The Influence of Maternal Personality and Risk Factors for Impaired Mother-Infant Bonding on Breastfeeding Duration

Throughout the world, in delivery departments having the accreditation "Baby-Friendly Hospital," breastfeeding is encouraged upon delivery. Numerous studies have been carried out to assess the relationship between breastfeeding and socioeconomic, psychosocial, and perinatal factors.

To explore the influence of maternal personality and mother-infant bonding impairment on breastfeeding duration according to the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations.

Written informed consent was obtained from mothers whose children were patients in a primary pediatric practice in Croatia. The mothers had stopped breastfeeding, and 303 of them were included in the research. The study was performed using validated instruments for the assessment of personality traits and mother-infant bonding impairment risk factors. Structured questionnaires were used for the examination of basic sociodemographics, breastfeeding duration, and the most common and relevant perinatal factors.

Significant positive correlations were found with the personality traits of "openness" and "agreeableness" (p = 0.008, p = 0.002), while "neuroticism" was significantly negatively correlated with breastfeeding duration (p = 0.047). Twin pregnancy was the only perinatal factor influencing the discontinuation of breastfeeding before the end of the 6-month period (p < 0.001). In regression analysis, "anxiety about care" as a bonding impairment remained the most important risk factor influencing the minimally recommended breastfeeding duration (odds ratio [OR] 0.78; 95% confidence interval, 0.65 - 0.94).

It is important to conduct further studies to explore whether the early identification of at-risk mothers, and the availability of psychological support in the immediate postpartum period, would allow them to benefit from these interventions and, thus, address breastfeeding duration.