Mothers' mood and infant feeding: Prediction of problems and practices

Abstract

Mothers commonly report difficulties in feeding their young children, and change their feeding practices contrary to health professionals' advice. It has been suggested that maternal mood may contribute to feeding problems. This prospective study examines the relationships between women's mood, their perception of feeding difficulties and their chosen feeding practices. Anxiety and depression measures were given to a sample of 152 pregnant women in the first and second trimesters of pregnancy, within a week of delivery and a few months later. The women completed a questionnaire about their babies' feeding several months after delivery. Maternal mood at all three times of measurement was significantly associated with feeding problems and practices. Women who were relatively depressed in pregnancy had more physical difficulties with breast feeding. Mothers who were anxious after delivery perceived their babies as fussy, hungry and demanding, and worried about the amount of food their babies brought back up. These perceived problems appeared to affect mothers' feeding practices. They stopped breast feeding and introduced solids at a younger age. The implications of these findings are considered in terms of health care provision for pregnant women and babies.