Previous research has demonstrated a link between maternal depressive symptoms and infant feeding behavior; however, the underlying mechanisms linking the two remain unclear. This study examined the association between maternal depressive symptoms and responsive feeding, and the potential mediating role of feeding self-efficacy and outcome expectancy. A panel study with 487 women, from pregnancy through postpartum, was conducted. Maternal depressive symptoms at one month postpartum were assessed by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Responsive feeding included feeding on demand and unforced feeding domains. Responsive feeding, feeding self-efficacy, and feeding outcome expectancy were assessed at three months postpartum. Maternal depressive symptoms were associated with less responsive feeding, but the association was fully mediated by feeding self-efficacy and feeding outcome expectancy. Infant feeding problems are associated with depressive symptoms in mothers. Health professionals could work with depressed mothers to enhance infant feeding by targeting feeding self-efficacy and feeding outcome expectancy.

先前的研究表明，母亲的抑郁症状与婴儿喂养行为之间存在联系；然而，将两者联系起来的潜在机制仍不清楚。本研究探讨了母亲抑郁症状与反应性喂养之间的关系，以及喂养自我效能和结果预期的潜在中介作用。对从怀孕到产后的 487 名女性进行了一项小组研究。通过爱丁堡产后抑郁量表评估产后 1 个月的产妇抑郁症状。响应式喂食包括按需喂食和非强制喂食领域。在产后三个月评估反应性喂养、喂养自我效能和喂养结果预期。母亲的抑郁症状与喂养反应较差有关，但这种关联完全由喂养自我效能和喂养结果预期介导。婴儿喂养问题与母亲的抑郁症状有关。卫生专业人员可以与抑郁的母亲合作，通过针对喂养自我效能和喂养结果预期来加强婴儿喂养。