The Maternal Ecology of Breastfeeding: A Life Course Developmental Perspective

Whipps, Mackenzie D M; Yoshikawa, Hirokazu; Godfrey, Erin B.

doi:10.1159/000487977

Cited by 12 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 95 publications

(117 reference statements)

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“…Co-occupation has been defined in the literature as the give-and-take between caregivers and infants engaged in a mutual task, such as feeding, including shared physicality, emotionality, and intentionality [ 15 ]. Contemporary theoretical models such as life course theory suggest that these fluid dyadic processes are dependent on both maternal and infant individual differences and the dyadic behaviors themselves, which evolve over context and time [ 16 ]. In particular, pre- and postnatal maternal mental health may impact women’s ability and willingness to breastfeed [ 17 , 18 ] especially based on differences in infants’ temperament and/or responsivity, which may reciprocally affect the quality of maternal-infant interactions, bonding, and ability/willingness to continue breastfeeding.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perinatal Maternal Mental Health and Breastfeeding Are Associated with Infant and Toddler Sensory Profiles

2021

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Infants’ sensory processing may impact their development and daily functioning in multiple domains, as does the mental health of their mothers. Little research has been conducted exploring the novel construct of sensory processing in relation to maternal mental health and arguably one of the most important co-occupations during this sensitive time (i.e., breastfeeding), which may also be impacted by maternal mental health. Therefore, this study aims to explore associations between maternal mental health, the co-occupation of breastfeeding, and the sensory processing profiles of infants. Specifically, a sample of maternal-offspring dyads was examined from pre-gestation through the infant’s age of 18 months. Mothers completed well-validated and contemporary self-report questionnaires of mental health (i.e., depression and anxiety symptom severity) and sensory processing across time points. Findings yielded statistically significant relationships between maternal prenatal and postnatal anxiety and depression symptom severity and infants’ sensory processing profiles. Further connections were found between infants’ sensory processing profiles and both duration and frequency of breastfeeding. The study provides health care professionals with additional perspectives on how maternal mental health status and breastfeeding may be related to infants’ sensory processing profiles.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perinatal Maternal Mental Health and Breastfeeding Are Associated with Infant and Toddler Sensory Profiles

2021

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“…More generally, the structure of the data limits the ability to examine all breast-feeding relationships for a given mother. Thus, even though we approach the examination of PIM from a life course perspective (21) , we are unable to speak to the whole of the reproductive life coursemerely a 6-year portion of it for each mother. Future studies, perhaps with follow-up spanning the entire reproductive life course, are needed to corroborate, clarify and extend these findings.…”

Section: Limitations and Future Directionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The question of whether there is a sleeper effect of PIM has not been adequately studied in the literature; generally, each breast-feeding relationship is considered in isolation (20) . However, by studying breast-feeding as a developmental phenomenon, situated in the maternal life course, we may better understand how mothers decide to feed their infants over time (21) . As recent theory work has described, situating breast-feeding decision-making in the maternal life course has many benefits, including the discovery of underexamined, and thus underutilised, levers of breast-feeding promotion and support (21) .…”

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confidence: 99%

“…However, by studying breast-feeding as a developmental phenomenon, situated in the maternal life course, we may better understand how mothers decide to feed their infants over time (21) . As recent theory work has described, situating breast-feeding decision-making in the maternal life course has many benefits, including the discovery of underexamined, and thus underutilised, levers of breast-feeding promotion and support (21) . Examining breast-feeding behaviours and decisions across the reproductive life course over time and over the births of multiple childrenis one way to extend our knowledge that is in line with a life course approach.…”

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confidence: 99%

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The sleeper effect of perceived insufficient milk supply in US mothers

Whipps

Demirci

2020

Public Health Nutr.

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Objective: To test whether perception of insufficient milk (PIM) supply in the breast-feeding relationship of one child predicts how long mothers breast-feed subsequent children, and whether this association differs for first-time mothers v. mothers with previous children. Design: Secondary analysis of Infant Feeding Practices Study II (ordinary least squares regression) and Year 6 follow-up. Setting: Mailed, self-report survey of US mother–infant dyads, 2005–2012. Participants: Women pregnant with a singleton were recruited from a consumer opinion panel. Exclusion criteria included: mother age <18; infant born <5 lbs, born before 35 weeks or with extended NICU stay, and mother or infant diagnosed with condition that impacts feeding. A subsample with PIM data (n 1460) was analysed. Results: We found that women who weaned because of PIM with the index child stopped breast-feeding 5·7 weeks earlier than those who weaned due to other reasons (4·9 weeks earlier for multiparas, P < 0·001; 7·1 weeks earlier for primiparas, P < 0·001). Using Year 6 follow-up data (n 350), we found subsequent child 1 weaned 9·2 weeks earlier if the mother experiences PIM as a multipara (P = 0·020) and 10·6 weeks earlier if the mother experiences PIM as a primipara (P = 0·019). For subsequent child 2 (n 78), the magnitude of association was even larger, although insignificant due to low power. Conclusions: These findings indicate that PIM may carry forward in the reproductive life course, especially for first-time mothers. Perceptions of breast milk insufficiency and contributors to actual inadequate milk supply with the first child should be targeted, rather than intervening later in the reproductive life course.

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“…Quantitative studies have also examined and quantified the predictors of breastfeeding “success” but are less likely to do so using breastfeeding trajectory as the marker of that success (Whipps, Yoshikawa, & Godfrey, ). At the same time, there are limitations to studying trajectories using strictly qualitative methods.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Latent trajectories of infant breast milk consumption in the United States

Whipps

Yoshikawa

Demirci

2018

Maternal & Child Nutrition

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Patterns of breastfeeding over time are not currently well understood. Limited qualitative and quantitative evidence suggests that there may be latent subgroups of mothers in the United States following very different trajectories of breast milk provision for their infants. This study used a quantitative modelling method (group-based trajectory modelling) to identify and describe these subgroups. Using data from the Infant Feeding Practices Study II (n = 3,023), the authors identified four distinct trajectories of breastfeeding intensity, each of which included a substantial subset of the total sample. A model with four groups fit the data well by objective and conceptual standards. Bivariate associations were analysed, and significant difference between trajectory group membership was found on an array of maternal and family determinants, including maternal demographics, hospital experience, and psychosocial resources, as well as on postweaning perceptions. These associations were used to create group profiles for each subgroup. Controlling for sociodemographic covariates, we also found that trajectory membership was significantly associated with several health outcomes for the target child 6 years later, including certain infections, picky eating, and health care utilization; trajectory group membership was also associated with maternal breastfeeding of subsequent children and maternal body mass index (BMI) at Year 6. Child BMI z-score and maternal breast cancer diagnosis were not significantly different across trajectory groups after accounting for confounding covariates, nor was time missed from school for the target child. Though exploratory, the initial identification and description of these four subgroups suggest future directions using breastfeeding trajectory methods, with potential implications for measurement, intervention development, and targeting.

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The Maternal Ecology of Breastfeeding: A Life Course Developmental Perspective

Cited by 12 publications

References 95 publications

Perinatal Maternal Mental Health and Breastfeeding Are Associated with Infant and Toddler Sensory Profiles

Perinatal Maternal Mental Health and Breastfeeding Are Associated with Infant and Toddler Sensory Profiles

The sleeper effect of perceived insufficient milk supply in US mothers

Latent trajectories of infant breast milk consumption in the United States

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