The Relationship Among Breastfeeding, Postpartum Depression, and Postpartum Weight in Mexican American Women

Elizabeth Reifsnider, Jenna Flowers, Michael Todd, Jennie Bever Babendure, Michael Moramarco

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective To determine if symptoms of postpartum depression and postpartum weight varied according to the level of breastfeeding among women of Mexican origin at 1 month and 6 months postpartum. Design Secondary quantitative analysis to study the differences in postpartum weight and depression among the mothers in the study who breastfed and those who did not. Setting A heavily Hispanic community located in a major Southwestern U.S. city. Participants Women of Mexican origin (N = 150) who enrolled during their third trimesters in a local Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children clinic and were followed for 6 months. Methods Weight was measured at 1 month and at 6 months postpartum at home visits with validated digital scales. Breastfeeding was measured according to World Health Organization criteria and recorded after monthly phone calls. Depression was measured at home visits at 1 month and 6 months with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Results At 6 months postpartum, participants who did not breastfeed had the highest scores on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale; participants who breastfed nonexclusively had the lowest scores (p = .067). At both time points, there was a significant difference in weight (p = .017) between women who were doing any breastfeeding and women who were not breastfeeding. Conclusion Breastfeeding, even if not exclusive, contributed to lower depression scores and significantly lower postpartum weight among this sample of Mexican American women.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)760-771
Number of pages12
JournalJOGNN - Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing
Volume45
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 1 2016

Keywords

  • Mexican American women
  • breastfeeding
  • postpartum depression
  • postpartum weight

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pediatrics
  • Critical Care
  • Maternity and Midwifery

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