Exclusive breastfeeding and women's psychological well-being during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Italy

Abstract

BackgroundAt the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, support for breastfeeding was disrupted in many countries. Italy was severely impacted by the pandemic and is known to have the lowest exclusive breastfeeding rate of all European countries. Considering the inverse association between anxiety and breastfeeding, maternal concerns about the COVID-19 emergency could reduce breastfeeding rates. The aim of the study is to explore the association between infant feeding practices and maternal COVID-19 concerns.MethodsThis paper is a secondary analysis of the cross-sectional study COVID-ASSESS conducted in Italy in 2020. The original survey was administered in two phases: during the first lockdown and during the reopening. The survey included five sections: socio-demographic, medical history, concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic, infant feeding practices and psychometric evaluation. Participants were considered eligible for the post-hoc analyses if they were exclusively breastfeeding or they were feeding with infant formula (either alone or with breastfeeding) at the time of the interview.ResultsBetween phase 1 and phase 2 there was a decrease in anxiety and concerns about the danger of COVID-19 to general health, except for concerns about their baby's health. Women using formula were more concerned about all the health topics investigated. Moreover, they showed higher levels of stress, state anxiety, somatization and PTSD symptoms.ConclusionBreastfeeding during the first pandemic lockdown in Italy seems to have been an independent factor associated with lower anxiety about COVID-19, fewer psychopathological symptoms, and a positive experience of infant feeding.

A Study on Determinants of COVID-19 Preventive Health Behaviors of Mothers with Young Children in South Korea

“…According to Lee et al [ 36 ], it was found that mother’s mental health had more influence on young children’s health prevention behavior than other groups. During the coronavirus pandemic, there have been many studies examining negative mental health factors such as anxiety [ 37 ], psychological instability [ 38 ], harsh parenting [ 39 ], and lack of emotional care [ 40 ] among mothers with young children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Maternal confidence is an important factor that positively influences preventive health behaviors.…”

Pengalaman Ibu Menyusui Di Masa Pandemi Covid-19

“…1. Beban Emosional Berdasarkan hasil penelitian ditemukan penelitian di Negara Turkey, Inggris, Swiss, Spanyol, Italy, Amerika Serikat yang dilakukan oleh (Aşcı et al, 2022;Costantini et al, 2021;Jacob et al, 2022;Lambelet et al, 2021;Pereira et al, 2020;Ravaldi et al, 2022) menyebutkan bahwa beban emosional yang dirasakan oleh ibu menyusui seperti perasaan sedih, rasa bersalah, cemas dan ketakutan.…”

“…Hal tersebut terlihat dari pernyataan yang ditemukan oleh (Lambelet et al, 2021;Pereira et al, 2020;Ravaldi et al, 2022) menyebutkan bahwa pengalaman ibu menyusui selama pandemic covid-19 yaitu ibu merasa cemas dan takut Ketika mereka di diagnosis covid-19. Bahkan dari beberapa penelitian ada yang menyebutkan bahwa ibu mengalami stress dan depresi saat di diagnosis covid-19 tersebut.…”

The Emotional Landscape of Pregnancy and Postpartum during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy: A Mixed-Method Analysis Using Artificial Intelligence

“…Our previous research, conducted during the initial phase of the COVID-19 lockdown in Italy, provided preliminary insights into the emotional experiences of pregnant and postpartum women [15][16][17]. These studies found that pregnant women experienced significant psychological distress during the pandemic, including symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.…”

“…These studies found that pregnant women experienced significant psychological distress during the pandemic, including symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Furthermore, exclusive breastfeeding was found to serve as an independent protective factor for women's mental health during the pandemic [17].…”