Associations among maternal characteristics, attitudes towards infant feeding and reported feeding practices

How a mother responds to infant feeding cues sets the stage for later eating behaviors as a child grows, including patterns of overeating and poor self-contol. We investigated associations between maternal factors with maternal attitudes towards infant feeding and reported feeding practices in 91 multiparous women.  Our sample is a subset of women who participated in a randomized clinical trial evaluating a home-based intervention to improve maternal and infant health outcomes.

Secondary analysis of data collected at baseline, and 48 hours and 5 months postpartum. Data was derived from standardized measures that assessed breastfeeding initiation, duration and exclusivity, depressive symptoms, social support, infant feeding attitudes and practices. Demographic characteristics were included.  Canonical correlation followed by univariate correlations were used to assess the degree of association between the maternal factors and infant feeding attitudes and practices.

Mean maternal age was 27.9 years (SD 5.6). Most of the sample was White (63.7%), partnered (73.6%), with a mean of 13.6 years education (SD 2.7). The overall canonical correlation was statistically significant for the 1^st canonical variate (R=0.76, p<0.001). Interpretation revealed that younger and less educated mothers, as well as those with very low income had higher levels of concern about hunger, more rigid feeding schedules, and were less likely to hold the infant while feeding (p <0.05). Early (48hrs postpartum) and current breastfeeding were associated with less infant hunger concerns (p<0.01).

Further refinement of intervention strategies that promote healthy infant feeding practices, such as breastfeeding, in young women with fewer resources is critical.