The incidence of asthma, the most common serious chronic inflammatory disease among children, is rising each year. Therefore nursing interventions aimed at promoting infant immunity and mitigating factors to which the infant may be exposed may reduce the complications of this chronic illness. Breastfeeding is an ideal initial prevention strategy that strengthens the infant's immune system. In addition, the identification of biomarkers that reflect infant immune response sets the stage for the evaluation of nursing interventions targeted to decrease the impact of this chronic inflammatory disease. Although more mothers currently initiate breastfeeding, they do not sustain breastfeeding for the recommended 6 to 12 months. In general, Native American mothers' breastfeed for a shorter period of time and mothers in rural setting have fewer resources to support breastfeeding.