Co-Development of Infant Satiation Cues and Maternal Feeding Behaviors during Infancy

Abstract

Background

Although prior research has identified infant behaviors signaling hunger, receptiveness to feeding, needs to disengage from feeding, and satiation, further research is needed to better understand variability in the extent to which infants exhibit these behaviors and how infants’ feeding cues and caregivers’ responses to these cues may co-develop over time.

Objectives

To describe age differences in the number and types of disengagement and satiation behaviors infants display during feeding, mothers’ feeding behaviors, and the correspondence between infants’ and mothers’ behaviors across the first year.

Methods

Mother-infant dyads (n = 227) were video-recorded during naturalistic bottle-feeding interactions in their homes when infants were age 1 mo, 2 mo, 4 mo, 6 mo, 9 mo, and 12 mo. Videos were coded using the Baby Behaviors when Satiated (BABES) coding scheme to assess relevant infant and mother behaviors.

Results

Infants exhibited a significantly greater variety of behaviors and total number of behaviors at 2 mo compared to 1 mo. Infant disengagement and satiation behaviors transitioned from behaviors characterized by decreased activity levels during early infancy to increased alertness, activity, and interest in surroundings during later infancy. Mothers also showed developmental shifts in behavior—moving from more direct involvement to increased verbal responses—with a decline in the total number of behaviors over time. Infants’ and mothers’ behavior rates were not significantly associated at 1 mo (r = ‒0.24, P = 0.061) or 2 mo (r = 0.15, P = 0.107), but were positively associated at 4 mo (r = 0.35, P < 0.001), 6 mo (r = 0.21, P = 0.008), 9 mo (r = 0.46, P < 0.001), and 12 mo (r = 0.26, P = 0.022).

Conclusions

Findings highlight age-related changes in infant communication of satiation and maternal responsiveness, as well as evidence that infants’ and mothers’ feeding behaviors co-develop and may become more aligned over time.

This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT04723264.