A new research review, just published in the Journal of
Human Lactation, addresses how infants in several countries have been
affected by COVID-19. Karleen Gribble, a professor of nursing and midwifery at
Western Sydney University in Australia, articulated the findings to
MedicalXpress.com, stating that COVID-19 in newborns is rare and
usually asymptomatic. Studies show that breastfeeding, along with other
contacts between mother and infant, do not increase the rate of infection. Even
those babies that test positive for the virus experience only mild symptoms,
and they recover rapidly.
In contrast, a plethora of studies have shown the damage to
infants' physical and emotional health caused by separation from the mother at
birth. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that even if a mother has
tested positive for COVID, her newborn should be placed skin-to-skin with the
mother after birth. Close contact should be maintained, and breastfeeding is
still ideal. If the mothers wears a mask, washes her hands often, and sanitizes
surfaces she has touched, it's unlikely the baby will become infected.
READ MORE: Silver linings of new parenthood during a pandemic
Although the WHO guidelines clearly emphasize the importance
of mother-infant contact and breastfeeding, some governments, hospitals, and
professional organizations have instituted standards that discourage physical
contact to varying degrees. Some policies insist the mother's skin be cleansed
before breastfeeding, which can make the process more difficult and
problematic.
In addition to the deep bonding that takes place through skin-to-skin
contact in the first weeks of life, infants receive immune-enhancing substances
through breastmilk, pointed out Gribble. She added that mothers deprived of
that early intimacy can have difficulty bonding with their children later on,
resulting in inadequate care for the child.
“The physiology of mothers and infants are entwined with one
another,” Gribble explained. “If this important process is interrupted, the
implications for both mother and baby can be severe. If it is unavoidable that
mothers and infants are separated from one another, hospitals must provide
psychological support to both until and after reunion."