Breastfeeding in times of COVID-19: a scoping review.
Silvana Regina Rossi Kissula Souza, Ana Paula Pereira, Naiane Ribeiro Prandini and 4 others
PMID 35723901WHAT IT FOUND
Pandemic care both helped and disrupted breastfeeding.
Some mothers had more time and support, while separation, less lactation help, misinformation and stress led others to formula or to stop. Rooming-in, clear safety advice and remote support matter.
Key findings
01In included studies, formula feeding was reported for 56.8% and 63% of mothers with COVID-19, while breastfeeding also continued during some hospitalizations.
02Lactation support was often reduced in person, but telehealth and virtual visits helped some mothers continue breastfeeding or express milk.
03Postpartum women reported fear, stress, guilt and depressive symptoms, and included studies found exclusive breastfeeding was associated with lower postnatal depression scores.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
This is a scoping review, so it mapped available evidence and did not judge methodological quality or test whether any factor caused breastfeeding change. The included studies were very different in design and size, including case reports, comments and small surveys, so findings cannot be pooled into an effect. The search was limited to English, Portuguese and Spanish, no prospective protocol was published, and no manual searches were done. Most studies were from 2020 and 2021 and from varied countries and settings, so they may not reflect current care or all local services. Some included studies involved hospital professionals rather than postpartum women, so their reports may not show what patients experienced.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that COVID-19, separation or breastfeeding caused a specific change in feeding or mood. This review mapped mixed reports from heterogeneous studies, including small case reports and comments, and it did not test causes.