Predictors of Infant Feeding Frequency by Mexican Immigrant Mothers.

With an increase in the prevalence of overweight being seen as early as infancy, it is essential that the factors which account for early excess weight gain be identified. In this study, maternal and infant characteristics were examined to determine their relation to the frequency of infants being fed. A cohort of 67 low-educated Mexican mothers who formula-fed their infants were recruited at a WIC Center and home-visited when their infants were 6-months-old. Mothers were surveyed with regard to their feeding attitudes and perception of their infant's temperament, and kept a 24-hour diary of their infant's behavior. Nearly 30% of the 6-month-old infants were at or above the 85(th) percentile of weight-for length. A regression analysis revealed only one factor, the number of infant crying episodes, as predictive of infant feeding (Beta = .246, p<.07), with the correlation even stronger (r =.35 (p<.01). As crying appeared to elicit feeding among these mothers, pediatricians, nurses, and WIC educators should consider discussing alternate strategies for quieting infants with the mothers they counsel.