This article develops an economic model for assessing Mexican agricultural migrants' decision to breastfeed in a sample of 137 women in 3 agricultural communities in California. The resulting hypotheses from the model are linked to health care and welfare program access, cultural factors, and employment. Using a probit analysis of the variables, a major finding is that non-traditional practices such as out-of-home child care, birth control, and alcohol use have a negative impact on the probability of breastfeeding. These findings were consistent with the hypothesis that women with more traditional values would be more likely to breastfeed. The authors also found that working women in the sample population were less likely to breastfeed. author's modified

[No Keywords available]

Migrant Workers Infant Nutrition cultural anthropology Reproductive Behavior Americas Alcohol Drinking sexual behavior drinking behavior economics Migrants population demography developing country Population Dynamics Developing Countries Ethnic Groups ethnic group statistical model Developed Countries socioeconomic status Hispanics Infant Nutrition Physiology Hispanic Americans Models, Economic Breast Feeding health United States Cultural Background social status North America Hispanic California health care manpower Health Manpower Child Rearing Behavior Western Hemisphere Nutrition Physiology theoretical model Models, Theoretical Article nutrition employment status migration developed country population and population related phenomena Contraceptive Usage Demographic Factors Emigration and Immigration Economic Factors Economic Model Northern America Transients and Migrants Population Characteristics Human Resources social class Contraception Behavior decision making employment Labor Force child care social behavior Culture