Maternal anxiety during solid food introduction: insights from a comparative feeding practices study

The introduction of solid foods to infants involves various feeding techniques other than traditional weaning (TW), such as baby-led weaning (BLW), and combination weaning (CW). While these methods are often studied for their nutritional implications, their impact on maternal mental health, particularly generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), remains understudied.

This study aimed to explore the association between feeding practices (BLW, TW, and CW) and maternal GAD levels during the initial stages of solid food introduction.

This study recruited mothers and their infants, categorizing them into three groups based on feeding practices: BLW, TW, and CW. Maternal GAD levels were assessed at regular intervals over a six-month period, allowing for the examination of any changes in anxiety levels associated with different feeding techniques. Additionally, maternal perceptions of BLW were compared between BLW and CW users to further contextualize anxiety levels.

Our findings indicate that mothers practicing BLW experienced significantly greater levels of GAD across all six months than those using TW or CW. Compared with mothers in the TW (8.1 ± 3.3) and CW (8.3 ± 2.0) groups, mothers in the BLW group had the highest cumulative anxiety score (15.3 ± 1.7).

The results of our study revealed a persistent presence of GAD throughout the 6-month study period, with consistently higher levels observed among mothers who chose BLW compared to those who used other feeding methods. These findings highlight the need for healthcare providers to offer targeted support and guidance to mothers using baby-led weaning, helping to ease anxiety and improve feeding outcomes.