Davies, Sian M, Todd-Leonida, Bethany F, Fallon, Victoria M 
ORCID: 0000-0002-7350-2568 and Silverio, Sergio A ORCID: 0000-0001-7177-3471
(2022)
Exclusive Breastfeeding Duration and Perceptions of Infant Sleep: The Mediating Role of Postpartum Anxiety
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH, 19 (8).
4494-.
ISSN 1661-7827, 1660-4601
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Abstract
(1) Background: Existing literature has identified associations between exclusive breast-feeding, maternal mental health, and infant sleep. This study aims to examine these relationships simultaneously and consider the mediating role of postpartum anxiety. (2) Methods: Participants completed validated measures of postpartum anxiety, infant sleep, and reported exclusive breast-feeding duration. Postpartum mothers with infants between six and twelve months (n = 470) were recruited to a cross-sectional online survey containing a battery of psychological measures. (3) Re-sults: Correlation analyses examined the relationships between the predictor (exclusive breastfeeding duration), outcome (perceptions of infant sleep), and mediator (postpartum anxiety). Exclusive breastfeeding duration was significantly associated with postpartum anxiety (p < 0.05), postpartum anxiety was significantly associated with perceptions of infant sleep (p < 0.001), and exclusive breastfeeding duration was significantly associated with perceptions of infant sleep (p < 0.001). A simple mediation model was conducted, showing a significant total (B = −0.029 (0.010), p < 0.05), direct (B = −0.035 (0.009), p < 0.001), and indirect effect (B = 0.007, SE = 0.003, 95% CI = 0.000 to 0.014) of exclusive breastfeeding duration on perceptions of infant sleep via postpartum anxiety. (4) Conclusions: Associations were identified between exclusive breastfeeding duration, postpartum anxiety, and perceptions of infant sleep. The mediation model suggests postpartum anxiety may be an underlying mechanism which reduces exclusive breastfeeding duration and negatively affects maternal perceptions of infant sleep quality.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | exclusive breastfeeding, postpartum anxiety, perceptions of infant sleep, mediation analysis |
| Divisions: | Faculty of Health & Life Sciences Faculty of Health & Life Sciences > Inst. Population Health |
| Depositing User: | Symplectic Admin |
| Date Deposited: | 25 May 2022 11:19 |
| Last Modified: | 16 Jun 2026 13:09 |
| DOI: | 10.3390/ijerph19084494 |
| Open Access URL: | https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19084494 |
| Related Websites: | |
| URI: | https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3155476 |
| Disclaimer: | The University of Liverpool is not responsible for content contained on other websites from links within repository metadata. Please contact us if you notice anything that appears incorrect or inappropriate. |
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