Summary
What is already known about this topic?
Evidence-based hospital practices supporting breastfeeding have sometimes conflicted with COVID-19 infection prevention and control measures.
What is added by this report?
During summer 2020, hospitals implemented a variety of practices intended to balance evidence-based maternity care with infection prevention and control. Because of the pandemic, 17.9% of hospitals reported that in-person lactation support had decreased, and 72.9% reported discharging mothers and their babies <48 hours after birth.
What are the implications for public health practice?
Additional postdischarge breastfeeding support and newborn follow-up might be needed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Longer-term monitoring of exclusive breastfeeding rates at hospital discharge will be important for assessing this aspect of the pandemic on infant health.
Approximately equal numbers of hospitals reported that their exclusive breastfeeding rates had increased and decreased; the majority reported the rate had stayed approximately the same. The reasons for these changes are unknown. However, the pandemic could contribute to reduced breastfeeding as a result of maternal/newborn separation and reductions in lactation support. On the other hand, the visitor restriction policies implemented by many hospitals could potentially provide more opportunities for breastfeeding and for a mother to learn her newborn’s feeding cues.§§§ Longer-term monitoring of exclusive breastfeeding rates at hospital discharge will be important to assess as one measure of the impact of the pandemic on infant health.
To read the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's report, please click here.
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