Either 'a blessing in disguise', or 'I couldn't get help,': Australian and Aotearoa NZ women's experiences of early infant feeding during COVID-19.
Marjorie Atchan, Kristen Graham, Nicki Hartney and 6 others
PMID 36443218WHAT IT FOUND
New mothers said telehealth and shortened postnatal visits did not allow enough visual feeding assessment or infant weighing.
Some found visitor restrictions peaceful. They wanted face-to-face support when breastfeeding difficulties arose.
Key findings
01Women described shortened or telehealth postnatal visits as not allowing enough visual feeding assessment or physical checks of the baby, and many babies were not weighed in the first weeks.
02Some women found visitor restrictions gave them privacy and peace to establish breastfeeding.
03Inadequate support heightened feelings of isolation and inadequacy for some women.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only 27 women were interviewed, and the findings are specific to Australia and New Zealand during the first wave of the pandemic in 2020. The study was done before COVID-19 was widespread in the communities studied, and no participant had a positive test. Māori women's voices were not well represented, despite efforts to connect with this group. Participants were recruited through social media and selected for varied locations and maternity care models, so they may not represent all new mothers. Local public health restrictions varied, so experiences were not uniform across participants. The researchers had midwifery and motherhood backgrounds, and they acknowledged that this could shape interpretation.
Declared interests
University of Canberra DVCRI Contribution Funding provided $9400. The authors reported no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that telehealth or shortened postnatal visits are adequate for every new mother. Women with breastfeeding difficulties said these formats did not allow enough visual feeding assessment or infant weighing. Do not conclude that visitor restrictions helped everyone; some women found them peaceful, while others said they increased isolation and distress.