Guilt, shame, and postpartum infant feeding outcomes: A systematic review

Jackson, Leanne; Pascalis, Leonardo De; Harrold, Jo; Fallon, Victoria

doi:10.1111/mcn.13141

Cited by 59 publications

(56 citation statements)

References 73 publications

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“…Breastfeeding challenges are often viewed as a personal problem rather than a systemic failure to provide mothers with the support they need. As a result, mothers often report feeling as if their worth is defined by a feeding method (Jackson et al, 2021;Woollard & Porter, 2017).…”

Section: Depression and Anxiety: During Pregnancy And Postpartummentioning

confidence: 99%

“…IBCLCs can also provide paraprofessional psychological interventions to support lactating mothers (Diebold et al, 2020;Grover et al, 2020;Nation et al, 2018). IBCLCs can receive training and resources to address mental health issues when mothers do not meet their breastfeeding goals (Jackson et al, 2021). Breastfeeding does not define "good" motherhood, and IBCLCs can emphasize a mother's worth is not determined by a feeding method (Jackson et al, 2021;Woollard & Porter, 2017).…”

Section: Depression and Anxiety: During Pregnancy And Postpartummentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Conversely, a mother's mental health also affects her duration of any breastfeeding (Ritchie-Ewing et al, 2019). Mothers who stop breastfeeding may need support from many sources (Jackson et al, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Realigning Expectations With Reality: A Case Study on Maternal Mental Health During a Difficult Breastfeeding Journey

et al. 2021

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Introduction: Many mothers have the goal to breastfeed. However, more than 50% will have breastfeeding difficulty by the 3rd day of life. Mothers who are unable to meet their breastfeeding goals are at higher risk for anxiety, depression, embarrassment, and guilt. Those who stop breastfeeding need support and help resolving these feelings. This case study aims to describe one woman’s difficulty with mental health surrounding breastfeeding, her decision to bottle feed, and her successful transition back to direct breastfeeding. Main Issue: Barriers to the participant’s success with breastfeeding were pre-existing history of depression/anxiety, forceps delivery, uncontrolled perineal pain, infant physical trauma, and nipple/flow confusion. The decision to discontinue direct breastfeeding and start bottle feeding came after 2 months of anxiety, frustration, and persistence. Management: The participant followed her healthcare team’s recommendations of triple feeding, lactation support groups, pediatric chiropractic adjustments, and prescribed galactagogues. After 2 months of exhaustion and deliberation, she made the difficult decision to stop breastfeeding for nutritional benefits and switched to breastfeeding only for her infant’s pleasure and comfort. Lowered expectations allowed the dyad to heal and her son to transition to nearly exclusive breastfeeding at 4 months of life. Conclusion: Clinicians must be aware of the delicate balance between promoting breastfeeding for its nutritional value and health benefits and supporting a struggling mother with mental health needs.

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Section: Depression and Anxiety: During Pregnancy And Postpartummentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Depression and Anxiety: During Pregnancy And Postpartummentioning

confidence: 99%

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Realigning Expectations With Reality: A Case Study on Maternal Mental Health During a Difficult Breastfeeding Journey

et al. 2021

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“…It is not surprising that, in relation to breastfeeding, women may feel ‘shame if you do—shame if you don't’ (Thomson et al, 2015, p. 33). However, sustained investigation of self‐conscious emotions evoked by infant feeding is relatively recent, with just a few studies stating this as a primary aim, for example, exploring guilt in relation to public health messaging around breastfeeding (e.g., Benoit et al, 2016; Williams et al, 2012; Williams et al, 2013) or feeding method (Fallon et al, 2017; Komninou et al, 2017; Shepherd et al, 2017), or considering whether shame about perceived ‘failures’ with infant feeding may be mislabelled as guilt (e.g., Taylor & Wallace, 2012; Thomson et al, 2015) and a recent systematic review of research into shame and guilt in relation to feeding outcomes (Jackson et al, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Self‐conscious emotions and breastfeeding support: A focused synthesis of UK qualitative research

Leeming

Marshall

Hinsliff

2021

Maternal & Child Nutrition

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Research on women's experiences of infant feeding and related moral discourse suggests that self‐conscious emotions may be highly relevant to breastfeeding support interactions. However, the emotional impact of receiving support has not been fully explored. The aim of this review is to re‐examine qualitative UK research on receiving breastfeeding support, in order to explore the role of self‐conscious emotions and related appraisals in interactions with professional and peer supporters. From 2007 to 2020, 34 studies met criteria for inclusion. Using template analysis to identify findings relevant to self‐conscious emotions, we focused on shame, guilt, embarrassment, humiliation and pride. Because of cultural aversion to direct discussion of self‐conscious emotions, the template also identified thoughts about self‐evaluation, perceptions of judgement and sense of exposure. Self‐conscious emotions were explicitly mentioned in 25 papers, and related concerns were noted in all papers. Through thematic synthesis, three themes were identified, which suggested that (i) breastfeeding ‘support’ could present challenges to mothering identity and hence to emotional well‐being; (ii) many women managed interactions in order to avoid or minimise uncomfortable self‐conscious emotions; and (iii) those providing support for breastfeeding could facilitate women's emotion work by validating their mothering, or undermine this by invalidation, contributing to feelings of embarrassment, guilt or humiliation. Those supporting breastfeeding need good emotional ‘antennae’ if they are to ensure they also support transition to motherhood. This is the first study explicitly examining self‐conscious emotions in breastfeeding support, and further research is needed to explore the emotional nuances of women's interactions with supporters.

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“…Mothers may not always be willing or able to do it. Guilt feelings often appear in the non-nursing mother [ 15 , 16 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors Influencing Uptake of Breastfeeding: The Role of Early Promotion in the Maternity Hospital

Ragusa¹,

Marranzano

Rosa

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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Background: This study aimed to explore the prevalence of breastfeeding at birth points in Sicily and the relevance of the factors influencing the adoption of exclusive breastfeeding during hospitalization linked to childbirth. Methods: A survey was conducted to monitor the prevalence of breastfeeding in seven out of nine facilities providing maternity services in the province of Catania (Sicily, Southern Italy) in the years 2016–2018. An online questionnaire was administered using an electronic tablet by the midwife to the mother after discharge. Results: Women who had a higher educational qualification breastfed in a greater proportion (59.6%; odds ratio OR 0.60 for abandoning breastfeeding). Having had a caesarean section moderately impaired breastfeeding uptake, with an almost double chance of declining exclusive breastfeeding (OR = 1.74). Starting breastfeeding within 1 h from delivery showed a significant facilitating effect (OR = 0.58). Rooming-in had a strong facilitating effect on exclusive breastfeeding. A breastfeeding advocacy program was shown to protect from abandoning breastfeeding. Conclusions: It is important to offer in all hospitals the possibility and support for breastfeeding in the first moments after childbirth to increase the number of those who will then continue with exclusive breastfeeding.

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Guilt, shame, and postpartum infant feeding outcomes: A systematic review

Cited by 59 publications

References 73 publications

Realigning Expectations With Reality: A Case Study on Maternal Mental Health During a Difficult Breastfeeding Journey

Realigning Expectations With Reality: A Case Study on Maternal Mental Health During a Difficult Breastfeeding Journey

Self‐conscious emotions and breastfeeding support: A focused synthesis of UK qualitative research

Factors Influencing Uptake of Breastfeeding: The Role of Early Promotion in the Maternity Hospital

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