Autistic women's views and experiences of infant feeding: A systematic review of qualitative evidence.
Aimee Grant, Sara Jones, Kathryn Williams and 2 others
PMID 35411810WHAT IT FOUND
Autistic mothers described maternity services as inaccessible due to unasked touches, vague questions, and sensory overload.
Support groups felt impossible to navigate. One-to-one help and written materials worked. Clinicians must ask about sensory needs and avoid assuming standard breastfeeding advice applies.
Key findings
01Autistic mothers reported that health professionals frequently touched them without asking, sat too close, or caused pain during examinations, ignoring their sensory needs.
02Standard support channels like telephone helplines and group meetings were described as inaccessible or negative, whereas one-to-one support and clear written materials were valued.
03Breastfeeding was often difficult due to severe pain, hypersensitivity to touch, and overwhelming sensations like the baby's body contact or milk let-down.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The review relied heavily on grey literature (blogs and personal accounts) alongside only eight peer-reviewed studies, which may introduce selection bias. Participants were generally White, cis-gendered, heterosexual, and in long-term relationships, limiting generalisability to other demographic groups. The studies did not include data from Autistic birthing parents of minority genders (e.g., trans men, non-binary people). The review is a synthesis of qualitative experiences and does not measure clinical outcomes or the effectiveness of specific interventions.
Declared interests
The authors declared that K.W. is a director of Autistic UK, an organisation that provides consultancy on a not-for-profit basis. The research was supported by non-US government funding.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret these themes as evidence that specific interventions (like sensory-friendly clinics) have been tested and proven to improve infant health outcomes. The paper reports what Autistic mothers said they experienced and needed, not the measured results of providing those accommodations.