Researchers talked to pregnant and new mothers along the Arizona-Mexico border to understand what influences their decisions about breastfeeding. They found that most women had positive feelings about breastfeeding because they believed it was healthier for babies and helped them bond. However, many women planned to switch to formula or partial breastfeeding when they returned to work. Family traditions and support from healthcare providers also played important roles in these decisions. The study suggests that helping mothers plan ahead for work-life balance could increase breastfeeding success in this community.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Why Latina women living on the U.S.-Mexico border plan to breastfeed or use formula, and what influences their choices
  • Who participated: 36 Latina women (8 who were pregnant and 28 who had babies less than 2 months old) plus 12 healthcare and nutrition workers in a rural Arizona border county. Most women spoke Spanish at home.
  • Key finding: Most women wanted to breastfeed because they believed it was better for their baby’s health and helped them feel close to their baby. However, returning to work was the biggest reason women planned to use formula or stop breastfeeding early.
  • What it means for you: If you’re a Latina mother in a border community, planning ahead for how to breastfeed when you return to work—like learning about pumping—might help you breastfeed longer. Healthcare providers should help you make a realistic plan that fits your life situation.

The Research Details

This was a qualitative study, which means researchers had in-depth conversations with women and healthcare workers instead of collecting numbers or doing experiments. The researchers interviewed 8 pregnant women and 28 new mothers, plus 5 healthcare providers and 7 nutrition workers in a rural county on the Arizona-Mexico border. They asked open-ended questions to understand what influenced the women’s decisions about breastfeeding.

The researchers used a framework called the Theory of Planned Behavior, which helps explain how people make decisions. This framework looks at three things: what people believe is good or bad about an action (attitudes), whether important people in their life support the action (social influence), and whether they feel they can actually do it (control). The researchers organized all the interview responses by looking for common themes and patterns in what people said.

This approach was chosen because it allows researchers to deeply understand the ‘why’ behind decisions in a specific community, rather than just collecting statistics. The researchers used special software called Dedoose to organize and analyze all the interview information.

Understanding why women make the choices they do about breastfeeding is important because intention—what someone plans to do—is strongly connected to what they actually do. By talking directly to women and their healthcare providers in this specific community, researchers could learn about real-world challenges that might not show up in other types of studies. This helps create solutions that actually work for these families.

This study has both strengths and limitations. The strength is that it included both pregnant women and new mothers, so researchers could see if intentions changed after birth. They also talked to healthcare providers to get another perspective. However, the study was small (only 36 women) and focused on one specific rural area, so the findings may not apply everywhere. The researchers were careful to look for themes that came up repeatedly in conversations, which makes the findings more reliable. Since this is a qualitative study asking about personal experiences, it’s not meant to prove cause-and-effect, but rather to understand how women think about their choices.

What the Results Show

Most of the women (22 out of 36) said they intended to breastfeed, though they didn’t always specify whether they meant exclusively or partially. Four women planned to exclusively breastfeed, eight planned to partially breastfeed (combining breast milk with formula), and only one planned to use only formula from the start.

Women who wanted to breastfeed gave similar reasons: they believed breast milk was more nutritious, helped babies’ immune systems stay strong, and created a special bond between mother and baby. These positive feelings about breastfeeding were consistent whether women were pregnant or already mothers.

The biggest challenge women mentioned was returning to work. Women who planned to partially breastfeed or use only formula said work was the main reason for their choice. Some women had thought through solutions, like planning to pump breast milk at work, but others weren’t sure how they would manage breastfeeding and working.

Family traditions also mattered a lot. Women who planned to partially breastfeed often said this was normal in their families—their mothers, sisters, or other relatives had done the same thing. Healthcare providers noticed this too and mentioned that family influence was very important in these communities.

Healthcare and nutrition providers said they wanted to support women’s choices without pressuring them to breastfeed. Interestingly, both the women and the providers agreed that family influence and work challenges were the most important factors affecting breastfeeding decisions. Some women had already made detailed plans for pumping when they returned to work, showing that with good planning, work doesn’t have to stop breastfeeding. Providers also recognized that they could help women think through these challenges during pregnancy.

Previous research has shown that what women intend to do before birth is strongly connected to what they actually do. This study confirms that finding in a specific community. It also adds new information by showing that in this border community, family traditions play a particularly strong role—more so than in some other populations studied. The finding that work is a major barrier matches what other researchers have found, but this study shows that some women can overcome this barrier with good planning and support.

This study was small, with only 36 women in one rural county, so the results may not apply to all Latina women or all border communities. The researchers didn’t follow women over time to see if their intentions matched what they actually did, so we don’t know for certain that intention leads to action in this specific group. The study only included women who were willing to be interviewed, so women who didn’t want to participate might have different views. Additionally, the study was done in one specific time period, so things might be different now or in other places.

The Bottom Line

Healthcare providers should talk with pregnant Latina women about their breastfeeding plans, especially about how to handle returning to work (moderate confidence). Women should consider learning about pumping options before returning to work if they want to continue breastfeeding (moderate confidence). Communities should work on making it easier for working mothers to breastfeed, such as providing private spaces to pump at work (moderate confidence based on this and other research).

This research is most relevant to Latina women living in border communities who are pregnant or planning to have children. It’s also important for healthcare providers, nurses, and nutrition counselors who work with this population. Employers and policymakers should care because it shows that work barriers are a major reason women stop breastfeeding. The findings may also apply to other communities with similar family structures and work situations, but may not apply to all populations.

Breastfeeding intentions form during pregnancy, so the best time to address them is before the baby is born. Women who make a clear plan during pregnancy are more likely to follow through. If a woman returns to work, having a pumping plan in place before that happens (ideally discussed during pregnancy) makes a big difference. Benefits of breastfeeding for the baby start immediately and continue as long as breastfeeding continues.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track your breastfeeding intention and plan: Record whether you plan to exclusively breastfeed, partially breastfeed, or use formula, and note your specific plan for managing breastfeeding when you return to work (e.g., pumping schedule, storage plan, work location options).
  • Use the app to create a detailed ‘Return to Work’ breastfeeding plan during pregnancy. Input your work schedule, identify where you can pump, research your company’s pumping policies, and set reminders for pumping times. Share this plan with your healthcare provider for feedback.
  • Track weekly whether you’re following your breastfeeding plan, note any challenges that come up (especially work-related), and record family support or barriers you experience. Use this data to adjust your plan and discuss changes with your healthcare provider. Monitor your confidence level in managing breastfeeding with work to identify when you need additional support.

This research describes what Latina women in one border community said about their breastfeeding plans. It does not provide medical advice. Every woman’s situation is different, and breastfeeding decisions should be made in consultation with your healthcare provider based on your individual health, circumstances, and preferences. If you have questions about breastfeeding, returning to work, or infant feeding, please speak with your doctor, nurse, or a lactation consultant. This study was conducted in a specific geographic area and may not apply to all communities or populations.