Psychological health, maternal attachment and attachment style in breast- and formula-feeding mothers: a preliminary study

This study examined psychological health, maternal attachment, and attachment style in an Australian sample of breast- and formula-feeding mothers. Thirty-six breast- feeding and 24 formula-feeding women with a child between 4 and 6 months of age were recruited through community health centres and snowball sampling. Participation involved a 30-minute interview and completion of relevant questionnaires. Contrary to expectations, no differences were found between breast- and formula-feeding mothers in terms of their psychological health and maternal attachment. Results suggest that secure attachment styles are related to greater psychological health and that they predict the likelihood of a mother changing feeding method. The results of this study challenge widely held assumptions concerning the importance of breast-feeding for maternal well-being and attachment with infants, and support the literature suggesting attachment styles play an important role in affect regulation and the adjustment to new motherhood.