The Relationship Among Breastfeeding, Postpartum Depression, and Postpartum Weight in Mexican American Women.

This was a secondary observational analysis of a parent trial, not a randomized test of breastfeeding, so it cannot prove breastfeeding caused weight or depression differences. The sample was limited to low-income women of Mexican origin with pre-pregnancy BMI of 25 or greater, and it excluded women with serious medical or psychological disease or serious postpartum complications. The analysis combined women from the intervention and control groups, and some women received breastfeeding education and support as part of the parent intervention, so other supports may have influenced outcomes. Follow-up was only 1 and 6 months postpartum, and weight retention is often measured later, such as at 12 months. Observed power was low for several tests, including as low as .34 for some breastfeeding-by-time analyses, so null depression findings may reflect limited sample size. Home visits and repeated contact may have provided social support that could affect depression scores. The significant weight finding came from an exploratory any breastfeeding versus no breastfeeding comparison, not from the original three-category change analysis.

The authors reported no conflict of interest or relevant financial relationships.

Do not read this as proof that breastfeeding prevents postpartum depression or causes weight loss. The depression associations were not significant, and the weight association was observational and partly exploratory.