inappropriately early. This may be due to several reasons. First, the mothers who feed

formula may view the bottle as an easy means to feed other foods to their infants.

Second, formula-feeding mothers may add cereal to the bottle to promote longer sleep.

Many mothers who initiate cereal report, in open-ended questions, that they do so to get

the infant to sleep through the night or because the infant seemed to be wanting “too

much” formula. Third, mothers may initiate cereal to avoid the expense of formula. This

latter hypothesis is not supported by the WIC-IFPS data, in that mothers with higher

levels of income are actually more likely to initiate cereal early.

 Mothers who receive information from WIC about feeding supplemental foods are

less likely to initiate cereal inappropriately early.

Over half of WIC mothers report receiving information from the WIC Program about

when to begin cereal and other foods. Receipt of information from WIC Program staff

about when to start other foods is associated with a delay in the introduction of cereal.

 Two-fifths of WIC infants receive fruits and three in ten receive vegetables prior to

four months of age. Formula-fed infants are three times as likely to receive these

supplemental foods inappropriately early.

Young mothers are more likely to start feeding fruits and vegetables inappropriately

early. Similar to the findings with the initiation of cereals, formula-fed infants emerge as a

group who are three times as likely to be given fruits and three-and-a-half times as likely

to be given vegetables inappropriately early as breastfed infants. The practice of giving a

variety of supplemental foods to formula-fed infants may follow a premature introduction

of infant cereal. Receipt of information from WIC about the initiation of supplemental

foods is not predictive of a delay in introducing fruits and vegetables.

 Half of the WIC infants begin receiving fruit juice by age 41

/2 months. By 81/2

months, half receive sweet drinks, such as sugar water, flavored drinks (e.g.,

Kool-Aid), sodas, tea, and coffee. One-fourth drink cow’s milk by nine months.

These results indicate that a substantial proportion of WIC mothers do not observe

FCS’s guidelines, which specify that sodas, punches, etc.—which are high in calories but
241

have no nutritional value—should be avoided, as should caffeinated beverages and cow’s

milk.31 It is advised that breastmilk or formula be the predominant liquid throughout the

first year (American Academy of Pediatrics, 1993; FNS, 1993a); other liquids may be

offered, but should be limited to ensure that the infant consumes sufficient quantities of

other nutritious foods. When asked why they began feeding juice, many mothers report

that the infant was constipated.

 Most WIC infants who receive supplemental drinks receive them from a bottle.

Three-fourths of infants under five months of age who receive non-formula liquids do

not use a cup. Presumably most of these infants drink their supplemental drinks from a

bottle. It is advised that juices not be introduced until the infant is able to drink from a

cup. In addition, there is concern that feeding of fruit juices (and other sweet drinks) from

a bottle increases the risk of tooth decay because of prolonged exposure of the teeth to a

sweet liquid (American Academy of Pediatrics, 1993; Fomon, 1993; FNS, 1993a; Queen

& Lang, 1993). Healthy People 2000 specifies that infant feeding practices that prevent

tooth decay be adopted by 65-75 percent of parents. The WIC-IFPS data indicate that

this percentage currently is about 25 percent among the WIC mothers.

 Foods or liquids other than water are added to the formula in the bottle for almost

one-fourth of WIC infants by three months of age. An infant feeder is used for

one-fifth of infants by two months, one-third by four months, and almost one-half

by nine months.

The addition of foods or liquids other than water to the formula is more common

among African American mothers, teenage mothers, and those who were born in the

United States. It is not known in the WIC-IFPS what additional substance was mixed

with the formula. There is concern that this practice may cause over-feeding (because

of the increased caloric concentration of the formula). It may also interfere with

breastfeeding for those infants who remain on a mixed feeding regimen (American

Academy of Pediatrics, 1993; Queen & Lang, 1993).

Both WIC and NAWD guidelines specify that supplemental foods be fed by spoon

(beginning at four to six months), and not by a bottle or an infant feeder, because the

 

31 WIC’s policy on cow’s milk was issued on June 21, 1995 and went into effect on January 1, 1996, at the end of the

data collection period of the WIC-IFPS. Prior to January 1, 1996, cow’s milk could be issued to infants under 12
242

infant may choke, and because infants who are not ready to eat with a spoon are not yet

ready to eat supplemental foods (FNS, 1993a; NAWD, 1990).

 

months of age.
243
244

GLOSSARY

additive scales Measures obtained by summing a number of other

measures

breastfeeding practices Exclusive or predominant breastfeeding (no

formula, no supplemental foods), breastfeeding

with formula supplementation (no supplemental

foods), or complementary breastfeeding (with

formula and supplemental foods)

CAI Computer-assisted interviewing

CAPI Computer-assisted personal interviewing

CATI Computer-assisted telephone interviewing

chi-square statistics A statistical quantity that summarizes the deviations

between observed and expected frequencies in

tabulated data; can be used to determine whether

observed results are the result of chance or

whether they indicate an underlying difference in

two groups

clustered sampling design A sample selected by picking groups of individuals

or units rather than picking those individuals or

units themselves

complementary breastfeeding Feeding breastmilk and supplemental foods with or

without formula

construct validity The degree to which a measure quantifies the

concept or the idea it targets

contraindicated Reported that the presence of a condition

prohibited a particular individual to be treated in the

usual manner

dental caries Tooth decay

descriptive analysis Statistical analyses conducted for the purpose of

describing the characteristics or behaviors of a

group of individuals in terms of percentages,

averages, or other summary measures

exponentiated Expressed in terms of a designated power of e (the

base of natural logarithms)

F-test A statistical quantity that summarizes the

differences between average quantities, and

provides an assessment if the averages are

different because of sampling errors; can be used

to determine whether observed differences are the

result of chance or whether they indicate an

underlying difference in two groups
245

factor loading A coefficient obtained from factor analysis that

quantifies the relative weight of a given variable

(item) in a factor

gastrointestinal system Digestive system

high renal solute load Requiring a high intensity of functioning by the

kidney in order for the byproducts of food(s) to be

excreted

in utero Inside the uterus

infant feeder A hard plastic receptacle with a spout at one end

and a plunger at the other end that allows a

caregiver to push textured food into an infant's

mouth

internal reliability A measure of the cohesiveness of the items that

are assumed to be indicative of a single underlying

concept; a means of quantifying whether the items

do represent a single underlying concept

let-down-reflex The action stemming from the hormonal process

that causes the breastmilk to be pushed toward the

nipple, leading to milk ejection

logistic regression model A mathematical model predicting the logarithm of

odds of occurrence of an outcome on the basis of a

linear function of some observable conditions or

characteristics

longitudinal Concerned with the development of persons or

groups over time

maturational Having to do with the process of natural growth or

development

multivariate analysis Statistical method that can consider the relations

between more than two characteristics or behaviors

musculo-skeletal system All of the muscles, bones, joints, and related

structures that function in the movement of the

parts and organs of the body

NAWD National Association of WIC Directors

nervous system Network of structures that activates, coordinates,

and controls all of the functions of the body

NMIHS National Maternal and Infant Health Survey

non-parametric Not relying upon an assumption about the

distributional properties of a variable

nursing diet An infant diet that consists of breastmilk only,

breastmilk and formula, or formula only

parsimonious The simplest assumption in the formulation of a

model
246

partial breastfeeding Feeding breastmilk and any other food to

supplement it

postnatal Occurring after the birth of a child

postpartum Occurring in the period shortly after childbirth

prenatal Occurring before the birth of a child

protocol A standard procedure

psychometric Pertaining to the development of psychological

assessments and tests

relative risk The ratio of frequency of a characteristic in one

group relative to the frequency of the same

characteristic in another group

renal Of or relating to the kidneys

RLMS Ross Laboratory Mothers Survey

satiety The condition of being full or gratified

social context Related to the circumstances that arise because of

an individual's place in the society, community, or

the family

socio-demographic Related to social, economic, or demographic

attributes

statistical significance The likelihood that a hypothesis will be rejected

although it is true

stratified Separate or classified into groups or levels

WHO World Health Organization

WIC The Department of Agriculture's Special

Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women,

Infants, and Children

WIC-IFPS The WIC Infant Feeding Practices Study

USDA The United States Department of Agriculture

USDHHS The United States Department of Health and

Human Services
247
248

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