The interplay between emotional and breastfeeding difficulties in first-time mothers

ABSTRACT

Aim/Background

Both mental maternal health and breastfeeding difficulties impact maternal and infant health. The present study analyses the association between psychosocial and breastfeeding variables and maternal mental health.

Design/Methods

The participants were 107 first-time mothers from Chile. Sociodemographic variables and breastfeeding difficulties were assessed at 6 weeks postpartum. Depression and anxiety symptoms, parental self-efficacy, and perceived social support were measured using validated, self-report questionnaires at 6 weeks and 5 months postpartum. This study is a secondary analysis of an intervention trial.

Results

76% of the women reported having experienced some breastfeeding difficulty in the first postpartum weeks. The number of breastfeeding difficulties was associated with maternal mental health symptoms at 6 weeks postpartum and parental self-efficacy at both assessment times. Women who did not experience breastfeeding difficulties presented significantly fewer depressive (t(102) = 2.5, p = .015) and anxiety symptoms (t(50) = 2.3, p = .028) at 6 weeks postpartum than those who did. Mothers who exclusively breastfed at 5 months postpartum presented significantly higher parental self-efficacy (t(94) = 2.4, p = .044). A higher number of breastfeeding difficulties and low perceived social support contributed to higher depressive symptoms (R² = .30; F(3,103) = 14.6, p < .001), anxiety symptoms (R² = .32, F(3.103) = 17.27, p < .001) and lower parental self-efficacy at 6 weeks postpartum (R² = .39; F(2,103) = 9.4, p < .001).

Conclusion

Breastfeeding difficulties and social support are associated with fewer mental health symptoms and higher parental self-efficacy during early postpartum in first-time mothers.

KEYWORDS:

• Breastfeeding
• postpartum depression
• maternal well-being
• infant development
• parental self-efficacy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Instituto Milenio para la Investigación de la Depresión, MIDAP [MIDAP ICS13_005].