I have had occasion to work in a city hospital which included a lot of
Hispanic patients.  I did a little research on it and also posted to Lactnet
about it a while back and from what I understand, some areas that Hispanic
patients come from (of course, they're not all from Mexico, they're from all
over South America and elsewhere) believe that colostrum is bad for the baby
and so don't want to breastfeed at all until "their milk comes in", while
some do both in the belief that they don't have enough milk in the beginning
and will go to 'breast only' once their "milk comes in".  When I have tried
to explain about how good colostrum is for baby and how this process works,
with baby regulating milk supply by the amount of time they spend sucking
(often through a wonderful interpreter) they would smile and nod and, I got
the distinct impression, go on home and do it their way, which of course is
their right.  I felt honor bound to explain things even though I knew many
wouldn't listen.  The upside of this is, in the Hispanic community at least,
this way worked for them.  They would completely breastfeed their babies
once their full milk supply came in, in defiance of our understanding of how
it works.  I think that probably has more to do with their expectations.
They expect to breastfeed and they expect it to work this way.  And those
around them do, too.  There is a strong history of breastfeeding in the
Hispanic culture and more support for it for families who have not been in
this country long.  (Says something about our culture doesn't it?!)  So,
their way tends to work for them.

As for the rest of the population who breast and bottle, I have seen more
problems with this arrangement for them.  Our advice to "breast only" is
more problem avoiding for them but I also find that they are more likely to
avoid the bottles in the beginning when the process is explained to them.
For those who don't, many because, "I did it this way with my last baby, all
my other children, etc and I didn't have any problems".  Again, how do you
argue with success?  They're gonna do what they've made up their minds to
do, which is what we all do, so I respect their right to do it.  I just let
them know I'm here if they have a problem!


Marsha Glass RN, BSN, IBCLC
Mothers have as powerful an influence over the welfare of future generations
as all other earthly causes combined.
                                John S. C. Abbot

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