Effects of transnationalism on breast feeding practices among brazilian immigrant women

The study of transnationalism and its potential effects on maternal breastfeeding practices is crucial for improving both infant and maternal health globally as well as assisting professionals to better serve transnational communities locally. Brazilian immigrants are a burgeoning population in the Greater Boston area, making up the largest group of foreign nationals living in Massachusetts (US Census Bureau, 2008-2010 report). Brazilian immigrants have been shown to be transnationals, since they maintain native cultural practices while acquiring new practices from their host culture (Mitchell, 2003; McDonnell and deLourenco, 2008). Little is known, however, about how transnationalism affects breastfeeding practices.So far, studies have shown that higher acculturation (or cultural assimilation) in Latina immigrants predicts lower use of breastfeeding practices (i.e. intent and continuation of breastfeeding; Sussner, Lindsay and Peterson, 2007; Vaugh et al., 2010).To investigate whether or not transnationalism plays a similar role to acculturation, I will analyze self-report data collected from bilingual interviews with Brazilian immigrant mothers living in Massachusetts.This study will analyze how time in the US, language spoken at home, maternal education, household income, mother's age, and use of transnational practices (e.g. frequency of communication with native community, frequency of financial and political involvement with local native community and host community, and newly acquired and sustained parenting practices) impacts breastfeeding practices in this population.It is hypothesized that Brazilian immigrant mothers will be more likely than other Latina immigrant mothers to maintain their native cultural breastfeeding practices overtime.