The promotion of breastfeeding and maternal attitudes

Research on infant feeding practices indicate distinct social class- and country-specific patterns for breastfeeding. In industrialized countries educated upper class women breastfeed more often than women from lower classes and discriminated ethnic minorities. The reverse is true for developing countries, with high rates among traditional groups and low rates among the educated upper class women. The reasons for these discrepancies need to be studied to find more effective promotional messages for these groups of mothers in which the current rate of breastfeeding is low. Possible reasons leading to different attitudes toward breastfeeding in different socioeconomical and cultural environments are discussed.