Breastfeeding Performance Among Potentially Depressed Nursing Mothers

BACKGROUND: The maternal process is vulnerable for women to fall in an anxiety state that refers to postpartum depression. When symptoms appear, the possibility of depression during pregnancy will have a direct impact on the initiation of early breastfeeding and the termination of early breastfeeding.

PURPOSES: This study aims to look at the relationship between the potential of postpartum depression and the performance of breastfeeding in nursing mothers. This study used a cross-sectional study approach, in one of the sub-districts in Makassar City with the lowest achievement of exclusive breastfeeding.

METHODS: The study subjects were postpartum mothers who fulfilled 225 eligibility sampling throughout the period March-August 2018. Sociodemographic, social support, obstetric variables, potential maternal postpartum depression, and breastfeeding performance assessment were collected and analyzed using the chi-square test and independent-sample t-test.

RESULTS: The study show that age (<0.001), work profile (<0.001), living property (<0.006), number of children (<0.001), and family support (<0.001) have been shown to influence maternal depression.

CONCLUSION: This study conclude that sociodemographic factors, especially economic vulnerability and social support, are risk factors for depression in nursing mothers. Although it did not appear to be different from breastfeeding performance between mothers who experienced depressive symptoms and anxiety, both felt the same of the obstacles to breastfeeding techniques. Therefore, this study recommend for all mother and child services to performed screening for depression symptom in term of pregnancy, and provide them skill for better lactation.