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 Researchers surveyed first-time mothers and found most of them
intended to breastfeed before their babies were born, regardless of
how much the women weighed. Most of the women expressed plans to
nurse for about one year, and this didn't differ much based on
whether they were obese.
But obese women were significantly more likely to anticipate
discomfort nursing in front of even close female friends. And, the
women who felt awkward or anxious being seen while breastfeeding
stopped much sooner than women who didn't mind nursing in front of
others.
"They seem to have all the same intentions, and have made the same
decisions as smaller women, but confidence and comfort issues are a
problem," said study co-author Dr. Ruth Newby of the University of
Queensland in Brisbane.
Pediatricians recommend that mothers exclusively breastfeed infants
until at least 6 months of age because it can reduce babies’ risk of
ear and respiratory infections, sudden infant death syndrome,
allergies, childhood obesity and diabetes.
Mothers can benefit too, with longer periods of breastfeeding linked
to lower risks of depression, bone deterioration and certain
cancers.
To see how obesity influences breastfeeding, Newby and her coauthor
surveyed 462 women, giving them questionnaires once before the baby
arrived and six times during the first year after birth. Each woman
completed at least one of the questionnaires.
Among 258 women who provided a pre-pregnancy weight, they ranged
from dangerously underweight to extremely obese, with an average
size that put them right on the edge between a normal size and
overweight.
Roughly one quarter of these women were overweight before pregnancy,
and about 17 percent were obese.
Researchers had data on breastfeeding for 371 women, including 195
women who also provided information about their weight.
Among 347 women who had babies born at full-term, 98 percent nursed
their infants at least once, researchers report in the European
Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Normal-weight women nursed significantly longer than overweight
mothers, and obese women continued for much less time than even
their overweight peers, the study found.
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Though there wasn't a meaningful difference in the women's
confidence about achieving their breastfeeding goals among the 274
participants who answered this question, obese women expressed much
more discomfort about nursing in different social situations than
other mothers.
The study doesn't prove obesity causes difficulties with
breastfeeding, the authors caution.
Other limitations include the high proportion of women who didn't
participate in each of the questionnaires as well as the reliance on
mothers to accurately recall and report their weight and
expectations and experiences with breastfeeding.
Even so, the findings suggest that more research is needed to
understand the drivers of social discomfort with breastfeeding among
obese women, the authors conclude.
Interventions during pregnancy might help address any body image
issues or psychological barriers to breastfeeding and help increase
the odds that obese women achieve their breastfeeding goals, the
authors note.
Obese women may also need help overcoming physical obstacles that
get in the way of successful breastfeeding, Newby said by email.
"Newborn babies have very tiny mouths, and larger women in
particular may have quite large breasts," Newby said.
"If the baby's mouth milks the breast in an effective way, it
empties the breast of milk and sets up hormonal signals which make
more milk," Newby said. "It's supply and demand."
"Babies of larger mums don't always get a good grip or latch and may
not be as good at emptying the breast and stimulating that milk
supply for themselves," Newby added.
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/1UNTQRO European Journal of Clinical
Nutrition, online March 23, 2016.
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