Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on health care in breastfeeding support during pregnancy and after delivery

ABSTRACT

Maternity practices such as skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth, breastfeeding within one hour of birth, rooming-in, and breastfeeding support are considered quality standards in perinatal care and are part of the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, a program developed by the World Health Organization and UNICEF. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted and reduced the implementation of these practices, especially in the initial phase of the pandemic. Social distancing has disrupted access to health services intended to educating pregnant women and young families about breastfeeding and parenthood, as well as the availability of breastfeeding support in maternity and neonatology wards and after discharge home. All these changes have negatively affected the emotional health of mothers and families, and the inability to provide personal education and support for breastfeeding has been sought in the virtual world, online courses and counseling. The pandemic has reduced the rate of breastfed children, which in the long-term can have significant negative effects on the health of children, mothers and society as a whole. © 2022 Hrvatski Lijecnicki Zbor. All rights reserved.