ArticlePloS one2014
Breastfeeding duration and early parenting behaviour: the importance of an infant-led, responsive style.
Article in PloS one, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 34 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
34 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Associations between Breastfeeding and Maternal Responsiveness: A Systematic Review of the Literature.Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) · 2017Pooled it
- Cumulative Household Food Insecurity Is Associated with Adverse Eating Behaviors Among Youth Exposed to Gestational Diabetes in Utero.Nutrients · 2026Article
- Long-term breastfeeding mothers' perspectives on the warm chain's support.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2026Article
- Examining the relationship between breastfeeding duration at age two and beyond with parenting styles and infant feeding attitudes in Turkey (2023-2024).Revista da Associacao Medica Brasileira (1992) · 2026Article
- Breastfeeding in Greece: Unveiling Parental Perspectives, Attitudes, and Sociodemographic Influences.Advances in experimental medicine and biology · 2026Article
- Psychosocial Influences on Breastfeeding Duration: Maternal, Paternal, and Infant Contributors.Current developments in nutrition · 2025Review
- The impact of swaddling upon breastfeeding: A critical review.American journal of human biology : the official journal of the Human Biology Council · 2023Review
- Comparison of mothers' perceptions of hunger cues in 3-month-old infant under different feeding methods.BMC public health · 2023Article
- Birth Experiences, Breastfeeding, and the Mother-Child Relationship: Evidence from a Large Sample of Mothers.The Canadian journal of nursing research = Revue canadienne de recherche en sciences infirmieres · 2022Article
- Infant Feeding Varies Across Eating Behavior and Feeding Modalities in Mothers With Low Income.Journal of nutrition education and behavior · 2022Article
- Evaluating the Implementation of the Online HUG Your Baby Course "Roadmap to Breastfeeding Success" for Nevada WIC Professionals.The Journal of perinatal education · 2022Article
- Exclusive Breastfeeding Duration and Perceptions of Infant Sleep: The Mediating Role of Postpartum Anxiety.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Breastfeeding in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: A discussion paper.Journal of neonatal nursing : JNN · 2022Review
- Mother-infant interactions and infant intake during breastfeeding versus bottle-feeding expressed breast milk.Maternal & child nutrition · 2021Article
- A cross-sectional analysis of infant-driven and traditional feeding outcomes for neonatal intensive care unit infants.Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association · 2021Article
- Perceived insufficient milk among primiparous, fully breastfeeding women: Is infant crying important?Maternal & child nutrition · 2021Article
- Responsive Feeding, Infant Growth, and Postpartum Depressive Symptoms During 3 Months Postpartum.Nutrients · 2020Article
- Multifactorial influence on duration of exclusive breastfeeding; a Danish cohort study.PloS one · 2020Article
- Conceptual and operational definition of nursing outcomes regarding the breastfeeding establishment.Revista latino-americana de enfermagem · 2020Review
- Validation of the Breastfeeding Score-A Simple Screening Tool to Predict Breastfeeding Duration.Nutrients · 2019Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPopular parenting literature promotes different approaches to caring for infants, based around variations in the use of parent-led routines and promoting infant independence. However, there is little empirical evidence of how these early behaviours affect wider parenting choices such as infant feeding. Breastfeeding often requires an infant-led approach, feeding on demand and allowing the infant to regulate intake whilst conversely formula feeding is open to greater caregiver manipulation. The infant-led style associated with breastfeeding may therefore be at odds with philosophies that encourage strict use of routine and independence. The aim of this study was to explore the association between early parenting behaviours and breastfeeding duration.
methodsFive hundred and eight mothers with an infant aged 0-12 months completed a questionnaire examining breastfeeding duration, attitudes and behaviours surrounding early parenting (e.g. anxiety, use of routine, involvement, nurturance and discipline). Participants were attendees at baby groups or participants of online parenting forums based in the UK.
resultsFormula use at birth or short breastfeeding duration were significantly associated with low levels of nurturance, high levels of reported anxiety and increased maternal use of Parent-led routines. Conversely an infant-led approach characterised by responding to and following infant cues was associated with longer breastfeeding duration. DISCUSSION: Maternal desire to follow a structured parenting approach which purports use of Parent-led routines and early demands for infant independence may have a negative impact upon breastfeeding duration. Increased maternal anxiety may further influence this relationship. The findings have important implications for Health Professionals supporting new mothers during pregnancy and the postpartum period.
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