Longitudinal changes in wellbeing amongst breastfeeding women in Australia and New Zealand during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted new mothers’ wellbeing and breastfeeding experience. Women have experienced changes in birth and postnatal care and restricted access to their support network. It is unclear how these impacts may have changed over time with shifting rates of infection and policies restricting movement and access to services in Australia and New Zealand. This study investigated the longitudinal effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on breastfeeding and maternal wellbeing in Australia and New Zealand. Mothers (n = 246) completed an online survey every 4 weeks for 6 months that examined feeding methods, maternal mental wellbeing, worries, challenges, and positive experiences during the pandemic. Mothers maintained high full breastfeeding rates at 4 months (81%) which decreased to 37% at 6 months. Perceived low milk supply contributed to the earlier cessation of full breastfeeding. Poor infant sleep was associated with stress, perinatal anxiety, mental wellbeing, and breastfeeding status. Although mothers initially reported that lockdowns helped with family bonding and less pressure, prolonged lockdowns appeared to have adverse effects on access to social networks and extended family support. Conclusion: The results highlight the changing dynamic of the pandemic and the need for adaptable perinatal services which allow mothers access to in-person services and their support network even in lockdowns. Similarly, access to continuous education and clinical care remains critical for women experiencing concerns about their milk supply, infant sleep, and their own wellbeing. What is Known:• The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown restrictions have significantly affected perinatal mental health, disrupted maternal services, and subsequent breastfeeding. What is New:• In Australia and New Zealand, breastfeeding women experienced challenges to their mental wellbeing, sleep, and breastfeeding, which was likely exacerbated over time by the pandemic. Lockdowns, while initially beneficial for some families, became detrimental to maternal support and wellbeing.

Strengths-Based Care: A Postpartum Plan for a Positive Fourth Trimester Experience

“…The difficulties in marital relationships expressed by the participants align with the study by Asadi et al 24 , which observes that relationships with partners evolve into a new form of cooperation for child care during this period. The challenges of managing daily life are supported by the studies of Ayers et al, 25 Brown and Shenker, 26 Caetano et al, 27 Hadjigeorgiou et al, 28 Joy et al, 29 and Sakalidis et al 30 This study corroborates the results of the scoping review regarding maternal difficulties and concerns in the fourth trimester, except for the added difficulties related to multiculturalism, since the sample is predominantly Portuguese. The needs of the triad identified from the participants' perspective are supported by the study of Ribeiro et al, 6 which concludes that there is a need for social, physical, emotional, and informational support in the postpartum period.…”

An exploration into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal mental health in high-and middle-income countries with a case study in East Sussex

“…Support from family and friends lacked considerably throughout the pandemic; a total of thirty-nine studies highlight the importance of this (5, 10, 12, 14, 17–19, 23, 24, 26–33, 35–39, 42–44, 4654, 56, 57, 59–61). Social support is proven to be protective against poor mental health outcomes both in pregnancy and postnatally (36, 51, 53).…”

Estudo comparativo sobre o Aleitamento Materno na realidade da pandemia de COVID-19 em Hospital Amigo da Criança no Nordeste brasileiro

“…Interessante ressaltar que este ponto gera discordância na literatura, já que o afastamento que inicialmente beneficiou as famílias trouxe muito desconforto e insegurança quando houve um prolongamento do tempo de lockdown. (Sakalidis, 2022;Brown, 2021;Yu, 2022).…”