The 'healthy immigrant effect': breastfeeding behaviour in Ireland

The benefits of breastfeeding for babies, mothers and society have been demonstrated in a large scientific literature. Irish rates of breastfeeding are amongst the lowest in Europe (in 2010, Ireland had the lowest breastfeeding initiation rate of 14 European countries). One of the most distinctive features of breastfeeding behaviour in Ireland is the large difference in breastfeeding rates between immigrants to Ireland and the Irish-born. Data from the 2010 Irish National Perinatal Reporting System show that just 46.1% of Irish-born mothers were breastfeeding at hospital discharge, in comparison with 84.2% of immigrant mothers. Descriptive patterns suggest that breastfeeding behaviour in Ireland may exhibit a 'healthy immigrant' effect, whereby the health status and behaviours of immigrants are better than the native-born on arrival, but converge to native levels as length of time since migration increases.

Using nationally representative data from two cohorts of children in Ireland, the purpose of this article is to examine the evidence for a 'healthy immigrant' effect with respect to breastfeeding behaviour.

The results indicate that immigrants are significantly more likely to breastfeed than Irish-born mothers, but that immigrant breastfeeding rates converge towards Irish-born rates of breastfeeding as length of time since migration increases.

The decline in breastfeeding behaviour among immigrants to Ireland with length of time since migration highlights the need for appropriate interventions aimed at countering the particular negative attitudes to breastfeeding that are observed in Irish society.