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Early feeding problems in an affluent society. II. Determinants
Insights
Parental history of infant feeding issues and maternal anxiety during pregnancy significantly predict infant feeding problems. Maternal breastfeeding challenges and ill-health also contribute, suggesting intergenerational patterns in early childhood nutrition.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Developmental Psychology
- Maternal Health
Background:
- Infant feeding problems are common and can impact child development.
- Identifying non-medical origins of feeding issues is crucial for effective intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify significant factors contributing to infant feeding problems in the first year of life.
- To explore potential intergenerational influences on early feeding difficulties.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study matched 42 infants with feeding problems to 42 controls.
- Data collected via parental interviews and medical records.
- A subset of interviews included maternal and paternal grandparents.
Main Results:
- Parental history of infant feeding problems (p<0.001) was a highly significant factor.
- Maternal anxiety during pregnancy (p<0.02), breastfeeding problems (p<0.001), and maternal ill-health (p<0.001) were also significant predictors.
- Grandparent interviews corroborated parental reports of early feeding difficulties.
Conclusions:
- Early life feeding problems in parents may predispose their children to similar issues.
- Maternal factors during pregnancy and breastfeeding play a critical role.
- Understanding familial and maternal history is key to addressing non-organic infant feeding problems.
Abstract:
The aim of this investigation was to identify different factors of importance for the occurrence of feeding problems during the first year of life. Forty-two infants, 3-12 months old, with feeding problems without any obvious medical explanation were matched to 42 controls with respect to age, sex and Child Health Centre (CHC) affiliation. Information was obtained by interviewing the parents and from medical records. Four factors emerged as being highly significant, namely "feeding problems presented by the parents during their own infancy" (p less than 0.001), "great anxiety experienced by the mother during the pregnancy" (p less than 0.02), "breast-feeding problems experienced by the mother" (p less than 0.001) and "ill-health in the mother" (p less than 0.001). A special study in which the maternal and paternal grandparents were interviewed, corroborated the parents' information on their own early feeding difficulties. This finding could explain a large proportion of the feeding problems that have no obvious medical origin.