Realigning Expectations With Reality: A Case Study on Maternal Mental Health During a Difficult Breastfeeding Journey.

This is a single case report, so it describes what happened to a mother and infant, not a pattern or a treatment effect. The mother was also an author and the subject of the case, so the account may not be independent. Many supports were given at once, including skin-to-skin, IBCLC advice, expressed milk or formula, triple feeding, fenugreek and oatmeal, chiropractic care, infant massage, mental health care, pain and women's health care, pediatric and breastfeeding medicine care, work pumping, and time. No single component can be separated. The case cannot show whether improvement was caused by the supports or by the infant's own recovery over time. Lactation support was not standardized, and providers did not communicate or coordinate care.

The mother described in the case is an author. Another author was her mental health care provider. Another author is an IBCLC who was not involved in her care. Another author is a research assistant in her lab.

Do not read the later return to direct breastfeeding as proof that stopping direct breastfeeding caused it. This is a single case, the mother received several supports at once, and there was no comparison group.