Globally the rates of breastfeeding duration are extremely low and postnatal mental health issues are common. As a result, it is important to examine the emotions that underlie these matters. Across two studies (one correlational study N = 160 and one experimental study N = 118), we examined participants’ experiences of shame and guilt when feeding their baby, and the relationship between these emotions with breastfeeding behaviors and internalized stigma. We also examined the psychosocial factors that predict internalized stigma, and whether shame and guilt mediate these relationships. We focused on three factors that have been shown to be associated with internalized stigma in other domains: self-esteem and social support (Study 1), as well as self-efficacy (Study 2). Multiple regression revealed that experienced guilt uniquely predicted a shorter duration of exclusive breastfeeding (Study 1). Higher self-efficacy (Study 2), self-esteem, and perceived social support (Study 1) predicted lower internalized stigma of feeding choice. We found that shame was a mediator for the self-esteem and internalized stigma relationship (Study 1), while guilt was a mediator for the self-efficacy and internalized stigma relationship (Study 2). Our findings highlight the importance of experienced shame and guilt in mothers’ infant feeding experiences. The current results can inform future research and the design of interventions to improve breastfeeding rates and reduce feelings of stigma.

中文翻译：

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婴儿喂养和内化污名：内疚和羞耻的作用

在全球范围内，母乳喂养持续时间的比率极低，产后心理健康问题很常见。因此，检查这些问题背后的情绪是很重要的。跨越两项研究（一项相关研究N  = 160 和一项实验研究N = 118)，我们研究了参与者在喂养婴儿时的羞耻感和内疚感，以及这些情绪与母乳喂养行为和内化耻辱感之间的关系。我们还研究了预测内化污名的社会心理因素，以及羞耻和内疚是否会调节这些关系。我们关注已被证明与其他领域内化耻辱感相关的三个因素：自尊和社会支持（研究 1），以及自我效能（研究 2）。多元回归显示，经历过的内疚独特地预测了较短的纯母乳喂养持续时间（研究 1）。较高的自我效能（研究 2）、自尊和感知到的社会支持（研究 1）预测了较低的喂养选择内化耻辱感。我们发现羞耻是自尊和内化污名关系的中介（研究 1），而内疚是自我效能和内化污名关系的中介（研究 2）。我们的研究结果强调了在母亲的婴儿喂养经历中经历的羞耻和内疚的重要性。目前的结果可以为未来的研究和干预措施的设计提供信息，以提高母乳喂养率和减少耻辱感。