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© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the normal course of life, with measures to reduce the virus spread impacting motherhood expectations and, in particular, breastfeeding practices. This study aimed to review evidence regarding the impact of COVID-19 on breastfeeding plans and how these relate to women’s psychological outcomes. Searches were conducted on PubMed and Web of Science for studies in English, Spanish, and Portuguese between January 2020 and January 2021. All study designs and pre-prints were considered. Twelve studies were included. Reports suggest that COVID-19 impacts differently on breastfeeding plans, which in turn leads to distinctive mental health outcomes. Positive breastfeeding experiences have been observed when mothers perceive that they have more time for motherhood, which may be associated with better mental health outcomes. Negative breastfeeding experiences have been observed when mothers are separated from their newborns, when mothers struggle with breastfeeding, or when mothers perceive decreased family and professional support, which seems to be associated with worse mental health outcomes. These preliminary results highlight the need for further research into the association between COVID-19, breastfeeding expectations, and maternal mental health. Filling this gap will foster the development of guidelines and interventions to better support mothers experiencing the obstacles of COVID-19 pandemic.

Details

Title
Breastfeeding during COVID-19: A Narrative Review of the Psychological Impact on Mothers
Author
Pacheco, Francisca 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Sobral, Mónica 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Guiomar, Raquel 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; de la Torre-Luque, Alejandro 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Caparros-Gonzalez, Rafael A 3   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Ganho-Ávila, Ana 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive Behavioral Intervention, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3000-115 Coimbra, Portugal; [email protected] (F.P.); [email protected] (M.S.); [email protected] (R.G.) 
 Department of Legal Medicine, Psychiatry and Pathology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Centre for Biomedical Research in Mental Health (CIBERSAM), 28040 Madrid, Spain; [email protected] 
 Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain; [email protected]; Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, 18011 Granada, Spain 
First page
34
Publication year
2021
Publication date
2021
Publisher
MDPI AG
e-ISSN
2076328X
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2524523949
Copyright
© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.