I think this is an important issue.  Ten years ago, Brazilian people began
to immigrate to Cape Cod.  Ten years ago, all the Brazilian women
breastfed, beautifully, successfully, and openly in public.  Ten years
later, probably only 75% of the pregnant Brazilian women I see are planning
to breastfeed.

[This is despite the pro-active breastfeeding stance of both our local WIC
program and our active BF task forces.  Breastfeeding is one of two health
indicators that our county health task force has been promoting for the
past two years!!]

Brazilian women tell us that BF is not the "American" way; that they do not
want to stand out as different from other American women by doing a
different thing than what they perceive to be the cultural norm.

We are very fortunate to have a passionate Brazilian BF peer counselor.  We
are working hard to turn this tide back to almost universal BF.

Cindy Turner-Maffei, MA, IBCLC