Haley J Webb1. 1. School of Applied Psychology & Menzies Health Institute of Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Drawing from the extended UNICEF model of children's eating and weight problems and growing empirical evidence, exposure to adversity may place mothers at increased risk for child feeding difficulties. AIM: The aim of the present study of a community sample of mothers was to examine whether maternal psychological distress, exposure to stressful events, and poor self-rated health in their child's first year of life were associated with breastfeeding duration, as well as concurrent and prospective feeding problems. MATERIALS & METHODS: Participants were 5107 Australian mother-child dyads from the infant cohort of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC). Data for the present study was drawn from questionnaires completed by the mother at Wave 1 and Wave 2 (conducted 2 years apart). On average, at Wave 1, mothers and children (51% male) were aged 31 years and 9 months, respectively; while at Wave 2 their ages were 33 years and 34 months, respectively. RESULTS: Maternal psychological distress and poorer self-rated health were uniquely predictive of concurrent and prospective child feeding difficulties, while poorer self-rated health was also concurrently associated with a shorter duration of breastfeeding. DISCUSSION: These findings suggest that poorer maternal functioning poses a significant risk for early child feeding difficulties, and highlights the potential benefit of screening and early intervention for mothers experiencing emotional and physical health problems. CONCLUSION: Further research is needed that takes a broad view of maternal functioning, and examines reciprocal interactions between maternal and child characteristics in understanding the development of child feeding problems.
BACKGROUND: Drawing from the extended UNICEF model of children's eating and weight problems and growing empirical evidence, exposure to adversity may place mothers at increased risk for child feeding difficulties. AIM: The aim of the present study of a community sample of mothers was to examine whether maternal psychological distress, exposure to stressful events, and poor self-rated health in their child's first year of life were associated with breastfeeding duration, as well as concurrent and prospective feeding problems. MATERIALS & METHODS:Participants were 5107 Australian mother-child dyads from the infant cohort of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC). Data for the present study was drawn from questionnaires completed by the mother at Wave 1 and Wave 2 (conducted 2 years apart). On average, at Wave 1, mothers and children (51% male) were aged 31 years and 9 months, respectively; while at Wave 2 their ages were 33 years and 34 months, respectively. RESULTS:Maternal psychological distress and poorer self-rated health were uniquely predictive of concurrent and prospective child feeding difficulties, while poorer self-rated health was also concurrently associated with a shorter duration of breastfeeding. DISCUSSION: These findings suggest that poorer maternal functioning poses a significant risk for early child feeding difficulties, and highlights the potential benefit of screening and early intervention for mothers experiencing emotional and physical health problems. CONCLUSION: Further research is needed that takes a broad view of maternal functioning, and examines reciprocal interactions between maternal and child characteristics in understanding the development of child feeding problems.