Positive Effect of Breastfeeding on Child Development, Anxiety, and Postpartum Depression

Štefica Mikšić, Boran Uglešić, Jelena Jakab, Dubravka Holik, Andrea Milostić Srb and Dunja Degmečić
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Štefica Mikšić: Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Crkvena 21, 31 000 Osijek, Croatia
Boran Uglešić: School of medicine, University of Split, Šoltanska 2, 21000 Split, Croatia
Jelena Jakab: Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Crkvena 21, 31 000 Osijek, Croatia
Dubravka Holik: Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Crkvena 21, 31 000 Osijek, Croatia
Andrea Milostić Srb: Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Crkvena 21, 31 000 Osijek, Croatia
Dunja Degmečić: Faculty of Medicine, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Josipa Huttlera 4, 31 000 Osijek, Croatia

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 8, 1-8

Abstract: Background: Postpartum depression is a psychiatric disorder that starts from the second to the sixth week after birth. Breastfeeding is considered a protective factor for postpartum mood swings. This paper aims to examine the effect of breastfeeding on postpartum depression and anxiety, and how it affects child development. Methods: The study included 209 pregnant women, 197 puerperea, and 160 women at the end of the third month after delivery, followed through three time-points. The instruments used in the study were the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS), Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI), and Beck’s Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Results: Postpartum mothers with low risk of PPD breastfed their children more often than mothers with a mild or severe risk of perinatal depression. Mean values on the BDI scale three months after giving birth were higher in mothers who did not breastfeed their child (M = 3.53) than those who did breastfeed their child (M = 2.28). Postpartum anxiety measured by BAI was statistically negatively correlated (rs-, 430) with the duration of breastfeeding. Conclusion: Nonbreastfeeding mothers are more depressed and anxious compared to breastfeeding mothers.

Keywords: anxiety; breastfeeding; postpartum depression; child development (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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