The Relationship between Life Stress and Breastfeeding Outcomes among Low-Income Mothers

Table 3

Comparison of stress categories and breastfeeding outcomes modeling for breastfeeding cessation.

	Cessation of any BF by 4 weeks		Cessation of any BF by 13 weeks		Cessation of exclusive^e BF by 4 weeks		Cessation of exclusive^e BF by 13 weeks
	OR (95% CI)	𝑃 value	OR (95% CI)	𝑃 value	OR (95% CI)	𝑃 value	OR (95% CI)	𝑃 value
Financial stress^a		0.02		0.68		0.13		0.17
Yes	2.26 (1.16, 4.40)		1.11 (0.68, 1.80)		1.47 (0.89, 2.43)		1.55 (0.32, 2.89)
Emotional stress^b		0.34		0.30		0.32		0.79
Yes	0.73 (0.38, 1.39)		1.31 (1.79, 2.18)		1.32 (0.77, 2.28)		1.10 (0.56, 2.15)
Traumatic stress^c		0.29		0.16		0.03		<0.01
Yes	1.38 (0.76, 2.48)		1.43 (0.86, 2.36)		1.86 (1.07, 3.25)		3.94 (1.61, 9.61)
Partner-Associated stress^d		0.06		0.01		0.10		<0.01
Yes	1.73 (0.98, 3.04)		1.82 (1.15, 2.88)		1.50 (0.92, 2.42)		2.80 (1.46, 5.37)

Note: Reference is “no” for all 4 types of stress. Modeling for breastfeeding cessation. OR score 1< indicates more likely to breastfeed; OR score 1> indicates less likely to breastfeed.
Abbreviations: BF: breastfeeding.
^aFinancial stress (𝑛=339) defined as answering yes to one of the following occurring during or in the month after pregnancy: big problems with money, moved to a new address.
^bEmotional stress (𝑛=331) defined as answering yes to one of the following occurring during or in the month after pregnancy: family member had serious accident/illness, husband/partner had serious accident/illness, husband/partner died, friend/relative died.
^cTraumatic stress (𝑛=335) defined as answering yes to one of the following occurring during or in the month after pregnancy: stayed in a shelter or needed emergency shelter, physical fights with partner/husband or someone else, husband/partner had legal trouble and/or went to jail, mother had legal trouble and/or went to jail, someone very close had a problem with drinking or drugs.
^dPartner-Associated stress (𝑛=341) defined as answering yes to one of the following occurring during or in the month after pregnancy: separated from husband/partner, argued with husband/partner more often, husband/partner said he did not want pregnancy.
^eBreastfeeding exclusivity was defined as the infant receiving only breast milk and no other liquid or solid food. This calculated outcome was based on mothers self-report of length of breastfeeding (infant age when last received breastmilk) and age when the infant first received formula, other liquids cereal, or solid foods.