The Positive Cycle of Breastfeeding-Mental Health Outcomes of Breastfeeding Mothers Following Birth Trauma.

Background/objectives: It is established that both birth and infant feeding experiences can impact maternal mental health, but little is known about how the two might interact. Potentially, a positive breastfeeding experience might help to mitigate feelings associated with birth trauma, but conversely, a difficult feeding experience might further compound birth trauma. The aim of this study was therefore to explore how mothers' experiences of breastfeeding following birth trauma might impact their mental health.

Methods: To explore this, mothers were invited to complete an online survey about their experiences of birth and breastfeeding and how they felt these affected their wellbeing. There were 501 responses, with 159 (32%) describing their birth experience as traumatic and therefore included in this analysis. A thematic analysis approach was used to explore themes around breastfeeding experiences and the impact on wellbeing.

Results: Mothers who described positive breastfeeding experiences felt that breastfeeding helped them to bond with their baby post birth trauma and that this protected their mental health. Conversely, mothers who had a difficult experience described how pain, exhaustion, and low milk supply further negatively impacted their wellbeing.

Conclusions: The findings show the importance of enhanced support for breastfeeding mothers who have experienced birth trauma, as feeding experiences can potentially help heal or compound challenging memories, thoughts, and emotions around birth.