| Vulnerability of the mental health of breastfeeding women during the pandemic |
- Women’s biological conditions
- Women’s perception
- Woman’s body image
- Decision-making
- Organizational systems to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding
- Mother-child interaction (Stress and breastfeeding time) |
“The pandemic made me very afraid of everything. I was even afraid of giving the breast and breastfeeding, because I feared having caught something at the hospital and transmitting it to my girl” (P6).
“[...] COVID brought me more psychological discomfort. I was very anxious, worried about passing it on to them. I was right next to them wearing a mask, the whole time. I was in that huge concern [...]” (P15).
“[...] I spent several sleepless nights, crying, me without milk. I couldn’t take it. I didn’t go back to “normal” after everything I’ve lived. I still don’t sleep all night. He still doesn’t sleep all night. I cry a lot” (P21). |
| Adoption of preventive measures against COVID-19 during breastfeeding |
- Decision-making
- Organizational systems to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding
- Dynamic mother-child interaction (Stress and breastfeeding time) |
“[...] the challenges of this period were more related to hand hygiene care and constant use of a mask. It was a routine unlike anything else [...]. That was like learning” (P9).
“At first, it was a little strange, because whenever I was going to breastfeed, I preferred to wear a mask. I didn’t leave the house in the first months due to the protection and the pandemic” (P19). |
| Impact of the pandemic on women's work and its consequences on breastfeeding |
- Women’s decision-making
- Women’s perception
- Breastfeeding space
- Mother’s role
- Organizational systems to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding
- Family and social authority
- Dynamic mother-child interaction (Stress and breastfeeding time) |
“The pandemic brought me a benefit, which was being able to work at home and follow my daughter’s growth for up to 1 year. If it weren’t for the pandemic, I would go back to working outside the home when she was 6 months old” (P16).
“I am self-employed and I didn’t stop during the pandemic; even so, I continued to breastfeed, and my baby breastfeeds until today” (P3).
“When I came back from my leave, they gave me a vacation and then fired me. This was in February last year (2020). So, I haven’t found any more permanent jobs since then” (P9). |
| Difficulties for the continuity of breastfeeding during the pandemic and introduction of infant formulas |
- Women’s biological conditions
- Children’s biological conditions
- Women’s perception
- Children’s perception
- Women’s decision-making
- Mother’s role
- Family and social authority
- Organizational systems to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding |
“[...] I ‘opted’ to give the formula to my daughter, because I only saw her crying with hunger, and I couldn’t give her food because my breasts wouldn’t fill up [...] that’s when I researched better and saw there were other milk options for me to give. So, I chose the formula and she had it up to 5 months” (P1).
“My breasts were all sore, very sore, heavy, and very hard [...] I spent almost two months trying to breastfeed like this, but he cried a lot, and people around me said he was hungry. Then, I had to resort to the formula [...] My breasts got red, hot, cracked, with outpouring blood and secretion” (P8). |
| Importance of health education in promoting breastfeeding in the pandemic |
- Women’s biological conditions
- Children’s biological conditions
- Women’s perception
- Women’s decision-making
- Mother’s role
- Organizational systems to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding |
“I studied a lot, I read a lot before giving birth, especially in the last few weeks [...] You can have access to information, which many people don’t have. This is the most necessary thing, especially for a first-time mother [...] I had excellent breastfeeding” (P12).
“I had no problems with breastfeeding. I’m a first-time mother and breastfeeding hurts, but it was very magical. I researched about it, and it was our connection, our moments, I breastfed on demand. He was just stuck on me” (P16). |
