Infants In First Year Of Life Research Articles

The nature and structure of maternal parenting practices and infant behaviors in U.S. national and international samples.

Twenty maternal parenting practices and 15 behaviors of their 5½- month-old infants in a U.S. national sample (N = 360) and 9 international samples (N = 653) were microcoded from videorecords of naturalistic interactions at home and aggregated into domains. Altogether, the samples were recruited from Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, France, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, as well as the United States. A previous test of three competing models of the nature and structure of the maternal parenting practices supported a hybrid 2 factor/6 domain model as superior to a 1-factor dimensional model and a multi-factor style model: Maternal parenting practices are structured into nurture, physical, social, didactic, material, and language domains undergirded by dyadic and extradyadic factors. Infant behaviors were organized into physical, social, exploration, nondistress vocalization, and distress communication domains. The current study sought to examine links connecting these previously identified maternal domains and factors with infant behavior domains using structural equation models. Mothers' dyadic factor is associated with infant social behaviors with mother; and mothers' extradyadic factor and encouragement of infant physical development are associated with infant exploration of their immediate physical environment and physical development. Infant distress communication (and less nondistress vocalization) is associated with more maternal nurturing. Mothers' parenting practices in the middle of the first year of infant life are commonly structured and adapted to specific needs and developmental tasks of infants. Evaluations of mother-infant interactions with national and international samples permit a wide yet judicious analysis of common vs. specific models of mother-infant relationships.

Prenatal Perception of WIC Breastfeeding Recommendations Predicts Breastfeeding Exclusivity and Duration in the Infants’ First Year

Pregnant participants who perceived that the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) recommends breastfeeding only were more likely to have better early breastfeeding outcomes. Our objective was to examine the association between prenatal perception of WIC's breastfeeding recommendations and breastfeeding duration through the first year of infant life. This observational study used a national longitudinal sample of 1594 pregnant participants in the WIC Infant and Toddler Feeding Practices Study-2 in 2013. Four measures of breastfeeding duration were used: 1) a discrete measure of exclusive breastfeeding through 5 mo; 2) a continuous measure of exclusive breastfeeding (in days up to 7 mo); 3) a discrete measure of any breastfeeding through 11 mo; and 4) a continuous measure of any breastfeeding (in days up to 13 mo). The primary explanatory variable was the participant's prenatal perception of whether WIC recommended breastfeeding only. The univariate analyses of time to breastfeeding cessation were performed using Kaplan-Meier curves. The Cox regression model was adopted to estimate the likelihood of breastfeeding outcomes over time. All analyses accounted for complex survey design effects. Compared with their peers who perceived WIC to recommend formula only or both breastfeeding and formula equally, participants who perceived WIC as recommending breastfeeding only were less likely to stop exclusive breastfeeding through 5 mo (HR = 0.83; 95% CI: 0.69, 0.99) or to stop any breastfeeding through 11 mo (HR = 0.80; 95% CI: 0.69, 0.92), without controlling for prenatal infant feeding intentions. Similar patterns were observed in the 2 continuous measures, as they were also less likely to stop exclusive breastfeeding by 7 mo (HR = 0.78; 95% CI: 0.69, 0.90) or to stop any breastfeeding by 13 mo (HR = 0.82; 95% CI: 0.71, 0.95). Prenatal perception of WIC's breastfeeding recommendation can be a useful predictor of breastfeeding duration in WIC participants.

Parental Use of "Cry Out" in a Community Sample During the First Year of Infant Life.

The primary objective was to identify the characteristics of parents and infants and parenting practices associated with delayed responsiveness to infant crying during the first year of infant life. A secondary objective was to evaluate, in a subsample of maternal-infant pairs, the associations between delayed responsiveness to infant crying and observational measures of maternal-infant interaction and infant-maternal attachment. This is a secondary analysis of the data from a community sample of pregnant women recruited to the Alberta Pregnancy Outcomes and Nutrition study. Mothers completed questionnaires during the first year of infant life (n = 1826), and a convenience subsample of maternal-infant pairs (n = 137) participated in laboratory assessments of maternal-infant interaction at 6 months of age and infant-maternal attachment at 20 months. Parental use of "cry out" as a strategy to deal with a crying infant was associated with parental characteristics (being white and having a relatively higher income), infant characteristics (higher problematic behavior at 3 months and reduced problematic behavior at 12 months), sleep ecology (infants sleeping alone), and parental soothing strategies (less frequently taking the infant into the parent's bed, cuddling, or carrying the crying infant). Cry out was not associated with observational measures of maternal sensitivity or infant-maternal attachment. When used selectively and in response to the specific needs and characteristics of the infant, delayed responsiveness may reduce problematic behavior and does not harm the infant's socioemotional development.

Developmental Trajectories of Maternal Sensitivity across the First Year of Life: Relations among Emotion Competence and Dyadic Reciprocity

SYNOPSISObjective. Maternal sensitivity is a commonly used construct to capture the quality of mother–child interactions, but inconsistencies in conceptualizing and defining maternal sensitivity limit understanding of how sensitive caregiving may be associated with child development. The purposes of this study are to (1) examine and compare the developmental trajectories of individual maternal sensitivity behaviors to that of a global index of sensitivity across the first year of infant life and (2) determine whether differences in trajectories of sensitivity are meaningful for infant emotion competence and dyadic reciprocity at 12 months. Design. A total of 322 low-income, Mexican American mothers and infants were observed during a free play task at 3, 4.5, 6, and 12 months. Observations were coded for 11 distinct behaviors known to compose maternal sensitivity. At 12 months, mother-infant interactions were also coded for dyadic reciprocity, and mothers reported on infant emotion competence. Results. Latent growth models indicated that individual sensitivity behaviors differed from the global index of sensitivity with respect to initial levels and slopes, with increasing (e.g., vocal appropriateness), decreasing (e.g., touch), and stable (e.g., elaboration) trajectories. The individual and global indices of sensitivity differed in prediction of emotion competence and dyadic reciprocity. Trajectories of global and individual indices of maternal sensitivity operated similarly in predicting dyadic reciprocity, with the exception of consistency of style. In contrast, the global index of sensitivity was unrelated to emotion competence, and only initial levels of positive affect emerged as significant predictors of emotion competence. Conclusions. The findings offer a more nuanced understanding of maternal sensitivity and suggest that component aspects of maternal sensitivity uniquely contribute to child and family competencies.

NARRATIVE AND META-ANALYTIC REVIEW OF INTERVENTIONS AIMING TO IMPROVE MATERNAL-CHILD ATTACHMENT SECURITY.

Early secure maternal-child attachment relationships lay the foundation for children's healthy social and mental development. Interventions targeting maternal sensitivity and maternal reflective function during the first year of infant life may be the key to promoting secure attachment. We conducted a narrative systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the effectiveness of interventions aimed at promoting maternal sensitivity and reflective function on maternal-child attachment security, as measured by the gold standard Strange Situation (M. Ainsworth, M. Blehar, B. Waters, & S. Wall, 1978) and Q-set (E. Waters & K. Deane, 1985). Studies were identified from electronic database searches and included randomized or quasi-randomized controlled parallel-group designs. Participants were mothers and their infants who were followed up to 36 months' postpartum. Ten trials, involving 1,628 mother-infant pairs, were included. Examination of the trials that provided sufficient data for combination in meta-analysis revealed that interventions of both types increased the odds of secure maternal-child attachment, as compared with no intervention or standard intervention (n = 7 trials; odds ratio: 2.77; 95% confidence interval: 1.69, 4.53, n = 965). Of the three trials not included in the meta-analyses, two improved the likelihood of secure attachment. We conclude that interventions aimed at improving maternal sensitivity alone or in combination with maternal reflection, implemented in the first year of infants' lives, are effective in promoting secure maternal-child attachments. Intervention aimed at the highest risk families produced the most beneficial effects.

Troubled sleep: Night waking, breastfeeding and parent-offspring conflict

Disrupted sleep is probably the most common complaint of parents with a new baby. Night waking increases in the second half of the first year of infant life and is more pronounced for breastfed infants. Sleep-related phenotypes of infants with Prader-Willi and Angelman syndromes suggest that imprinted genes of paternal origin promote greater wakefulness whereas imprinted genes of maternal origin favor more consolidated sleep. All these observations are consistent with a hypothesis that waking at night to suckle is an adaptation of infants to extend their mothers’ lactational amenorrhea, thus delaying the birth of a younger sib and enhancing infant survival.

Influence of Bedsharing Activity on Breastfeeding Duration Among US Mothers

Some professional associations advocate bedsharing to facilitate breastfeeding, while others recommend against it to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome and suffocation deaths. A better understanding of the quantitative influence of bedsharing on breastfeeding duration is needed to guide policy. To quantify the influence of bedsharing on breastfeeding duration. Longitudinal data were from the Infant Feeding Practices Study II, which enrolled mothers while pregnant and followed them through the first year of infant life. Questionnaires were sent at infant ages 1 to 7, 9, 10, and 12 months, and 1846 mothers answered at least 1 question regarding bedsharing and were breastfeeding at infant age 2 weeks. Bedsharing, defined as the mother lying down and sleeping with her infant on the same bed or other sleeping surfaces for nighttime sleep or during the major sleep period. Survival analysis to investigate the effect of bedsharing on duration of any and exclusive breastfeeding. Longer duration of bedsharing, indicated by a larger cumulative bedsharing score, was associated with a longer duration of any breastfeeding but not exclusive breastfeeding, after adjusting for covariates. Breastfeeding duration was longer among women who were better educated, were white, had previously breastfed, had planned to breastfeed, and had not returned to work in the first year postpartum. Multiple factors were associated with breastfeeding, including bedsharing. Given the risk of sudden infant death syndrome related to bedsharing, multipronged strategies to promote breastfeeding should be developed and tested.

Looking back to move forward: Lessons learned from the RESPIRE trial applied to the NACER study

Background: Few studies have examined the association between household air pollution (HAP) and low birth weight (LBW). Only one study directly measured prenatal carbon monoxide exposures among women enrolled in the RESPIRE randomized stove intervention trial. Aims:The NACER pilot study builds off our earlier experience and aims to: 1) measure personal exposures to carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter (PM2.5) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during pregnancy and the first year of infant life; and 2) collect standardized measures of infant weight, length and head circumference, newborn gestational age and infant neurodevelopment. Methods: Guatemalan, indigenous women were recruited through a rural Ministry of Health clinic at < 20 weeks gestation and received prenatal health exams at < 20, 24-28, and 32-36 weeks. Home visits were made 3 times during pregnancy to monitor prenatal HAP. Home visits were made within 48 hours of birth and at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months to assess infant anthropometry and neurodevelopment using a validated 27-item instrument (Rapid Neurodevelopmental Assessment (RNDA)). Personal CO and PM exposures were measured using real time monitors and 5 gas-phase PAHs were measured using passive diffusion badges worn over a 48-hour period. Results: 37 pregnant women were enrolled. Gestational age was confirmed by fetal ultrasound (mean: 15.2 weeks, range 7-20.1). Eleven percent of households used open fires for cooking; 89% used deteriorated vented chimney stoves. Maternal and neonatal exposures to CO, PM2.5 and PAHs will be presented. 29% of infants were low birth weight (< 2,500 grams) and 6% were preterm (< 37 weeks). Among neonates, moderate/severe neurodevelopmental impairment were: fine motor (13%), gross motor (32%), speech (16%), cognition (32%), behavior (13%), vision (45%), hearing (39%), primitive reflexes (23%), and seizures (0). Conclusions: Maternal PM and CO exposures were significantly greater than neonatal exposures. LBW and moderate/severe neurodevelopmental impairment were both high. In a future, larger study we will measure the impact of maternal and neonatal HAP exposures on LBW, preterm delivery and infant neurodevelopmental impairment.

Effect of a Maternal Nutrition Education Intervention in the First Year of Infant Life on Dietary Quality in Childhood: A Randomized Controlled Trial

To assess the effectiveness of home-based maternal nutrition counseling during the first year of life on the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) of preschool-age children.

Synchronized Maternal-Infant Elevations of Primate CSF CRF Concentrations in Response to Variable Foraging Demand

The study of environment-gene interactions during neurodevelopment may facilitate our understanding of the origins of psychiatric disorders. Environmental contribution to the neurobiology of psychopathology is perhaps most relevant during infancy, where vulnerability to early-life stressors is particularly evident. In the current study, we wished to examine if central corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) would provide a plausible biological vehicle for synchronized increases in mothers and their infant. Twenty-four mother-infant bonnet macaques (Macaca radiata) dyads, of known age and weight served as subjects. The subjects were group-housed in four pens of 5-7 dyads each, stabilized for several weeks prior to the study period. Although adequate food was always available, mothers faced uncertainty of food availability for 16 weeks within the first year of infant life, through a procedure dubbed "variable foraging demand" (VFD). Pre- and post-VFD cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were obtained simultaneously on mothers and infants. Maternal CSF CRF concentrations exhibited a significant mean elevation of 26% from pre-VFD to post-VFD; there was no effect of number of days postpartum on maternal pre-VFD CSF CRF levels. There was a significant mean increase (45%) in infant CSF CRF concentrations over the 16-week period of the VFD paradigm. No infant sex differences were evident. Post-VFD minus pre-VFD differences in infant CSF CRF concentrations were positively correlated (r = .52; N = 16; P = .0384) with the magnitude of maternal CRF response to VFD, providing evidence of synchronized CSF CRF expression by the dyad. This parallel response within the dyad suggests, as one testable hypothesis, that maternal responsivity to the stress of the VFD condition is "communicated" between mother and infant via a CRF-mediated mechanism. The VFD stressor produces a parallel activation of the central CRF system in both mothers and their infants.

Blind Ratings of Early Symptoms of Autism Based upon Family Home Movies

Abstract Ratings of family home movies of 12 infants (0 to 2 years old) who were later diagnosed as autistic and 12 normal infants were performed by two diagnosis-blind psychiatrists with Infant Behavior Summarized Evaluation scale. The objective was to identify early symptoms of autism and their intensity and frequency before and after 1 year of age. Several pathological types of behavior related to socialization, communication, motility, and attention were noted during the first year of infant life and differentiated autistic and normal groups. These same differentiating behaviors, observed again in the second year, were more intense and associated with other pathological types of behavior, in particular, gaze avoidance, hypoactivity, and absence of emotional expressions. Analysis of the evolution of behavioral pathology in autistic children as a group during the 2 first years of life confirms the persistence of and the increase in some types of abnormality related to socialization, communication, motility, and attention functions. The limitations and values of this study concerning the early identification of autistic symptoms and functional impairments from home movies for diagnosis and establishing individualized treatment program are discussed. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 1993, 32, 3:617–626.