Maternal Religious Involvement and Breastfeeding Initiation and Duration

Publication Year
2012

Type

Journal Article
Abstract

Although religious involvement is associated with a number of beneficial health outcomes, few studies have investigated whether religious involvement is associated with breastfeeding behaviors. Our analyses of 2 waves of data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (n = 4 166) indicate that mothers who frequently attend religious services are more likely to initiate breastfeeding than are mothers who never attend services. Understanding religious variations in breastfeeding may allow public health officials to more effectively target vulnerable populations.

Journal
American Journal of Public Health
Volume
102
Issue
10
Pages
1865-1868