Could the Pandemic Be a Boon to Breastfeeding?

To protect mothers as well as their newborn infants during the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals imposed strict visitation limits on postpartum units. Little is known about whether the presence of visitors helps or hinders early breastfeeding success, so this born-of-necessity "experiment" might shed some light on this question.

Medscape spoke with lactation consultants Dominique Gallo, IBCLC, RLC, and Jackee Haak, IBCLC, RLC, to find out what they have observed through their ongoing work in support of lactation during the pandemic.

Before the pandemic, what was visitation like in the maternity/postpartum unit, and how did it change with the lockdown?

Dominique Gallo, IBCLC, RLC

Gallo: At both of the hospitals where I do lactation consultation, visitation was unrestricted before the pandemic, with no limits on the number of visitors. They could come any time of day or night, and even stay all night if they chose to.

Now, due to the pandemic, mothers are permitted to have only a single visitor (father, partner, support person), and it must be the same person throughout her hospital stay, from labor through post partum. Even the doulas have to leave as soon as the baby is born.

What have you observed about the effect of visitors on breastfeeding?

Jackee Haak, MPH, RN, IBCLC

Haak: