Breast Feeding and Mental Health
Welcome to 2022, only 3 years into the COVID-19 pandemic. The social structure, as we had come to know it, is now different. Without significant restrictions, people are socializing more but NOT without prejudice. The world has been more divided in the recent past and the pandemic has taken its toll. The recent Russia-Ukraine conflict is considered by some to be the start of a wider more significant global conflict. Only, time will tell. But everything has deteriorated the mental health of the masses. Everyone is on edge and people who are trying to live without anxieties are reminded by others of the same regularly. One common theme that is emerging is prejudice and division.
Celebrating world breastfeeding week is no different. New mothers are judged as being good or bad for choosing to nurse or not, despite family lacking a support network. To live in a “new system” and expect the same behavior as before is foolish. But then, common sense is not common, they say. I looked at various studies published about breastfeeding and mental health correlation and the results were, frankly, inconclusive. Some studies demonstrated improvement in mothers’ mental health and stress levels and others demonstrated deterioration. Naturally, my curiosity peaked and I wanted to know more. How and why do we have conflicting results when we are looking at the most basic behaviors, needs, and wants of humanity? If breastfeeding was bad, then why didn’t women stop producing milk, as an evolutionary result? As medical professionals, we were trained to teach “Breast is Best”. But is it really?
So, after reviewing the literature, I wanted to present my own conclusions. The answer is complex but when you understand the concept, quite simple at the same time. So, is breast best, it depends. Depends on the family structure, the social support, the help available, the information accessed, and pre-existing health issues. In a nutshell, the mother is looking after the baby, who is looking after the mother? If there is a reassuring answer to this question, then the breast is indeed best. If the young couple is stressed, with no real support network, due to COVID or otherwise, it may not be the best. Biologically, the mother needs to be relaxed for the milk to come through along with the baby being well and having good latching. If the family is financially, emotionally, socially, or in any other way stressed, they will have more problems trying to nurse the little one. And, the current environment of prejudice will only make things worse.
So, in summary, provide care and support to the young family, without prejudice and chances are, the family will thrive. If you can’t support her, don’t call or tell the mother to breastfeed as she is already looking after the baby to the best of her abilities and there is no one looking after her. Judge yourself, rather than judge her.
So, in summary, provide care and support to the young family, without prejudice and chances are, the family will thrive. If you can’t support her, don’t call or tell the mother to breastfeed as she is already looking after the baby to the best of her abilities and there is no one looking after her. Judge yourself, rather than judge her.
