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ABSTRACT
With the nature of restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is anticipated that postnatal mothers would experience more challenges in breastfeeding. Therefore, the aims of this review are: (1) to review evidence regarding the impact of COVID-19 on breastfeeding experiences, (2) perceived challenges of mothers and (3) to identify any qualitative study that has been carried out in Malaysia, specifically on mothers with COVID-19. A qualitative synthesis of breastfeeding mothers' experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic was conducted. Databases of PubMed, Scopus, Wiley Online Library and ProQuest were searched using specific keywords and published peer-reviewed articles from 2019 to 2021 were screened for inclusion criteria. A total of seven relevant studies from five different countries were identified and reviewed. No study conducted in Malaysia was found at this time. This review suggested that breastfeeding mothers had both positive and negative experiences due to movement restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was found that there was a lack of attention given to the experience of breastfeeding among mothers who had been diagnosed with COVID-19 infection. Further research should explore the experience of breastfeeding among mothers with COVID-19 to understand the extent of the diagnosis and safety measures such as separation affecting their feeding choice.
Keywords: COVID-19; breastfeeding; experience; mothers; qualitative studies.
INTRODUCTION
Childbirth and the subsequent postnatal period are a unique stage in women's lives with significant physical and emotional changes and adaptation to a new role. Within the postnatal period, mothers may experience some challenges such as the transition to motherhood, childcare and management, and breastfeeding issues (Arifin et al. 2021). It is well documented that breastfeeding works best when mothers receive high-quality support, including immediate post-birth skin-to-skin contact, mother and baby remaining together and support to initiate breastfeeding as soon as possible after birth (McFadden et al., 2017). Furthermore, receiving continued support in the community is particularly important to breastfeeding success (PérezHEscamilla et al., 2016). However, this gold standard of breastfeeding care has been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The novel coronavirus disease, also known as COVID-19, which emerged in Wuhan, China at the end of 2019, was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March, 2020 (WHO, 2020a). The pandemic resulted in measures that imposed postnatal separation,...