The fact that some women can breastfeed and others can’t, is a topic on the tongues of most new mothers. The proclivity to breastfeed and wanting to continue to breastfeed is found to have a lot to do with a mother’s personality. Before delivering, a new mother may need to acquire additional help to confidently continue breastfeeding by breaking through breastfeeding barriers.
Why do some mothers want to breastfeed longer than others? New research suggests that personality is a key factor in determining if a mother wants to breastfeed and how long she wants to maintain this practice. A study that was published by the Journal of Advanced Nursing, found that women who had different personalities from one another were affected when breastfeeding. Investigators have found the women who were more extroverted and less anxious were likely to breastfeed longer than mothers who were introverted and anxious.
The information from the study found there to be a link with a mother’s personality and the experience of breastfeeding, one of these reasons being because of how a mother feels about herself. Mothers who were introverted felt a lot more self-conscious when breastfeeding around others, and would rather formula feed because of pressure they felt from those around them. On the other side of the spectrum, women who were anxious found breastfeeding to be difficult and couldn’t get the support they needed. These factors are known to be linked to low breastfeeding rates.
The woman who suffer now from these disorders, and want to breastfeed in the future because of the important health benefits breastfeeding gives to both mother and baby, will need to gain the pertinent information needed to go further. These women are the ones who will need extra support in order to get extra boost of confidence. The more anxious or introverted a mother is, the more they will need the extra attention to learn ways on how to solve these important problems. This might mean getting access to support services which are readily available.
The study has brought much insight to the many women who suffer from anxiety. This invaluable information will help new mothers who have certain personality disorders feel secure and confident, understanding all there is to know about breastfeeding. There is help and services available before you become a mother who wants to breastfeed.