| Research suggests that United States (U.S.) mothers are not meeting recommended breastfeeding
standards. The present study examines maternal perinatal stress, anxiety, breastfeeding
difficulties, and misperceptions of infant crying as possible explanations. It was hypothesized
that more breastfeeding difficulties would mediate the relationship between greater prenatal
stress/anxiety and shorter breastfeeding duration, and perceptions of response to infant crying as
spoiling would moderate the relationship between more breastfeeding difficulties and reduced
breastfeeding duration. Furthermore, participants who breastfed through 6 months would
demonstrate lower levels of postnatal stress/anxiety than those who discontinued breastfeeding.
Among women who breastfed through 6 months there would be a positive relationship between
fewer breastfeeding difficulties and lower levels of postnatal stress/anxiety. Participants included
94 expectant mothers at 33-37 weeks gestation and 6 months (±2 weeks) postpartum. Data
analysis utilized SPSS and Hayes' PROCESS macro v2.16, model 14. Neither of the
hypothesized moderated mediation models were statistically significant, nor were the postnatal
analyses. Within one mediation model there was a significant direct effect of prenatal maternal
anxiety on breastfeeding duration, such that greater prenatal anxiety was associated with a
shorter breastfeeding duration (b=-25.253, t[93]=-2.325, SE=10.860, p=0.022). Prenatal maternal
anxiety may be a target for prevention/intervention to increase breastfeeding duration.
Key Words: perinatal, stress, anxiety, infant crying, breastfeeding |