In many ways, breastfeeding is a universal practice, yet there are cultural aspects that vary considerably. Here is a summary of what several Oromo women and men living in Seattle said about breastfeeding in their culture. In East Africa, practically all infants are breastfed.
Breast feeding is initiated in the second or third day of life when the mother's milk comes in.
Unpasteurized cow milk is often given as well, and is frequently continued past the first few days as a supplement to human milk. Formula is extremely rare for it can only be obtained in large cities and is prohibitively expensive. It is sometimes expressed and discarded, not fed to the infant. In general, Oromo people see water as void of nutrition and do not drink it. They seriously doubt the value of clear fluid diets for infants with gastroenteritis, which the American doctors advise.