To breastfeed or not: How do mothers' feelings change over six months?

The National Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign stirred debate that emphasizing the risks of not breastfeeding could contribute to guilt feelings among formula-feeding mothers (FF). Evidence describing how mothers feel about their infant feeding decisions is lacking.

207 FF and 256 postpartum breastfeeding (BF) mothers were surveyed about their infant feeding choices. At six months, 148 of these mothers (56 BF; 85 FF) were resurveyed (27 categorical questions including influences on, changes in and mothers feelings (e.g. comfort, regret, guilt) regarding infant feeding choice).

BF were more likely to be married, primiparous or prior breastfeeding experience. Immediately postpartum, >94% of both groups reported feeling very comfortable with their decision. Among FF mothers, 13% indicated difficulty with the decision (p<.05). FF mothers were more likely to report feelings of comfort, guilt and regret while BF mothers reported more feelings of happiness, fear, and worry. When identifying their strongest emotion FF mothers reported comfort and relief while BF mothers reported happiness and worry.

Six months later, BF as compared to FF mothers were more likely to report feelings of comfort [OR 4.0 (CI:1.1-15.1)] and happiness [OR 4.6 (CI:1.8-12.7)] about their feeding decision. Factor analysis of these data yielded three factors (guilt/regret; worry/relief and comfort/happiness) that accounted for 60% of the variance.

Despite feelings of happiness and comfort in the immediate postpartum period both FF and BF mothers reported negative, albeit different, feelings (guilt/regret vs fear/worry). By six months postpartum, BF mothers report feelings of comfort and happiness with their infant feeding decisions.