Working mothers and child food intake: The importance of maternal enagagement in determining the quality and availability of child food intake among urban Indonesian households

Rationale and objectives: Working mothers in urban areas of Indonesia are frequently compelled to employ domestic paid caregivers (DPC) to take care of their children. This research compares the child care practices in families of middle class working mothers in which children are cared for by extending family members (EFM).Materials and methods: The research was qualitative and designed as a case study involving ten families with children of various nutritional statuses. In-depth interviews with mothers and caregivers and observations on childcare practices were employed using a grounded theory approach. The weights and heights of the children were measured.Results and findings: Mothers were generally less involved in determining the child’s menu and preparing her food when the caregiver was a particularly trusted person, such as an EFM or a long-standing DPC. Variety in proteindense food and vegetables was less in families using EFM as caregivers, than in those using DPC.Conclusion: Although working mothers generally have knowledge of food and nutrition and greater financial authority than non-working mothers, their ability to determine child food quality/intake was limited in families using trusted caregivers.