The purpose of this study is to examine the ways in which self-reported and biological markers of stress during pregnancy and in the postpartum period relate to inflammation outcomes.

It is well-understood that psychological stress plays a key role in creating disparities in pregnancy and child outcomes. However, there is less clarity about how stress after delivery shapes infant feeding behavior. Moreover, other studies have lacked long term data of birthing parents’ self-reported and biological stress measures in the postpartum period. This study attempts to identify the way stress and infant feeding behavior influence each other using a more comprehensive analysis. 

This study follows a large group of participants following delivery to learn about their:

• support and relationships
• perceived stress
• sleep patterns
• biology
• and infant feeding experiences

A more in-depth understanding of the relationship between these factors can be used to better inform psychosocial and infant feeding support provided to birthing parents before and after pregnancy.

200 participants will be enrolled into this study.

• The phone surveys will provide information about a participant’s perceived stress, mood, and support after delivery of their baby. Questions about the participant’s infant feeding behavior will be used to understand how those variables may be affecting their parenting experience.
• From the blood and breast milk samples, we will measure molecules and hormones that are affected by stress and are important to maternal and child health. We will investigate how a birthing parent’s stress before and after delivery influence these molecules, and how these molecules are provided to the infant via breast milk.
• Participants’ medical records up until 6 months postpartum will be used to gather information about the birthing parent and their infant’s health after delivery.