The largest ever qualitative study on how difficulties with breastfeeding affects mothers’ mental health has been published, revealing widespread reports of feeling ‘guilty’ and ‘a failure’ due to breastfeeding challenges.
Over 2,000 mothers who gave their babies breastmilk within the last ten years were surveyed for the study published in Scientific Reports, with 65% reporting that breastfeeding problems had impacted their mental health.
Feeling like ‘a bad mum’ and ‘like I had failed my baby’ were some of the common reasons given by participants for why their mental health was negatively affected, with one stating that ‘breastfeeding was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life, both emotionally and physically’.
While most participants reported feeling highly motivated to breastfeed, they shared that their challenges were due to problems with psychological and physical capability, as well as a lack of social opportunity.
The study is the largest of its kind to demonstrate the link between breastfeeding challenges and poor mental health, with previous qualitative research limited to small samples of a handful of women.
Dr Elizabeth Braithwaite from Manchester Met’s Institute for Children’s Futures said: “Poor mental health due to breastfeeding challenges is more prevalent and is having a far greater impact than we previously realised.
“What came across strongly from our research is that mothers really want to breastfeed – and continue breastfeeding – but it was physical and psychological hurdles that prevented them, which in turn, negatively impacted their mental health.
“There is a clear need for healthcare providers to focus, not just on women’s intention to breastfeed, but on how they can be effectively supported to maintain breastfeeding.”
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF recommend that mothers exclusively breastfeed for six months and then continue breastfeeding with supplemental feeding for up to two years and beyond. However, just 1% of mothers in the UK exclusively breastfeed to six months post-birth.
Explaining their difficulties in maintaining breastfeeding, participants in the study said: ‘It was very traumatic for me’, ‘I didn’t even know that breastfeeding could be so hard’ and ‘I was not prepared for how difficult it was’.
Mothers also reported that a lack of support for health professionals and a fear of judgement from others affected their ability to cope with breastfeeding difficulties. One participant said: ‘Pressure from society to breastfeed is enormous, so when someone asked if I’m breastfeeding I felt stressed to tell them I’m not any more.’
Dr Braithwaite added: “We know that maternal mental health is crucially important for women’s general long-term health and wellbeing, and it also has an impact on their child and wider family.
“Until now, it has been unclear whether breastfeeding challenges negatively impact individuals, families and society in this way. We need to acknowledge that they do, and shine a light on how to support mothers when they’re struggling.”
