Abstract

Associations between depressive symptoms and breastfeeding are well documented. However, evidence is lacking for subdivisions of feeding styles, namely exclusive breastfeeding, exclusive formula feeding and a mixed feeding style (breastfeeding and formula feeding). In addition, studies examining associations between mother-child-bonding and breastfeeding have yielded mixed results. The aim of this study is to provide a more profound understanding of the different feeding styles and their associations with maternal mental health and mother-child-bonding. Data from 307 women were collected longitudinally in person (prenatally) and by telephone (3 months postnatally) using validated self-report measures, and analyzed using correlational analyses, unpaired group comparisons and regression analyses. Our results from a multinomial regression analysis revealed that impaired mother-child-bonding was positively associated with mixed feeding style (p = .003) and depressive symptoms prenatal were positively associated with exclusive formula feeding (p = .013). Further studies could investigate whether information about the underlying reasons we found for mixed feeding, such as insufficient weight gain of the child or the feeling that the child is unsatiated, could help prevent impaired mother-child-bonding. Overall, the results of this study have promising new implications for research and practice, regarding at-risk populations and implications for preventive measures regarding postpartum depression and an impaired mother-child-bonding.

Details

Title
The role of breastfeeding and formula feeding regarding depressive symptoms and an impaired mother child bonding
Author
Carvalho Hilje, Clara 1 ; Bauer, Nicola H. 2 ; Reis, Daniela 1 ; Kapp, Claudia 3 ; Ostermann, Thomas 3 ; Vöhler, Franziska 4 ; Längler, Alfred 1 

 Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Herdecke, Department of Pediatrics, Herdecke, Germany (GRID:grid.491615.e) (ISNI:0000 0000 9523 829X); Witten/Herdecke University, Professorship for Integrative Pediatrics, Institute for Integrative Medicine, Witten, Germany (GRID:grid.412581.b) (ISNI:0000 0000 9024 6397) 
 University of Cologne, Institute of Midwifery Science, Faculty of Medicine, Cologne, Germany (GRID:grid.6190.e) (ISNI:0000 0000 8580 3777) 
 Witten/Herdecke University, Department of Psychology and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Health, Witten, Germany (GRID:grid.412581.b) (ISNI:0000 0000 9024 6397) 
 Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Herdecke, Department of Obstetrics, Herdecke, Germany (GRID:grid.491615.e) (ISNI:0000 0000 9523 829X) 
Pages
11417
Publication year
2024
Publication date
2024
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20452322
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
3056526459
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2024. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.