Socio-cultural factors affecting breastfeeding in Northern Mexico: insufficiency and dissatisfaction

Abstract Background The prevalence of 33.6% Exclusive Breastfeeding (EBF) infants under six months of age in Mexico is far from the World Nutrition Assembly goal. To improve those rates, we must have a better understanding of the obstacles influencing breastfeeding in a specific context. Objectives...

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Main Authors: Diana Bueno-Gutiérrez, Fernanda Tejeda-López, Ana Lilia Armendariz-Anguiano, Glenda Díaz-Ramírez, Ileana De Anda-Duran
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2025-06-01
Series:Discover Public Health
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12982-025-00716-1
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author Diana Bueno-Gutiérrez
Fernanda Tejeda-López
Ana Lilia Armendariz-Anguiano
Glenda Díaz-Ramírez
Ileana De Anda-Duran
author_facet Diana Bueno-Gutiérrez
Fernanda Tejeda-López
Ana Lilia Armendariz-Anguiano
Glenda Díaz-Ramírez
Ileana De Anda-Duran
author_sort Diana Bueno-Gutiérrez
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background The prevalence of 33.6% Exclusive Breastfeeding (EBF) infants under six months of age in Mexico is far from the World Nutrition Assembly goal. To improve those rates, we must have a better understanding of the obstacles influencing breastfeeding in a specific context. Objectives The primary objective was to evaluate the association between breastfeeding obstacles and infant feeding practices (IFP) in mother/infant dyads attending health care services. Methods This was a cross-sectional study that included mothers of infants less than 4 months of age attending primary health care centers in Tijuana, Mexico. Breastfeeding obstacles were assessed with a questionnaire developed from previous research that used a socio-ecological model. Infant feeding practices were evaluated with a 24 h recall method. Regression models were applied to determine the associations between breastfeeding obstacles and IFP. Results A total of 447 mother/infant dyads were included. Mothers had a mean age of 26.6 years and infants had a mean age of 1.8 months. Significant associations were found between all IFP and two obstacles: Perception of Insufficient Milk (PIM) and infant dissatisfaction. Women were less likely to EBF when they reported PIM (OR 0.21; 95% CI 0.14, 0.32), and infant dissatisfaction (OR 0.17; 95% CI 0.11, 0.26). Conclusions Our findings suggest that mothers who experience PIM and infant dissatisfaction may be at risk of lower breastfeeding and higher formula use in this context. Since IFP depend on the socio-cultural environment in which the mother lives, identification of obstacles in particular settings are necessary to support breastfeeding.
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spelling doaj-art-cfd7425cdbc74f58af9c84f281fb14762025-08-20T03:22:48ZengSpringerDiscover Public Health3005-07742025-06-0122111510.1186/s12982-025-00716-1Socio-cultural factors affecting breastfeeding in Northern Mexico: insufficiency and dissatisfactionDiana Bueno-Gutiérrez0Fernanda Tejeda-López1Ana Lilia Armendariz-Anguiano2Glenda Díaz-Ramírez3Ileana De Anda-Duran4Facultad de Medicina y Psicología, Universidad Autonoma de Baja CaliforniaFacultad de Medicina y Psicología, Universidad Autonoma de Baja CaliforniaFacultad de Medicina y Psicología, Universidad Autonoma de Baja CaliforniaFacultad de Medicina y Psicología, Universidad Autonoma de Baja CaliforniaDepartment of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Tulane UniversityAbstract Background The prevalence of 33.6% Exclusive Breastfeeding (EBF) infants under six months of age in Mexico is far from the World Nutrition Assembly goal. To improve those rates, we must have a better understanding of the obstacles influencing breastfeeding in a specific context. Objectives The primary objective was to evaluate the association between breastfeeding obstacles and infant feeding practices (IFP) in mother/infant dyads attending health care services. Methods This was a cross-sectional study that included mothers of infants less than 4 months of age attending primary health care centers in Tijuana, Mexico. Breastfeeding obstacles were assessed with a questionnaire developed from previous research that used a socio-ecological model. Infant feeding practices were evaluated with a 24 h recall method. Regression models were applied to determine the associations between breastfeeding obstacles and IFP. Results A total of 447 mother/infant dyads were included. Mothers had a mean age of 26.6 years and infants had a mean age of 1.8 months. Significant associations were found between all IFP and two obstacles: Perception of Insufficient Milk (PIM) and infant dissatisfaction. Women were less likely to EBF when they reported PIM (OR 0.21; 95% CI 0.14, 0.32), and infant dissatisfaction (OR 0.17; 95% CI 0.11, 0.26). Conclusions Our findings suggest that mothers who experience PIM and infant dissatisfaction may be at risk of lower breastfeeding and higher formula use in this context. Since IFP depend on the socio-cultural environment in which the mother lives, identification of obstacles in particular settings are necessary to support breastfeeding.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12982-025-00716-1BreastfeedingObstaclesSocio-ecological
spellingShingle Diana Bueno-Gutiérrez
Fernanda Tejeda-López
Ana Lilia Armendariz-Anguiano
Glenda Díaz-Ramírez
Ileana De Anda-Duran
Socio-cultural factors affecting breastfeeding in Northern Mexico: insufficiency and dissatisfaction
Discover Public Health
Breastfeeding
Obstacles
Socio-ecological
title Socio-cultural factors affecting breastfeeding in Northern Mexico: insufficiency and dissatisfaction
title_full Socio-cultural factors affecting breastfeeding in Northern Mexico: insufficiency and dissatisfaction
title_fullStr Socio-cultural factors affecting breastfeeding in Northern Mexico: insufficiency and dissatisfaction
title_full_unstemmed Socio-cultural factors affecting breastfeeding in Northern Mexico: insufficiency and dissatisfaction
title_short Socio-cultural factors affecting breastfeeding in Northern Mexico: insufficiency and dissatisfaction
title_sort socio cultural factors affecting breastfeeding in northern mexico insufficiency and dissatisfaction
topic Breastfeeding
Obstacles
Socio-ecological
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12982-025-00716-1
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