Aim: This was to investigate the role of the mother-child interaction as a factor in nursing caries.
Methods: A convenience sample of 34 parents whose children had been diagnosed with nursing caries (Early Childhood Caries, ECC) was gathered. A series of non-structured interviews with parents were conducted. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using Grounded Theory.
Results: The overarching category which explained the basic social process associated with nursing caries was 'nursing caries mothering'. The three categories which emerged characterised the basic social process of 'nursing caries mothering' were regressive mothering, culpable mothering and convenience mothering.
Conclusion: ECC is characterised by regressive mothering, culpable mothering and convenience mothering. In each of these typologies the bottle once used to nourish the baby has become imbued with other behaviours and meanings. An awareness of these meanings of what the breast/bottle have come to represent should be incorporated and form a central strand of a joined-up health promotion approach.