Birth Experiences, Breastfeeding, and the Mother-Child Relationship: Evidence from a Large Sample of Mothers

BACKGROUND: It is a priority for public health professionals to improve global breastfeeding rates, which have remained low in Western countries for more than a decade. Few researchers have addressed how maternal perceptions of birth experiences affect infant feeding methods. Furthermore, mixed results have been shown in research regarding breastfeeding and mother-child bonding, and many studies are limited by small sample sizes, representing a need for further investigation. PURPOSE: We aimed to examine the relationship between subjective birth experiences and breastfeeding outcomes, and explored whether breastfeeding affected mother-infant bonding. METHODS: 3,080 mothers up to three years postpartum completed a cross – sectional survey. RESULTS: Mothers who had more positive birth experiences were more likely to report breastfeeding their babies. Moreover, mothers who perceived their birth as more positive were more likely to breastfeed their child for a longer period (over 9 months) than those who had more negative experiences. In line with recent research, breastfeeding behaviours were not associated with reported mother-infant bonding. CONCLUSIONS: Mothers who reported better birth experiences were most likely to breastfeed, and breastfeed for longer. We find no evidence to suggest that feeding methods are associated with bonding outcomes.