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Davanzo R, Travan L, Giannì ML, Giordano G, Perugi S, Baldassarre M, Soldi A, Colombo L, Mondello I, Pandullo M, Ferrara A, Scarpato E, Salvatori G. Current hospital policies on breastfeeding: a survey from Italy. Ital J Pediatr 2024; 50:21. [PMID: 38273395 PMCID: PMC10809559 DOI: 10.1186/s13052-024-01581-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The availability of an appropriate newborn feeding policy is an essential component of the promotion of breastfeeding in health facilities. The Italian Society of Neonatology (SIN) and the Italian Society of Paediatrics (SIP) have run an online survey among Maternity Hospitals to explore the existing breastfeeding policies and their characteristics. METHODS Between February and April 2023, an online survey was carried out among 110 Italian maternity hospitals with a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). RESULTS Forty-nine Maternity Hospitals completed the online questionnaire. Twenty out of 49 (40.8%) reported to have a breastfeeding policy. When a policy is available, its quality appears to be suboptimal because of lack of inclusion of a family representative in the policy working group, limited options for translating breastfeeding policy into minority languages, lack of periodic assessment of their implementation. CONCLUSION Currently, only a limited number of Italian Maternity Hospitals have developed a breastfeeding policy. Additional efforts are needed for their improvement as well as implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Davanzo
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Via dell'Istria 65/1, 34100, Trieste, Italy.
| | - Laura Travan
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Via dell'Istria 65/1, 34100, Trieste, Italy
| | - Maria Lorella Giannì
- Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, NICU, Milan, Italy
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Giordano
- Division of Neonatology and NICU, Azienda Ospedaliera Ospedali Riuniti Villa Sofia-Cervello, Palermo, Italy
| | - Silvia Perugi
- Division of Neonatology, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Mariella Baldassarre
- Department of Interdisciplinary Medicine-Neonatology and NICU, University Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Antonella Soldi
- Division of Neonatology and NICU, Department of Public Health and Pediatric Sciences, Sant'Anna Hospital, University of Turin, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza, Turin, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Colombo
- Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, NICU, Milan, Italy
| | - Isabella Mondello
- NICU, Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Bianchi-Melacrino-Morelli, Reggio Calabria, Italy
| | | | - Alessia Ferrara
- Department of Medical Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Università degli Studi di Trieste Dipartimento Universitario Clinico di Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche e della Salute, Trieste, Italy
| | - Elena Scarpato
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences - Section of Pediatrics, University Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Guglielmo Salvatori
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, 00165, Rome, Italy
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Scarpato E, Salvatori G, Barbaglia M, Casero D, Cazzato T, Righetti V, Staiano A, Davanzo R. Breastfeeding support among re-hospitalized young children: a survey from Italy. Ital J Pediatr 2024; 50:3. [PMID: 38191497 PMCID: PMC10775476 DOI: 10.1186/s13052-023-01573-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In 2021, the Task Force on Breastfeeding of the Italian Ministry of Health released a document calling for the provision of breastfeeding support in case of re-hospitalization of the child after birth. Since type and quality of breastfeeding support during re-hospitalization in Italian Pediatric Units (PUs) is largely unknown, the Breastfeeding Section of the Italian Society of Pediatrics (TASIP) conducted an ad hoc national survey. METHODS In March 2023, a specifically designed electronic questionnaire was sent to the Directors of 328 PUs, who were requested to fill it online. RESULTS Data from 161 PUs were received, with a response rate of 48.7%. Our results highlighted that 18.6% of units do not provide training on breastfeeding for healthcare professionals and 46% of PUs lack of an ad hoc policy on breastfeeding support in case of re-hospitalization of the child. Although 88.2% of PUs provide breast pumps to the mothers of the re-hospitalized young children, 34.8% lack of a protocol on the storage of expressed breast milk. CONCLUSIONS Breastfeeding support for the mothers of hospitalized breastfed young children appears to be suboptimal in Italian PUs. Interventions aimed to structure and improve the quality of breastfeeding support for the mother-child dyad are needed, particularly developing protocols and providing a training on breastfeeding to the majority of healthcare professionals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Scarpato
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Section of Pediatrics, University Federico II of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Guglielmo Salvatori
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, IRCCS Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Deborah Casero
- Pediatric Dpt, San Paolo Hospital, ASST Santi Paolo-Carlo, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | - Annamaria Staiano
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Section of Pediatrics, University Federico II of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Riccardo Davanzo
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Via dell'Istria 65/1, 34100, Trieste, Italy.
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Sirico A, Musto R, Migliorini S, Brigidi S, Anzelmo Sciarra F, Carlea A, Saccone G, Guida M, Sarno L. Impact of COVID-19 on Breastfeeding among SARS-CoV-2 Infected Pregnant Women: A Single Centre Survey Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 20:228. [PMID: 36612551 PMCID: PMC9819154 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20010228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Background: Although current guidelines recommend that mothers with suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection should be encouraged to initiate and continue breastfeeding, up-to-date literature shows conflicting data regarding breastfeeding experiences in infected women. This survey aimed to report on the psychological impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on breastfeeding practice and medical counselling in a single tertiary center in Southern Italy. Methods: One-hundred breastfeeding women with SARS-CoV-2 infection at delivery were given an anonymous questionnaire regarding breastfeeding and women’s perception of the impact of COVID-19 on breastfeeding. Results: 75% of women reported they had difficulty breastfeeding; among them, 66 (66%) declared that separation from their babies after delivery affected their ability to breastfeed. Incidence of reported difficulties in breastfeeding was higher in women who underwent caesarean section compared to women with vaginal delivery (56/65, 86.2% vs. 19/35, 54.3%, χ2 = 12.322, p < 0.001) and in women with a hospital stay of more than 5 days (48/57, 84.2% vs. 23/37, 62.2%, χ2 = 5.902, p = 0.015). Furthermore, the incidence of difficulties in breastfeeding was higher in women who subsequently decided to use exclusively infant formula compared to women who mixed maternal milk with infant formula and women who breastfed exclusively with maternal milk (48/49, 98% vs. 20/25, 80% vs. 7/26, 26.9%, χ2 = 46.160, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Our survey highlights the importance of healthcare support and information on hygiene practices to decrease the perceived stress related to breastfeeding for infected mothers under restrictions, especially in women undergoing cesarean section and with a long hospital stay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Sirico
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Roberta Musto
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Sonia Migliorini
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Serena Brigidi
- Department of Anthropology, Philosophy, and Social Work, University of Rovira i Virgili, 43003 Tarragona, Spain
- Medical Anthropology Research Center, University of Rovira i Virgili, 43003 Tarragona, Spain
| | - Federica Anzelmo Sciarra
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Annunziata Carlea
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Gabriele Saccone
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Maurizio Guida
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Laura Sarno
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
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Lubbe W, Niela-Vilén H, Thomson G, Botha E. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Breastfeeding Support Services and Women's Experiences of Breastfeeding: A Review. Int J Womens Health 2022; 14:1447-1457. [PMID: 36225180 PMCID: PMC9549794 DOI: 10.2147/ijwh.s342754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective The aim of this systematic review was to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on breastfeeding support services and continuation rates. Methods Electronic searches were undertaken in seven databases: Academic Search Complete, Springer Nature Journals, CINAHL Medline, Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition, Masterfile premier, and SocINDEX. Publications following the COVID-19 pandemic between January 2020 and March 2022 were searched for using the following keywords: impact or effect or influence and breastfeeding support and breastfeeding continuation and COVID-19 or coronavirus. Fifteen studies were included for investigation and extracted to identify seven themes related to breastfeeding support during COVID-19. Results Factors which impacted breastfeeding support during the COVID-19 pandemic included separation, lack of skin-to-skin contact, insufficient support, online breastfeeding support, the impact of the pandemic on breastfeeding rates and experiences, fears of the pandemic, and the need for additional support. The pandemic mostly influenced breastfeeding support negatively, with a small exception occurring where some mothers experienced lockdown as positive since it protected the mother-infant dyad from unwanted visitors. Virtual breastfeeding support was introduced in many contexts; however, practitioners and mothers reported that this could not replace the need for face-to-face support. Conclusion Breastfeeding is a lifesaving intervention, especially in the face of a disruption such as a pandemic. This work highlights the need for clear, consistent, and evidence-based information about risks, and for key practices to be maintained including not separating mothers and infants, promoting skin-to-skin contact, and ensuring availability of high-quality breastfeeding support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Welma Lubbe
- School of Nursing Science/NuMIQ Research Focus Area, Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa,Correspondence: Welma Lubbe, Email
| | | | - Gill Thomson
- School of Community Health and Midwifery, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK
| | - Elina Botha
- School of Social Services and Health Care, Tampere University of Applied Sciences, Tampere, Finland
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