Moms Who Breast-Feed Less Likely to Neglect Child

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Moms Who Breast-Feed Less Likely to Neglect Child

Australian researchers suggest hormone released during act reinforces maternal bond

Posted January 26, 2009

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MONDAY, Jan. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Mothers who breast-feed are less likely to neglect their children, Australian researchers report.

In their study, the scientists followed 7,223 Australian women and their children for 15 years and found that the longer a mother breast-fed her child, the lower the risk of neglect.

Related News

Mothers who breast-fed for less than four months were twice as likely to neglect their children as those who breast-fed four months or more. Women who didn't breast-feed were 3.8 times more likely to neglect their children as mothers who breast-fed for at least four months.

Even after they adjusted for other factors, such as socioeconomic status, substance abuse and depression, the researchers found a strong association between breast-feeding and motherly care.

The findings were published in the February issue of Pediatrics.

Previous research has suggested how breast-feeding may help form a strong mother-infant bond, study senior author Dr. Lane Strathearn, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital, said in a Baylor news release.

"Oxytocin is a critical hormone produced during breast-feeding that promotes and reinforces maternal behavior. Animal studies have shown that this hormone is critical for the initiation of maternal behaviors in animals," Strathearn said. "It may be that breast-feeding stimulates oxytocin production in the brain, helping to develop the attachment relationship of the mother and her baby. Or the factors that help shape the development of the oxytocin system in the brain may predispose to successful breast-feeding and nurturance of the baby."

"Promoting breast-feeding may be a simple and cost-effective way to strengthen the mother-infant relationship. Providing the economic and social support for new mothers to stay at home with their babies may help accomplish this goal. The simple fact that women have such limited maternity leave inhibits them from strengthening this relationship," Strathearn said.

"Maternal neglect represents a fundamental breakdown in the relationship between a mother and her child, as the mom fails to provide the physical and emotional caregiving that an infant requires for optimal development. Breast-feeding may be a natural way to support the mother-infant relationship, reducing the risk of neglect in the long term."

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development has more about breast-feeding.

 
.. I'm sure this is all very well and good, but there are many reasons that women choose to breastfeed or not.

I think an incredible amount of pressure is put on women to breastfeed, and for some, it's just not possible. mastitis, simply not enough milk being produced, etc etc make it very hard for some, however much they may want to.

Articles like this make women with problems like these feel even more alienated and alone, and may feel singled out as being bad parents for something they're simply unable to control.

 
so many lies in that article.

I have four children, 2 brestfed, 2 not, and I am no less attached to one than the other. I love my babies no matter what
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I 100% completely agree with Rosie. Couldn't have put it better myself.

 
I agree with Rosie and Aprill. I was lucky enough to breastfeed for 13 months and loved the bond I felt with my baby. However, being a person that really wanted to breastfeed, I truly would've felt inadequate reading something like this. To already have those hormones all over the place, post-partum(sp?) depression, the stress/anxiety of a new baby and the changes to the dynamics of the household overall, this would've hurt me deeply.

With a study like this, it's also suggesting then that children will be better bonded and less neglected by their mothers than their fathers since they can't breastfeed at all.

 
Articles like that really upset me. After I had my twin daughters people would always ask if I breatfed and when I said no they would treat me as if I was a horrible mother. I breastfed for 6 weeks and then my milk stopped coming in, if i could have gone longer I would have.
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its hard because people dont take the time to listen to me they just act as if im a horrible selfish person and thats why i didnt breastfeed.

 
Im very much for b/f and its benefits but extremly against the amount of negativity and labeling done to those who choose not to or cannot due to complications. It disgusts me the shame that is put apon women who have c-sect as well. I had my first child 100%natural no drugs but due to comps my 2nd delivery i had c-sect, in recovery a nurse came up and snidely remarked 'to posh to push huh love' was too heavily medicated to respond but it hurt.

 
Originally Posted by Ozee /img/forum/go_quote.gif I had my first child 100%natural no drugs but due to comps my 2nd delivery i had c-sect, in recovery a nurse came up and snidely remarked 'to posh to push huh love' was too heavily medicated to respond but it hurt. wow I would have punched her if I was you lol. And she was a nurse??? Shame on her.
 
ok leave it to me to post such an incredibly unpopular thread!

actually when i read it was intrigued by the bonding thing and wondering if a baby that was breast fed was somehow more "connected" to their mother than one that was not. So in other words they would never abandon or abuse their children or at least much less so.

I realize what a personal choice the issue of breast feeding is and so i apologize. The article does not make mention of this and so in this regard is rather poor.

 
Originally Posted by Andi /img/forum/go_quote.gif wow I would have punched her if I was you lol. And she was a nurse??? Shame on her. yup recovery unit nurse..looked at me once said her comment and went back to her friends and joked and laughed, don't know what about though.
 
Did u file a complaint?

Originally Posted by Ozee /img/forum/go_quote.gif yup recovery unit nurse..looked at me once said her comment and went back to her friends and joked and laughed, don't know what about though.
 
Originally Posted by Darla /img/forum/go_quote.gif ok leave it to me to post such an incredibly unpopular thread!
actually when i read it was intrigued by the bonding thing and wondering if a baby that was breast fed was somehow more "connected" to their mother than one that was not. So in other words they would never abandon or abuse their children or at least much less so.

I realize what a personal choice the issue of breast feeding is and so i apologize. The article does not make mention of this and so in this regard is rather poor.

Don't worry Darla! I'm sure none of the ladies here feel that this is your personal view. We're attacking the article and the study itself, not the messenger
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Yes sorry Darla I wasnt venting my anger at you hun.

Ricci no i didn't. I wish i did now but at the time i just didnt think of it. The midwives/nurses in maternity/special care were all so sweet and nice so it partialy made up for it.

 
Originally Posted by Adrienne /img/forum/go_quote.gif Don't worry Darla! I'm sure none of the ladies here feel that this is your personal view. We're attacking the article and the study itself, not the messenger
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No not to worry i have a thick skin anyway and my response was somewhat tongue in cheek. Its just funny that i read it and came away with such a different impression because i just didn't pick up on the objections to it. I understand it now perfectly. Somehow me thinks there is a lesson there.
 
ozee- I know how you feel, I had a c section with my twins and the first nurse i had was totally rude about it but i complained to her boss about it and the nurse had to come apologize to me, especially when she found out one of my babies would have died if i pushed them out cuz she had both cords around her neck.

I didnt mean any attacks with my post, I think breastfeeding is a wonderful thing i think the neglect and bonds come from the mother and environment. for example, i only could breastfeed for 6 weeks but wanted to go longer, due to complications, my milk not coming in and one of my girls being sick, i wasnt able too but i love my daughters more then anything and give them anything and everything they need and 'want' (they are only 8 months) now an ex friend has breast fed for the last 7 months and hates it! she pumps but gives her daughter a bottle and complains if she trys to suck on her at all. I spend more time with her due to babysitting then her mother because she would rather party. When she is with her baby she leaves her on the floor to play by herself and totally ignores her.(the father finally stepped up and takes care of the baby now and they mom doesnt)

hope this all makes sense
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all07s thats horrible sorry you had to go through it. You would think nurses/midwives would have enough common sense to be a bit more sensitive. Sometimes i wonder why they are in that field to begin with.

 
Breast-feeding and C-sections, two very sensitive subjects for a lot of women.

I've had a c-section, and it probably saved my son's life. He had the cord wrapped around his neck very tightly too. Every time I mentioned that I had a c-section to someone, they'd always give me some kind of snide remark. To this day I ignore them, I don't care what people think.

I guess I'm getting off topic from the original post, but c-sections were mentioned.. and that is a sensitive subject for me as well.

 

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