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TL;DR
Certified Lactation Counselors found that during the early COVID-19 pandemic, evidence-based lactation care was rescinded in favor of fear-based policies, leading to maternal-infant separation and restricted access to care.
Frontiers in Public Health · 4 authors, 3 centres
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Certified Lactation Counselors found that during the early COVID-19 pandemic, evidence-based lactation care was rescinded in favor of fear-based policies, leading to maternal-infant separation and restricted access to care.
This cross-sectional qualitative study analyzed survey responses from 674 Certified Lactation Counselors across the United States about their experiences providing lactation care during the initial COVID-19 outbreak (March–August 2020). The primary finding was a thematic shift where healthcare decision-making became based on fear and uncertainty, leading to the rescinding of established evidence-based practices. Key changes included the implementation of workplace restrictions, separation of mothers and infants, disruption of access to care due to staffing shortages and limited appointments, and the insinuation of stigma based on COVID-19 status. Participants reported feeling unsupported and unable to follow rapidly changing guidance. Limitations include potential self-report and recall bias, and the study did not elicit responses on racial disparities. The findings underscore the need to prepare for future public health crises by developing strategies to preserve evidence-based care.