Abstract
Breastfeeding is considered to be the cornerstone of child health. In Europe however, overall breastfeeding rates remain low. The present study aimed at estimating the frequency of breastfeeding in Greece during the COVID-19 pandemic period and comparing findings with the latest national study in order to identify a potential impact of the pandemic. Additionally, possible correlations of socio-cultural and demographic characteristics with breastfeeding indicators were investigated. This prospective cohort study included 847 women from five tertiary maternity hospitals, between January and December 2020. Data were collected by a structured questionnaire via interview during hospitalization and via telephone in the first, third and sixth month postpartum. Results showed that all breastfeeding indicators improved over the last three years. Full breastfeeding reached 7.2%, contrary to 0.78% of the latest national study at six months postpartum. Employment, marital status, educational level, mode of delivery, type of maternity hospital, body mass index before pregnancy, previous breastfeeding experience of the mother and infant’s birth weight correlated significantly with breastfeeding indicators at different time periods. The COVID-19 pandemic seems to have favorably influenced breastfeeding initiation and duration in Greece due to lockdowns, home confinement and teleworking.
Highlights
Breastfeeding is considered to be the cornerstone of child survival and child health, as it provides essential nutritional components and numerous biologically active molecules for a child’s growth, development and immune system
The short and long-term health benefits of breastfeeding for children have been well documented [1,2]; exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for the first 6 months of life is regarded as the golden standard of infant nutrition from current professional organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nursing [3]
The results indicated that any breastfeeding at 6 months was increased from 22% in 2007 to 45% in 2017 and rates of EBF initiation in the first day of life improved around 25%
Summary
Breastfeeding is considered to be the cornerstone of child survival and child health, as it provides essential nutritional components and numerous biologically active molecules for a child’s growth, development and immune system. Optimal breastfeeding practices have been associated with a lower risk of childhood gastrointestinal, respiratory and urinary tract infections, otitis media, asthma, allergies and sudden infant death syndrome [2,4]. Research evidence supports the protective effect of breastfeeding on the incidence of obesity, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases on both mother and child [4,5]. Breastfeeding is an experience that contributes, beyond a shadow of a doubt, to the bonding relationship of the mother-child dyad [6]
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