Breastfeeding During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Breastfeeding Concerns for Covid-19 Mothers
Covid-19 Transmission through Breast Milk: Misconception or Fact
Covid-19 Pandemic Psychosocial Impact: Mothers and Maternal Health
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Breastfeeding is the most recommended form of nutrition and survival antic for a young child’s optimum development. With the Covid-19 pandemic ravaging the world and taking a heavy toll on the healthcare delivery system, maternal healthcare had many questions on how to proceed. Covid-19 transmission includes the exchange of droplets through the mouth or nose after coughing or exhaling with a symptomatic or asymptomatic person. It raised concerns for breastfeeding mothers who have to administer close-contact caregiving to newborns and direct feeding through breast milk. The paper aims to discuss the advice a lactating patient should get in regards to breastfeeding when diagnosed with Covid-19, how to minimize the risk of transmission to a healthy baby, a breakdown of a breastfeeding-Coronavirus misconception, and a discussion of ways to promote a mother’s psychosocial wellbeing during the pandemic.

Breastfeeding Concerns for Covid-19 Mothers

Since the pandemic began, breastfeeding has become a topic of conversation between healthcare personnel and mothers who wish the very best for their children. Breastmilk offers the newborn child protection against diseases, a lower chance of contracting other infections and bugs, and long-term benefits as the baby continue to grow. The WHO recommends that lactating mothers consistently breastfeed their children for the first six months without other alternatives in the baby’s diet (WHO, 2020). After that period, the breast milk should continue being availed to the baby for up to two or more years, with complementary dishes introduced gradually. Despite the fears expressed by patients who had contracted Covid-19, breastfeeding remains a safe practice for symptomatic and asymptomatic lactating mothers.

The challenges caused by the outbreak of the Coronavirus affected all aspects of human life, especially close contact, which is a huge part of maternal health. The recommendation by WHO includes uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact between a mother and child during the rooming-in period (WHO, 2020). It was a practice encouraged before Covid-19 came along, and even with the new normal, it remains an encouraging practice, albeit with some reservations. Safe practices when conducting breastfeeding and rooming-in, namely handwashing and wearing a mask when holding the baby, were reinvigorated to minimize transmission risks (Swain, 2021). While some risk was identified initially, the lack of a conclusive answer made the rewards of breastfeeding far outweigh the risks of not breastfeeding an infant.

Covid-19 Transmission through Breast Milk: Misconception or Fact

Since the pandemic began, there has been more research into the toss-up of whether there is a real chance for Covid-19 to get transmitted between a mother and the infant through breastfeeding. The most pronounced and scientifically proven method of exchange is the exchange of droplets through the mouth and nose after a cough or exhale with someone asymptomatic or symptomatic of the disease. Following a study taking samples from women who had returned positive tests for coronavirus type 2, breast milk was confirmed to have SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA after a recent infection (Krogstad et al., 2022). SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA is the scientific name for the type of Covid-19 that induces severe acute respiratory syndrome in patients. Nevertheless, it was safe for breastfeeding to continue happening for the well-being of the child.

The explanation to a new mother and her family would require a more basic interpretation of such information. The detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA meant that breast milk did contain the virus for Covid-19 for samples taken from mothers who recently got infected. However, the RNA detected was not infectious and posed no threat of Covid-19 transmission, as seen in past studies (Aiman et al., 2021; Krogstad et al., 2022). It reaffirmed past notions that breast milk had little chance of infecting infants through direct breastfeeding. Nevertheless, there is a need for further research on the possible changes the SARS-CoV-2 viral presence in breast milk could mean (Centeno‐Tablante et al., 2020). The investigation would feature data collection on the impact of the viral presence of a non-infectious Covid-19 in breast milk and its possible impact on the infant’s feeding habits.

Covid-19 Pandemic Psychosocial Impact: Mothers and Maternal Health

The pandemic has led to high-stress levels, depressive symptoms, and anxiety among the populace, but more so for pregnant and postpartum women. The ability to bring life into the world gets associated with a positive postpartum experience for women with psychological problems during the perinatal stage (Kuipers et al., 2022). The Covid-19 pandemic hurt this stage as it facilitated more stressors as they transitioned through a significant change in their lives. Social distancing restrictions, in particular, meant a limited amount of emotional and practical support during the transition, resulting in a negative experience (Jackson et al., 2021). Some recommendations that worked included allowing one support partner to attend appointments with the mother and allowing her a chance to express herself when the chance arose, including during an appointment. For the newborn’s sake, offering additional resources for their wellbeing was helpful.

Conclusion

Breastfeeding offers children a chance to have great maternal health, which encompasses a stronger immune system that is not easily susceptible to illnesses, among other health-wise aspects. While the pandemic raised concerns on the subject, including the chances of transmission between a mother and her child, WHO recommendations encourage the practice to continue as originally stipulated. Further research into the subject revealed that the virus in the breast milk was at non-infectious levels; hence, there was little need for concern. Nevertheless, the pandemic did affect mothers’ perinatal periods, which raises concern about fostering their psychological well-being.

References

Aiman, U., Sholehah, M., & Husein, M. G. (2021). Risk transmission through breastfeeding and antibody in COVID-19 mother. Gaceta Sanitaria, 35, S524-S529. Web.

Centeno‐Tablante, E., Medina‐Rivera, M., Finkelstein, J. L., Rayco‐Solon, P., Garcia‐Casal, M. N., Rogers, L., Ghezzi‐Kopel, K., Ridwan, P., Peña‐Rosas, J. P., & Mehta, S. (2020). Transmission of SARS‐Cov‐2 through breast milk and breastfeeding: A living systematic review. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1484(1), 32-54. Web.

Jackson, L., De Pascalis, L., Harrold, J. A., Fallon, V., & Silverio, S. A. (2021). Postpartum women’s psychological experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic: A modified recurrent cross-sectional thematic analysis. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 21(1). Web.

Krogstad, P., Contreras, D., Ng, H., Tobin, N., Chambers, C. D., Bertrand, K., Bode, L., & Aldrovandi, G. M. (2022). No infectious SARS-Cov-2 in breast milk from a cohort of 110 lactating women. Pediatric Research. Web.

Kuipers, Y. J., Bleijenbergh, R., Van den Branden, L., Van Gils, Y., Rimaux, S., Brosens, C., Claerbout, A., & Mestdagh, E. (2022). Psychological health of pregnant and postpartum women before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. PLOS ONE, 17(4), e0267042. Web.

Swain, D., Parida, S. P., & Das, H. (2021). Busting of myths and misconceptions about breast feeding during COVID-19 pandemic and its societal importance: A brisk review. International Journal of Reproduction, Contraception, Obstetrics and Gynecology, 10(2), 818-824. Web.

WHO. (2020). Breastfeeding and COVID-19. World Health Organization. Web.

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