mums breast feeding benefits
Breastfeeding Benefits : Breastfeeding may lower mothers’ later life risks of depression and anxiety for up to 10 years after pregnancy, suggest the findings of a small observational study, published in the open access journal BMJ Open. The observed associations were apparent for any, exclusive, and cumulative (at least 12 months) breastfeeding, the study shows.
Breastfeeding is associated with lower risks of postnatal depression and anxiety, but it’s not clear if these lowered risks might persist in the longer term, say the researchers. To find out, they tracked the breastfeeding behaviour and health of 168 second time mothers who were originally part of the ROLO Longitudinal Birth Cohort Study for 10 years.
All the women had given birth to a child weighing under 4 kg and they and their children had check-ups 3 and 6 months, and 2, 5, and 10 years after birth by which time the mothers’ average age was 42. At each check-up, the mothers completed a detailed health history questionnaire. This asked whether they had been diagnosed with, and treated for, depression/anxiety. They also provided information on potentially influential factors, including diet and physical activity levels.
At the check-ups, the mothers provided information on: whether they had ever breastfed or expressed milk for 1 day or more; total number of weeks of exclusive breastfeeding; total number of weeks of any breastfeeding; and cumulative periods of breastfeeding of less or more than 12 months.
Nearly three quarters of the women (73%; 122) reported having breastfed at some point. The average period of exclusive breastfeeding lasted 5.5 weeks and that of any breastfeeding for 30.5 weeks. More than a third (37.5%; 63) reported cumulative periods of breastfeeding adding up to at least 12 months. Twenty two (13%) of the women reported depression/anxiety at the 10-year check-up, with a further 35 (21%) reporting depression or anxiety at any time point.
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