title: Psychological distress and milk volume in lactating mothers.
abstract: The purpose of this article is twofold: (a) to compare psychological distress as measured via self-reported perceived stress, sleep, and fatigue levels in lactating mothers of a term infant and mothers of a preterm infant and(b) to determine whether the addition of psychological distress to a previous model predicts milk volume at Postpartum Week 6 by gestation group. The convenience sample of 95 mothers of a preterm infant (31 weeks) and 98 mothers of a term infant completed the Perceived Stress Visual Analogue Scale, Richards-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire, and the Fatigue Visual Analog Scale. Stress, sleep difficulty, and fatigue levels decreased during the 6-week study period for mothers of a term but not for mothers of a preterm infant. Perceived stress, sleep difficulty, and fatigue during the first 6 weeks postpartum were not related to milk volume; thus, the mother's perceived psychological distress had no apparent effect on lactation.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, USA.
authors.forename: Pamela D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: Jean C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Aldag
authors.forename: Robert T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Chatterton
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zinaman
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007775:Lactation Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires