PREPARTUM AND POSTPARTUM MOODS OF BREAST FEEDING AND BOTTLE FEEDING MOTHERS (LEVEL OF EDUCATION).
Item
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Title
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PREPARTUM AND POSTPARTUM MOODS OF BREAST FEEDING AND BOTTLE FEEDING MOTHERS (LEVEL OF EDUCATION).
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Identifier
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AAI8611345
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identifier
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8611345
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Creator
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GOODFIELD, HELEN MARJORIE.
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Contributor
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Florence l . Denmark
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Date
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1986
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Psychology, Personality
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Abstract
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This study attempted to compare the effects of breast feeding and bottle feeding on maternal mood, up to the third postpartum month. The postpartum has typically been regarded as a period during which mothers often feel anxious and depressed. However, breast feeding has recently been recognized as physically and emotionally pleasurable for mothers. It was thus hypothesized that breast feeding mothers would manifest more positive postpartum mood levels than bottle feeding mothers.;Fifty-nine primpaparas between 19 and 48 years of age were recruited from Duke University Medical Center's Department of Obstetrics and several other large practices. Respondents completed eight of Wessman and Ricks' (1966) Personal Feeling Scales for seven consecutive evenings, during three data collection periods: the last trimester of pregnancy, baby's age two weeks, and baby's age three months. In addition, a questionnaire was completed once during each period.;Although breast feeders did appear to find motherhood more enjoyable, they failed to score higher on the Personal Feeling Scales. Breast feeders remaining at home with the baby manifested greater fulfillment than those who returned to work, whereas bottle feeders appeared equally fulfilled whether home or working. Breast feeders manifested greater mood variability than bottle feeders at baby's age three months, but not at baby's age two weeks. Younger mothers manifested higher mood levels and greater variability than older mothers, and the amount of help mothers received with housework and/or baby was unrelated to mood level.;A surprising finding was that of negative corrections between mood levels and level of education (most pervasive at baby's age two weeks). The basis of the better educated mothers' lower mood levels may have been the discrepancy between their societally prescribed self-expectations and the self concept they experienced vis-a-vis the daily routine of motherhood.;It is suggested that the positive effects of breast feeding on mood were counteracted partially by the hormonal states and situational stresses of lactation, and (as the level of education was higher in the breast feeding group) partially by the higher self-expectations of the breast feeding mothers.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
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Program
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Psychology
