Background This study evaluated the Dutch Mothers Inform Mothers (MIM) programme. In that programme a visiting mother meets with a first-time mother in her home on a monthly basis to discuss the caring and rearing of her infant. The first-time mothers went also to the well-baby clinics in their locality where they discussed topics in the areas of psychosocial, cognitive and physical development, language, play and safety. The programme lasted for 18 months.Aim/objectives To evaluate the MIM programme with the view to:- provide information and, where appropriate, recommendations concerning the positioning of the programme in the Dutch public infant health services;- integrate appropriate theoretical perspectives into the MIM programme;- determine outcomes in relation to maternal mental health, maternal and infant general health, maternal competence with parenting and satisfaction with the well-baby clinic.Study design/ A literature review on parenting support programme focused on infant health.Instruments A cohort-study using a pre-test - post-test design with one experimental and two control groups. This was used to develop and test a model for the programme and to determine its effects. The mothers' progress was followed for 15 months, which covers the period of infancy. (After 15 months is the toddler period). Validated instruments were used to gather information.- An infant food consumption survey using 24 hour recall and questions on feeding practices (breast feeding or feeding bottle). For maternal fat consumption a popular questionnaire of the National Food Centre was used.Timing The pre-tests for mental health, social support and breastfeeding were administrated when the infants were approximately 6 weeks old (T1). Infant temperament, maternal and infant general health, maternal competence with parenting and satisfaction with the well-baby clinic were measured at 10 months, as was the nutritional survey. The post-tests were administrated when the infants were approximately 15 months old (T3).- A ...