The Impact of Breastfeeding Methods and Behavior During Breastfeeding on Mother-Infant Bonding
Release Date:
Medical SchoolA research team from the EcoChil Study Kochi Unit Center (Kochi University), led by Atsuko Mori, a Specially Appointed Researcher in the Department of Environmental Medicine, examined how breastfeeding methods and maternal behaviors during breastfeeding are associated with mother-infant bonding at one year postpartum, using data from approximately 80,000 mother-infant pairs from the Ministry of the Environment’s “National Survey on Children’s Health and the Environment (EcoChil Study).”The results showed that behaviors such as making eye contact with the infant or speaking to the infant during breastfeeding reduce the risk of weakened bonding, regardless of the feeding method. Furthermore, breastfeeding was associated with a slight reduction in this risk; in particular, the risk was lowest among mothers who breastfed and actively engaged with their infants during feedings. This study highlights the importance of supporting breastfeeding mothers in their interactions with their infants.
The findings of this study were published in the international journal *Attachment & Human Development*.
*The views expressed in this study are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Ministry of the Environment or the National Institute for Environmental Studies.*
[Paper Information]
Title: Relationships among feeding method, maternal behavior during feeding, and mother–infant bonding at 1 year postpartum: the Japan Environment and Children’s Study
Authors: Atsuko Mori1,2, Naw Awn J-P1,2, Kaori Komori1,2, Naomi Mitsuda3, Momo Imanaka1,2, Nagamasa Maeda4, Ryuhei Nagai4, Hiroaki Hisakawa3, Masamitsu Eitoku1,2,5, Narufumi Suganuma1,2,5 & the Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS) Group6
1 Kochi UniversityMedical SchoolDepartment of Medical Sciences / Division of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, Department of Environmental Medicine
2 Kochi University Research Center for Child Health and Environmental Medicine
3 Kochi UniversityMedical SchoolDepartment of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
4 Kochi UniversityMedical SchoolDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology
5 Kochi UniversityMedical SchoolOpen Innovation Hub MEDi
6 Composed of the Chair of the Eco-Child Study Steering Committee (Principal Investigator), the Director of the Core Center, the Representative of the Medical Support Center, and representatives from each unit center
Journal: Attachment & Human Development
DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2025.2609262