Infant Hunger Research Articles

Study 1. A prospective, longitudinal study of 249 breastfeeding mothers revealed that 35% of primiparas terminated breast feeding within the 1st 6wks. On the average those who stopped breast feeding in the 1st 6wks breast fed for only 18.2 days. Early termination was related (p=.01) to infant behaviours (crying, waking) which were assumed to indicate hunger. Study 2. An experimental study was conducted to compare maternal perceptions of hunger-related behaviours and to evaluate the effect of social support on increasing the duration of breast feeding. Three groups (N=50 each, primiparas) were randomly selected: Formula (F), Breast Control (BC), Breast Experimental (BE). At 6wks breast-feeding mothers reported higher rates of infant crying (p=.02) and night waking (p=.02) and less total hours of sleeping (p=.03) as compared with formula-feeding mothers. During weeks 1-4, BE mothers were telephoned weekly by a nurse to provide informed support for breast feeding and related infant care. Social support for these primiparous mothers increased their duration of breast feeding to 28.6 days as compared with 21.0 days in the control group (p<.05) and 18.2 days in Study 1. These results suggest that the primipara's discontinuance of breast feeding in response to assumed infant hunger can be attenuated by consultation and informed advice from health care professionals.

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