Background Culture of Breastfeeding

Cultural factors play an important role in a mother's decision to breastfeed or not, and the level of support for breastfeeding from her husband, family and society. Surveys in the United States have reported higher rates of breastfeeding and longer duration of breastfeeding among white mothers compared with black mothers. A study in Sydney in 1997-1998 showed that the duration of breastfeeding was significantly different for mothers from different language backgrounds. Chinese-speaking women were less likely to intend to breastfeed and to initiate breastfeeding than English- and Arabic-speaking women. Arabic-speaking women had significantly higher breastfeeding duration and rates than English- and Chinese-speaking women. Research in Xinjiang, China, shows that Uyghur mothers add complementary foods to their children earlier because they are influenced by traditional beliefs that breast milk is too dilute to meet the nutritional needs of their infants.

Cultural adaptation (where people from one culture adapt their behaviors and perceptions to the requirements of another culture) can affect breastfeeding intentions and breastfeeding rates. Studies of pregnant women in the U.S. have shown that women born outside the U.S. (immigrants) have higher breastfeeding rates than U.S.-born women. Foreign-born whites are more likely to initiate breastfeeding than U.S.-born whites; foreign-born blacks are more likely to initiate breastfeeding than U.S.-born blacks; and foreign-born Hispanics are more likely to initiate breastfeeding than U.S.-born Hispanics. Studies in Greece have also shown that more Greek women who came from abroad had breastfeeding intentions and breastfeeding lasted longer than women who grew up on Greek soil.

Some studies in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand have shown that Chinese mothers are less likely to breastfeed than mothers of other races. Chinese women who have moved to Sydney have breastfeeding rates below the Australian average. One of the reasons for this is incorrect, traditional concepts of feeding, which they believe are good for the baby but not for the mother's post-natal recovery.

There is an old traditional Chinese (Song Dynasty) breastfeeding guide that says to express and discard overnight milk from the breast before feeding in the morning. This concept needs to be updated. There is also an old saying that "babies should not be overfed". This is inconsistent with the concept of breastfeeding on demand and letting babies eat until they are satisfied with the hindmilk.