Sources and Acceptance of Infant-Feeding Advice Among Low-Income Women

The purpose of this study is to identify sources and acceptability of infant-feeding advice among participants in the US-based Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Focus groups are used to identify sources of infant-feeding advice and factors that contribute to acceptance of or resistance to that advice among 65 WIC eligible mothers (34 English speaking and 31 Spanish speaking). The mothers primarily rely on experienced family and friends for advice and frequently use their own intuition to find solutions that work to solve real or perceived infant-feeding problems. Professional advice is perceived as credible when caregivers exhibit characteristics similar to those of experienced family and friends: confidence, empathy, respect, and calm. Using this information, it may be possible for WIC staff to make programmatic modifications to increase their ability to promote optimal infant-feeding behaviors in this population, thereby contributing to the reduction in the prevalence of childhood overweight.