Objective
Controlling feeding styles in which parents regulate feeding without responding to
child cues have been associated with poor self-regulation of feeding and increased
weight, but have not been well studied in infancy. We sought to assess maternal perception
of infant feeding cues and pressuring feeding styles in an urban Latina Special Supplemental
Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) population.
Methods
Secondary analysis of a larger study of Latina mothers participating in New York City
WIC programs. We examined maternal perception of infant feeding cues and pressuring
feeding style. Using logistic regression, we assessed: 1) characteristics associated
with perceptions of cues and pressuring to feed, including sociodemographics, breastfeeding,
and maternal body mass index; and 2) whether perceptions of cues were associated with
pressuring feeding style.
Results
We surveyed 368 mothers (84% response rate). Most mothers perceived that babies sense
their own satiety. However, 72% believed that infant crying must indicate hunger.
Fifty-three percent believed that mothers should always make babies finish the bottle
(“pressure to feed”). Pressuring feeding style was associated with foreign maternal
country of birth (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 3.05; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.66–5.60)
and less than a high school education (AOR 1.81; 95% CI, 1.12–2.91). Two perceptions
of feeding cues were related to pressuring feeding style: belief that infant crying
must indicate hunger (AOR 2.59; 95% CI, 1.52–4.42) and infant hand sucking implies
hunger (AOR 1.83; 95% CI, 1.10–3.03).
Conclusions
Maternal characteristics influence perception of infant hunger and satiety. Interpretation
of feeding cues is associated with pressuring feeding style. Improving responsiveness
to infant cues should be a component of early childhood obesity prevention.
Key Words
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Article Info
Publication History
Published online: December 11, 2009
Accepted:
August 1,
2009
Received:
January 28,
2009
Footnotes
The contents of this manuscript are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Identification
Copyright
© 2010 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
