Examining Parental Reflective Functioning and Breastfeeding Patterns

49 pagesMotherhood is an inimitable experience in one’s life. It is viewed as a significant moment and is often considered to be the entry into adulthood. But, many women across the globe don’t feel prepared. They often experience fatigue, tiredness, depression, loneliness, powerlessness, anger, and a sense of uncertainty. For many, incorporating breastfeeding as well as a myriad of other life changes (e.g., sleep patterns, work schedule, relationship changes, etc.) present serious challenges to coping and adjustment. Parental reflective functioning denotes one’s ability to perceive self and child in terms of mental states, such as feelings, desires, and goals. It helps with the successful navigation of parent-child interaction. In this research, we investigate the extent to which parental reflective functioning is related to mothers’ adjustment to their breastfeeding experiences and success, in conjunction with other factors, such as depression/stress/anxiety and level of social support. Our findings will offer altogether new insight into the struggles and achievements of motherhood