The role of breastfeeding self-efficacy in the relationship between perinatal depressive symptoms and exclusive breastfeeding: a longitudinal mediation analysis
Abstract Background Perinatal depressive symptoms are associated with exclusive breastfeeding; however, the longitudinal mediating process of this relationship remains unclear. Breastfeeding self-efficacy may be an important variable in understanding the complex process involved in their co-occurren...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-03-01
|
| Series: | BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-07481-8 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | Abstract Background Perinatal depressive symptoms are associated with exclusive breastfeeding; however, the longitudinal mediating process of this relationship remains unclear. Breastfeeding self-efficacy may be an important variable in understanding the complex process involved in their co-occurrence. Therefore, we aimed to explore the role of breastfeeding self-efficacy in the relationship between perinatal depressive symptoms and exclusive breastfeeding using both between- and within-person approaches. Methods A prospective longitudinal study was conducted from October 2021 to January 2024 at a tertiary hospital in Hunan, China. Depressive symptoms were measured at 36 gestational weeks and 1 week, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months postpartum. Exclusive breastfeeding and breastfeeding self-efficacy were evaluated at the same postpartum intervals. Cross-lagged panel models, random intercepts cross-lagged panel models, and longitudinal mediation models were used to analyze their relationships. Results A total of 334 participants were included. Longitudinal mediation models revealed that breastfeeding self-efficacy mediated the prospective negative effect of perinatal depressive symptoms on exclusive breastfeeding at the between-person level (b = − 0.017, SE = 0.008, 95% CI (− 0.032, − 0.001), P = 0.036), and suppressed the positive effect of exclusive breastfeeding on depressive symptoms at the within-person level (b = − 0.044, SE = 0.022, 95% CI (− 0.087, 0.000), P = 0.047). Conclusions Mothers with perinatal depressive symptoms may face challenges in exclusive breastfeeding due to reduced breastfeeding self-efficacy. While increasing exclusive breastfeeding might help reduce depressive symptoms over time, this positive effect can be hindered if breastfeeding self-efficacy remains low. Our findings highlight breastfeeding self-efficacy as a critical target for future interventions. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1471-2393 |