Supporting Breastfeeding in 2021 and Beyond—Lessons from the Pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected maternal and infant health globally both directly from infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus and indirectly from changes in health care resulting from social, economic, and health care policies unique to each country. The developing countries have to share the disproportionate burden on maternal and infant health. In this review, we discuss the uncertainties resulting from SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy, vertical transmission of the virus, and its effects on breastfeeding of the newborn. The problems of families and communities caring for mothers with COVID-19 and its impact on breastfeeding in newborns are discussed. The challenges posed by the pandemic have forced us to think and devise innovative solutions, including telemedicine help for antenatal counseling, breastfeeding education, and lactation support. Optimal utilization of resources and technology to find creative solutions at the individual and the community level will help in facilitating maternal–infant bonding soon after birth. Appropriate health care policies to support pregnant and lactating mothers will go a long way in meeting healthy child development goals.

Breastfeeding during a Pandemic

“…However, the same authors have shown how the structures committed to the UNICEF Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) managed to guarantee standards of care and procedures similar to those before the pandemic and provided better support for mothers with and without COVID-19. In addition to ongoing and unchanged support from health professionals, some authors have suggested new ways to ensure adequate help for nursing mothers during a pandemic [27, 28]. Telemedicine has been adopted to improve support for pregnant women in managing peculiar situations, such as gestational diabetes or weight gain [29].…”

“…Adequate prenatal training on breastfeeding can also be successfully conducted electronically [31]. A review by Singh et al [27] has summarized some of these innovative strategies, which are able to reach mothers even in rural or particular contexts and which appear to be an up-and-coming tool for the promotion and protection of breastfeeding in times of pandemic.…”

Breastfeeding in a COVID-19 world

“…Once at home, breastfeeding women experienced reduced access to lactation and mental health support [4 ▪ ,5,6]. The combination of restrictive policies, misinformation, and lack of evidence complicated the provision of human milk (HM) and maternal-infant bonding during the early months of the pandemic [7 ▪▪ ].…”

“…Several strategies have been proposed to help women across different stages in pregnancy and lactation during the pandemic (Table 1) [7 ▪▪ ]. Lactation telehealth services, including digital applications, telephone, mobile phone, and video conferencing, have been demonstrated to be equally effective and feasible in higher and lower-income populations.…”

An Online Cross-Sectional Survey of Complementary Feeding Practices during the COVID-19 Restrictions in Poland

“…While in-person pediatric consultations are invaluable, telehealth changes how care and education can be delivered. One such positive example is the role of telehealth in promoting breastfeeding [ 18 ]. In our opinion, telehealth, if accessible to all parents, provides an opportunity to promote appropriate infant feeding practices, and it is likely to help in improving the health and development of children.…”