Perceived pressure to breastfeed negatively impacts postpartum mental health outcomes over time
IntroductionPositive maternal mental health is associated with improved outcomes for infants, and yet the consideration of maternal mental health is often neglected in breastfeeding interventions. Breastfeeding interventions typically focus on breastfeeding promotion, and do not always include suppo...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1357965/full |
| _version_ | 1797224401001775104 |
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| author | Rebecca E. Grattan Sophie M. London Georgia E. Bueno |
| author_facet | Rebecca E. Grattan Sophie M. London Georgia E. Bueno |
| author_sort | Rebecca E. Grattan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionPositive maternal mental health is associated with improved outcomes for infants, and yet the consideration of maternal mental health is often neglected in breastfeeding interventions. Breastfeeding interventions typically focus on breastfeeding promotion, and do not always include supports for the mother. This may result in isolated perceived pressure to breastfeed, the mental health impacts of which are not well understood.MethodsThis mixed-methods, longitudinal study examined whether perceived pressure to breastfeed was associated with depression, suicide ideation, anxiety, birth trauma and stress concurrently and 4 weeks later for postpartum mothers. It also examined qualitative experiences of feeding.ResultsPerceived pressure to breastfeed was associated with increased anxiety, stress and birth trauma symptoms four weeks later. Thematic analysis suggested this may be due to difficulties living up to the “breast is best” ideal, believing breastfeeding was part of success as a mother, lack of choices and autonomy in feeding choices for infants and general lack of support.DiscussionAs such it appears we may be doing more harm than good by focusing our interventions for breastfeeding primarily on increasing pressure to breastfeed, and interventions should consider strategies for promoting positive maternal mental health alongside breastfeeding. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T13:52:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6b0ebc8e60214449ba49303dd23fcff8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T13:52:32Z |
| publishDate | 2024-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-6b0ebc8e60214449ba49303dd23fcff82024-04-04T04:23:20ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652024-04-011210.3389/fpubh.2024.13579651357965Perceived pressure to breastfeed negatively impacts postpartum mental health outcomes over timeRebecca E. GrattanSophie M. LondonGeorgia E. BuenoIntroductionPositive maternal mental health is associated with improved outcomes for infants, and yet the consideration of maternal mental health is often neglected in breastfeeding interventions. Breastfeeding interventions typically focus on breastfeeding promotion, and do not always include supports for the mother. This may result in isolated perceived pressure to breastfeed, the mental health impacts of which are not well understood.MethodsThis mixed-methods, longitudinal study examined whether perceived pressure to breastfeed was associated with depression, suicide ideation, anxiety, birth trauma and stress concurrently and 4 weeks later for postpartum mothers. It also examined qualitative experiences of feeding.ResultsPerceived pressure to breastfeed was associated with increased anxiety, stress and birth trauma symptoms four weeks later. Thematic analysis suggested this may be due to difficulties living up to the “breast is best” ideal, believing breastfeeding was part of success as a mother, lack of choices and autonomy in feeding choices for infants and general lack of support.DiscussionAs such it appears we may be doing more harm than good by focusing our interventions for breastfeeding primarily on increasing pressure to breastfeed, and interventions should consider strategies for promoting positive maternal mental health alongside breastfeeding.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1357965/fullpostpartum mental healthmaternal mental healthbreastfeedingbreastfeeding interventionmental health |
| spellingShingle | Rebecca E. Grattan Sophie M. London Georgia E. Bueno Perceived pressure to breastfeed negatively impacts postpartum mental health outcomes over time Frontiers in Public Health postpartum mental health maternal mental health breastfeeding breastfeeding intervention mental health |
| title | Perceived pressure to breastfeed negatively impacts postpartum mental health outcomes over time |
| title_full | Perceived pressure to breastfeed negatively impacts postpartum mental health outcomes over time |
| title_fullStr | Perceived pressure to breastfeed negatively impacts postpartum mental health outcomes over time |
| title_full_unstemmed | Perceived pressure to breastfeed negatively impacts postpartum mental health outcomes over time |
| title_short | Perceived pressure to breastfeed negatively impacts postpartum mental health outcomes over time |
| title_sort | perceived pressure to breastfeed negatively impacts postpartum mental health outcomes over time |
| topic | postpartum mental health maternal mental health breastfeeding breastfeeding intervention mental health |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1357965/full |
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