Breastfeeding And Good Fats Help New Moms Fight Depression
By Lori Wright, Media Relations
May 2, 2007
Breastfeeding and the good fats in Omega-3 fatty acids
help new moms fight depression, according to a new article
published in the most recent issue of the International
Breastfeeding Journal by a UNH researcher.
The review was authored by Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, a
health psychologist and researcher at UNH’s Crimes
against Children Research Center. Kendall-Tackett presents
her findings in the article “A
New Paradigm for Depression in New Mothers: The Central
Role of Inflammation and How
Breastfeeding and Anti-Inflammatory Treatments Protect Maternal
Mental Health.”
“Depression in new mothers is common in many cultures,
affecting anywhere from 10 percent to 20 percent of postpartum
women. In some high-risk populations, the percentage can
even be as high as 40 percent or 50 percent. Since depression
has devastating effects on both mother and baby, it's vital
that it be identified and treated promptly. Depressed mothers
are also more likely to stop breastfeeding with negative
health effects for each,” Kendall-Tackett said.
According to Kendall-Tackett, physical and psychological
stressors increase inflammation, which is one of the top
contributors to depression in new mothers. Most current
treatments for depression, including the long-chain Omega-3
fatty acids EPA and DHA, are anti-inflammatory.
New mothers experience an increase in inflammation because
of increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines. These
levels dramatically increase in the last trimester of pregnancy
and continue to elevate during the postpartum period.
Moreover, common experiences of new motherhood, such as
sleep disturbance, postpartum pain, and past or current
psychological trauma, act as stressors that cause proinflammatory
cytokine levels to rise, according to Kendall-Tackett.
“Breastfeeding protects maternal mood by lowering
stress. When stress levels are lower, the mother's inflammatory
response system will not be activated, thereby lowering
her risk of depression,” she said. “However
positive these results, I must issue one caveat: they only
apply when breastfeeding is going well. As noted earlier,
when breastfeeding that is not going well, particularly
if there is pain, it becomes a trigger to depression rather
than something that lessens the risk. Mothers' mental health
is yet another reason to intervene quickly when breastfeeding
difficulties arise.”
Kendall-Tackett chairs the New Hampshire Breastfeeding
Taskforce and is an International Board Certified Lactation
Consultant. Her current research interests include the impact
of maternal depression and the psychological aspects of
breastfeeding.
She recently developed a curriculum and resource guide
for health care providers, “A
Breastfeeding-Friendly Approach to Depression in New Mothers.” .
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