Breast may not always be best: moderation of effects of postnatal depression by breastfeeding and infant sex

Abstract

Highlights Female infants breastfed by mothers with high depressive symptoms showed the highest levels of negative emotionality at age 14 months. Conversely, female infants breastfed by mothers with very low depressive symptoms showed the lowest negative emotionality. Negative emotionality of males was unrelated to maternal postnatal depression and breastfeeding at 14 months of age. We provide novel evidence that effects of maternal postnatal depression on infant emotional outcomes is moderated by breastfeeding status and differs by infant sex.

Keywords

• Postnatal depression
• Breastfeeding
• Negative emotionality
• Sex differences