2017 Volume 13 Issue 2 Pages 72-78
In the present study, we attempted to gain insights into ways to reduce breastfeeding anxiety in 1-month postpartum mothers. Specifically, we distributed an anonymous, selfadministered questionnaire to 196 mothers at 1 month postpartum, and then analyzed their responses from the perspective of mental and physical health sciences to determine their anxiety about breastfeeding and the factors related to this anxiety. All mothers (100%) responded to the questionnaire and 183 mothers (93.4%) provided valid responses.
Our analysis of the 183 valid responses showed that 106 mothers (57.9%) experienced breastfeeding anxiety. Factors related to this anxiety were “experience of childbirth,” “plans to return to work,” “previous participation in childbirth preparation classes,” “feedingmethods at discharge and 1 month postpartum,” “sleep status,” and “feeling or not feeling enjoyment from childrearing.” Additionally, factors directly related to breastfeeding anxiety were “tendency for insufficient breastmilk production,” “nipple and breast pain,” “baby's feeding style,” and “use of nipple protectors.”
Our findings suggest that primiparous mothers with no previous childrearing experience may have difficulty in acquiring the skills to raise their newborn in the brief period from immediately after childbirth until discharge.
