Association of Breastfeeding Difficulties and Perceived Emotional Support with Retrospectively Reported Early-Postpartum Emotional Symptoms: A Cross-Sectional Study in Croatia

Background: Breastfeeding difficulties and perceived support may be related to maternal emotional wellbeing, but their associations with early emotional symptoms require investigation. Objective: To examine associations between retrospectively reported breastfeeding difficulties, breastfeeding-related emotional burden, perceived emotional support, and early-postpartum emotional symptoms among mothers in Croatia. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey included 1378 women who had given birth within the preceding 12 months and reported their experiences during the first 14 days postpartum. Emotional symptoms were assessed using an investigator-developed, non-diagnostic five-item score (range 1–5). Analyses used nonparametric tests, Spearman correlations, and covariate-adjusted linear regression. Moderation by perceived emotional support was tested. Results: Participants reporting breastfeeding difficulties had higher symptom scores than those without difficulties (3.28 vs. 2.72; adjusted B = 0.490, 95% CI 0.350–0.631, p < 0.001). Among women reporting difficulties, emotional burden was positively correlated with symptom scores (Spearman’s ρ = 0.347; p < 0.001), and the burden rating (5 vs. 1) was associated with higher scores after adjustment (B = 0.721, 95% CI 0.415–1.028; p < 0.001). Perceived emotional support was negatively associated with symptom scores (B = −0.241, 95% CI −0.287 to −0.195; p < 0.001). The breastfeeding-difficulty × perceived-emotional-support interaction was not significant (B = −0.052, p = 0.381). Findings were consistent after excluding women reporting symptoms lasting longer than 14 days. Conclusions: Breastfeeding difficulties and greater breastfeeding-related emotional burden were associated with higher early-postpartum emotional symptoms, whereas greater perceived emotional support was associated with lower scores. No moderation by perceived emotional support was detected.