Postpartum Depressive Symptoms and Their Selected Psychological Predictors in Breast-, Mixed and Formula-Feeding Mothers

Abstract

BackgroundAlthough breastfeeding is recommended by WHO and professionals as the most beneficial for newborn babies, many women find it challenging. Previous research yielded ambiguous results concerning the role of breastfeeding in the development of postpartum depression. The study aimed to identify the best predictors of depressive symptoms for each of these feeding method.MethodsThe participants were 151 women (mean age 29.4 yrs; SD = 4.5) who gave birth within the last 6 months and included 82 women classified as breastfeeding, 38 classified as mixed-feeding (breast and bottle), and 31 as formula-feeding. The study had a cross-sectional design using a web-based survey for data collection. The following measures were administered: The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale; Sense of Stress Questionnaire; The Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire; Parenting Sense of Competence Scale; Infant Feeding Questionnaire.ResultsWomen in study groups differed in stress, bonding difficulties, and beliefs related to feeding practices and infancy. There were no significant differences in the severity of depressive symptoms, but all mean EPDS scores were above 12. Maternal satisfaction, intrapsychic stress, and concerns about feeding on a schedule were the best predictors of EPDS scores for breastfeeding women. For mixed-feeding – emotional tension, concern about infant's hunger, overeating, and awareness of infant's hunger and satiety cues; while for the formula-feeding group, predictors included emotional tension, bonding difficulties, and such maternal feeding practices and beliefs as concern about undereating, awareness of infant's hunger and satiety cues, concerns about feeding on a schedule and social interaction with the infant during feeding.ConclusionDifferences in predictors of postpartum depression for study groups suggest that breastfeeding itself may not be a risk for postpartum depression. However, the specificity of maternal experiences with the various types of feeding is related to difficulties promoting postpartum depression. Providing emotional and educational support appropriate for different types of feeding may be an essential protective factor for postnatal depression.

Proportion and Predictors of Postpartum Depression among Women Attending Fayoum University Hospitals, Egypt

“…According to our findings, there is no relation between PPD and the kind of feeding (breastfeeding or artificial feeding). This is comparable to Kossakowska et al [28] argument that postpartum depression may not always be increased by nursing. Contrarily, research by Hamdan et al [29] demonstrates that breastfeeding mothers had a lower incidence of PPD.…”

The Mother-Baby Bond: Role of Past and Current Relationships

“…In this study, we explored the mother-infant bond using two measures: a psychometric instrument that was completed by the women one month postpartum, and, in addition, we assessed the proportion of breastfed infants at one, three, and six months of age [ 39 ]. Our results demonstrated that depression in pregnancy was associated with bottle-feeding compared with breast-feeding at 1, 3, and 6 months postpartum, which can be explained either as a direct effect of depressive symptoms, such as anhedonia and fatigue, or an indirect effect of depression mediated by the poor mother-infant relationship [ 40 ].…”

Identifying the common elements of psychological and psychosocial interventions for preventing postpartum depression: Application of the distillation and matching model to 37 winning protocols from 36 intervention studies

“…A qualitative study exploring the postpartum psychological experience of Chinese women with postpartum depression found that lack of parenting knowledge causes psychological distress in postpartum women (Liu, Qi, & Zhao, 2019). Relatedly, Kossakowska et al showed that feeding difficulties reduce maternal satisfaction and decrease self‐efficacy, increasing the risk of postpartum depression (Kossakowska & Bielawska‐Batorowicz, 2022). Therefore, practitioners should focus on assessing postpartum women's ability to take care of infants and on teaching them targeted professional knowledge and skills.…”