title: Mothers' perceptions of introducing solids to their infant at six months of age: identifying critical belief-based targets to promote adherence to current infant feeding guidelines.
abstract: We investigated critical belief-based targets for promoting the introduction of solid foods to infants at six months. First-time mothers (N = 375) completed a Theory of Planned Behaviour belief-based questionnaire and follow-up questionnaire assessing the age the infant was first introduced to solids. Normative beliefs about partner/spouse (β = 0.16) and doctor (β = 0.22), and control beliefs about commercial baby foods available for infants before six months (β = -0.20), predicted introduction of solids at six months. Intervention programs should target these critical beliefs to promote mothers' adherence to current infant feeding guidelines to introduce solids at around six months.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Victoria Park Road, Queensland, 4059, Australia.
authors.forename: Kyra
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: Lynne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Daniels
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Katherine M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Walsh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D005248:Feeding Methods; D005260:Female; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires