Mothers are more sensitive to infant cues after breastfeeding compared to bottle-feeding with human milk

• Published in: Hormones and behavior Vol. 136; p. 105047
• Main Authors: Hahn-Holbrook, Jennifer, Little, Emily E., Abbott, Marcia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.11.2021
• Subjects: Animals; Bottle-feeding; Breast Feeding; Breastfeeding; Cues; Endocrinology; Female; Humans; Infant; Mammals; Maternal behavior; Milk, Human; Mothers; Prolactin; Sensitivity; Maternal behavior; Sensitivity; Breastfeeding; Bottle-feeding; Prolactin; Endocrinology
• ISSN: 0018-506X; 1095-6867
• DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.105047

The belief that breastfeeding promotes maternal bonding is widely held by both the public and professional health organizations. Yet to our knowledge, all research examining the link between breastfeeding and maternal behavior in humans has been correlational, limiting our ability to draw causal conclusions. In many mammals, the hormone prolactin, which is central to milk production, rises in response to each breastfeeding session and promotes maternal sensitivity, yet there is a dearth of research in human mothers. To fill these research gaps, we randomly assigned 28 breastfeeding mothers to either breastfeed in the lab or feed their infants previously expressed breastmilk in a bottle before participating in a video-recorded free play session with their infant. Plasma prolactin was measured 40 min after the start of the feeding session and video observations were coded for maternal sensitivity. We found that women randomly assigned to breastfeed were more sensitive to infant cues than women randomly assigned to bottle-feed. Prolactin levels did not differ between feeding groups, although prolactin was positively correlated with maternal sensitivity. Our results suggest that feeding milk directly from the breast (compared to bottle-feeding) increases maternal sensitivity towards infants, at least in the short term. •Correlational studies suggest breastfeeding directly promotes maternal sensitivity•Prolactin may mediate this relationship but has not been studied in humans•Mothers randomly assigned to breastfeed (vs. bottle-feed) were more sensitive towards their infants immediately afterwards•Prolactin was positively correlated with maternal sensitivity•Family-friendly policies that enable mothers to feed directly from the breast may support maternal sensitivity