The Latest News and Trends on Breastfeeding

Current breastfeeding recommendations
Regardless of trends and fads, some basic recommendations on breastfeeding remains current and valid. For the past 15 years, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has recommended exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months after birth, breastfeeding while gradually introducing solid foods from 6 to 12 months after birth, and continuing breastfeeding if mutually desired by parent and child after 1 year.

Mothers continue to struggle with breastfeeding
Due to a multitude of factors, 60% of mothers who want to breastfeed are unable to continue for as long as they would like. Physical reasons revolve around difficulty with lactation and latching, concerns about infant nutrition and weight, and medications and their side effects. External reasons usually include unsupportive work policies, hospitals practices or policies, lack of adequate parental leave or family support, or cultural and societal norms and expectations.

Breastfeeding rates remain flat
As of the latest data collected by the National Immunization Survey 2018-2019 from infants born in 2017, breastfeeding rates across the board remain flat from 2015. 84.1% of infants were initially breastfed, implying most parents in the United States want to breastfeed and are able to start. However, the incredible drop in rates at 6 months (58.3%) and 12 months (35.3%) suggests breastfeeding parents aren’t receiving the support they need to maintain breastfeeding.

Your breastfeeding rights
New laws are being enacted to make moms more comfortable about breastfeeding and pumping in public places. Some states like Missouri have recently added language to cover pumping in public under breastfeeding state laws; make sure you’re informed and up-to-date on your own state’s laws.

Breastfeeding has been shown to benefit the environment
Like the production of all products, the creation of infant formula has an environmental footprint. According to an editorial in British Medical Journal, supporting breastfeeding parents more would be akin to removing almost 77,500 cars from the UK’s roads each year.

Breastfeeding may significantly lower risk of early menopause
In an analysis funded by the National Institutes of Health, women who exclusively breastfed for 7 to 12 months may have less risk of early menopause than their peers who breastfed less than a month.

The increasing popularity of breastfeeding “pods”
Because of the increase — and the support — of breastfeeding mothers at work and in public spaces, breastfeeding “pods” are being installed in airports, offices and businesses that offer privacy for nursing and pumping moms, as well as amenities such as dimmable lights, ventilation system, footrests, power outlets and USB ports and extra room for baby gear.

Apps for breastfeeding moms
More and more moms are depending on their phones to make their breastfeeding lives easier. There are lots of apps — and more being developed constantly — for breastfeeding moms. Apps like Baby Connect and Baby Tracker can help you keep track of feeding and pumping sessions, while apps such as Mamava and Moms Pump Here will help you find a location where you can pump in private in the area you’re headed to.

Acknowledging the pressure to breastfeed can be detrimental
While breastfeeding is great, there is intense pressure to breastfeed and it can take a huge toll on mothers. So much so, that research is finding that there is a link between breastfeeding struggles and postpartum depression.

One of the current concerns about breastfeeding amidst the pandemic is safety. If you’re breastfeeding, the CDC’s latest guidelines suggests practicing safe social distancing, washing your hands often, and limiting interactions with people as much as possible.

Is it safe to breastfeed if you have COVID-19?
Currently, there is insufficient data on whether vertical transmission occurs with COVID-19 through breastfeeding. A recent study suggested it was unlikely to transmit COVID-19 through breast milk. The risk of COVID-19 in infants is low, and if infected, the symptoms are mild or asymptomatic. Based on available evidence, WHO counsels mothers with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 to start or continue breastfeeding infants and young children.

Dr. Grace Aldrovandi, co-principal investigator of the aforementioned study, told Science Daily, “In the absence of data, some women infected with SARS-CoV-2 have chosen to just not breastfeed at all.” The chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital and professor of pediatrics in the David Geffen School of Medicine at UC Los Angeles added, “We hope our results and future studies will give women the reassurance needed for them to breastfeed.”

How to breastfeed safely if you have COVID-19
Though the coronavirus has not been found in breast milk, if you have COVID-19, it is still possible to infect your child through tiny droplets when you talk, cough, or sneeze. Here are some best practices if you choose to breastfeed or pump milk for your child:

• Wash your hands before and after touching your baby
• Cover your mouth and nose with a mask or cloth when nursing
• Wash your hands prior to using pumping equipment and sterilize after
• Consider pumping breast milk and allowing someone else in your household who is not sick to feed your baby

Supporting BIPOC parents in breastfeeding
According to the latest CDC data, non-Hispanic black infants with any breastfeeding at 3 months (58%) were significantly lower than non-Hispanic white infants (72.7%). Furthermore, black Americans have 2.3 times the infant mortality rate as non-Hispanic whites and are 3.8 times as likely to die from low birthweight.

Due to continued racial disparities in breastfeeding rates for BIPOC women, Black Breastfeeding Week and Native Breastfeeding Week were created to raise awareness, bring focus to specific barriers BIPOC women face when breastfeeding, and highlight black and Native experiences and traditions.

Post-partum services
Mom of three Melissa Aubrie Chan Lee talked about the importance of reaching out for help. “New moms are often surprised how much breastfeeding can hurt. Don’t be shy, see a lactation consultant early on to help make it comfortable for you and baby,” Lee told Mom.com. “Also, ask to check for tongue ties if the baby isn’t getting enough milk or if it hurts really badly.”

Some employers offer sponsored programs like Cleo, where an in-house practitioner helps guide members through telehealth and in-person support — including lactation consultants. While it is an employer sponsored program and not for individual signups, you can suggest to your employers as a future benefit.