A preliminary study of the effects of breast-feeding on maternal health.
This study is a preliminary investigation of the effects on breast-feeding and cessation of breast-feeding on maternal health. A self-report questionnaire assessed overall health, mood, stress, and psychological and upper respiratory infection symptoms in 14 current, 36 never, and 49 past breast-feeders. Results indicated that breast-feeding did not incur greater health costs to the mother compared with bottle-feeding and that cessation of breastfeeding was associated with worse mood, more stress, and a greater number of psychological symptoms compared with current breast-feeding. Physiological mechanisms, as opposed to personality factors, are discussed as a basis for these findings.
Mezzacappa
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Behavioral Medicine Program, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, NY, USA. mezzaca@cpmc3.cis.columbia.edu