SLU Study Explores the Pandemic’s Impact on Breastfeeding Practices in Historically Marginalized Communities
11/14/2024
COVID-19 Provided the Elements for an Organic Experiment, Researchers Say
ST. LOUIS — A Saint Louis University study explored the impact of COVID-19 stay-at-home orders on breastfeeding practices in the U.S.
The study, recently published in the Maternal and Child Health Journal, provides critical insights into how pandemic-induced changes affected breastfeeding habits.
María José Romo-Palafox, Ph.D. SLU file photo.
Thirty-four percent of mothers said stay-at-home orders facilitated easier breastfeeding at home, stronger mother-child bonding, and extended breastfeeding duration for many women. However, the pandemic also presented significant barriers, including limited access to lactation support and heightened maternal stress.
Earlier studies on mothers' breastfeeding habits yielded samples of a majority of White, non-Hispanic, well-educated, partnered, and employed respondents. This study surveyed the breastfeeding practices of a large and diverse sample of U.S. mothers across various regions, income levels, and racial/ethnic backgrounds.
María José Romo-Palafox, Ph.D., assistant professor of nutrition and dietetics at SLU, is the paper’s senior author. Romo-Palafox is a registered dietitian and researcher focusing on maternal-child health in historically marginalized communities.
“As a Mexican immigrant, I am dedicated to addressing the systemic barriers that disproportionately affect breastfeeding and maternal health. Observing the pandemic's impact on breastfeeding illuminated the urgent need for holistic, supportive work policies,” she said. “I am passionate about contributing to solutions that support breastfeeding and provide mental health and financial stability resources for mothers, creating healthier outcomes for both mothers and children across diverse backgrounds.”
Breastfeeding is one of the best investments in a child’s health, laying a solid nutritional foundation early in life. The World Health Organization recommends exclusively breastfeeding infants up to six months of age; however, in the U.S., only 26% of infants met this recommendation in 2020.
Returning to work has emerged as one of the main barriers to exclusive and continued breastfeeding. Women attempting to continue breastfeeding by pumping at work often find it challenging to meet their goals due to incomplete support from their management and organization, such as the lack of a designated lactation space and limited time to pump.
The U.S. Senate passed the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections (PUMP) for Nursing Mothers Act in December 2022 and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.
While valuable, Romo-Palafox and her team argue that existing policies like the PUMP Act and Pregnant Workers Fairness Act may not adequately meet the needs of low-income, racially diverse mothers who often return to work early out of financial necessity. The COVID-19 stay-at-home orders provided a unique natural experiment where many women found that working from home allowed for more sustained breastfeeding and promoted stronger mother-infant bonding—this period highlighted that even with current policies, many mothers particularly those from historically marginalized backgrounds—require more comprehensive support beyond the lactation accommodation alone.
Romo-Palafox and her team propose policies that go beyond current mandates by ensuring flexibility in work location, especially for roles that typically require in-person attendance. Additionally, policies should include expanded financial stability and mental health resources alongside telehealth lactation services.
“For instance, offering telehealth options for lactation consultants through programs like WIC, which proved effective during the pandemic, is essential to maintain. Although many programs temporarily offered these flexible services, they have since reduced access, leaving gaps in support,” she said. “Reinstating and standardizing telehealth lactation services for breastfeeding mothers, particularly through WIC, would enhance breastfeeding success, reduce stress, and better address the unique challenges faced by low-income and diverse populations.”
Other authors include Valerie Graham, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Saint Louis University; Haley Pritz, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Saint Louis University; and Zoe Henkes, Saint Louis University School of Medicine.
Latest Newslink
- SLU History Professor Receives Fulbright Specialist Award to Create Digital Tool Focusing on Gaelic IrelandThomas Finan, Ph.D., associate professor of history at Saint Louis University, has received a Fulbright Specialist Award. He will work with colleagues at the University of Galway to create a joint database of archaeological and historical research focusing on Gaelic Ireland.
- Don't Let that Cookie Crumble: SSE Teams Build, Test Gingerbread HousesTeams of students, faculty and staff in Saint Louis University's School of Science and Engineering recently put their engineering skills to work for a December Innovation Challenge. The teams built gingerbread houses designed to stand up during a weight-loading competition.
- Dr. Edward J. Feser Named 34th President of Saint Louis UniversityFeser, a Roman Catholic, Jesuit-educated leader in higher education, will assume the SLU presidency on July 1, 2025. Feser currently serves as the provost and executive vice president of Oregon State University (OSU), a land-grant institution with more than 38,000 students, a $1.8 billion budget and $480 million annually in externally funded research.
- SLU's Newest Alums Cheered at Commencement CeremonySaturday morning, hundreds of students walked across the stage at Chaifetz Arena and joined the Billiken alumni family. Saint Louis University celebrated its Midyear Commencement on Saturday, Dec. 14, In front of a packed crowd of family members, friends, and loved ones. Those in attendance and watching at home saw the newest graduates of SLU celebrated.
- Amy E. Wright Receives Honorable Mention for MLA's Katherine Singer Kovacs PrizeSaint Louis University's Amy E. Wright, Ph.D., received an honorable mention from the Modern Language Association of America (MLA) for the Katherine Singer Kovacs Prize for an outstanding book published in English or Spanish in the field of Latin American and Spanish literature and cultures. Wright, a professor of Hispanic Studies at SLU, received the honor for her book Serial Mexico: Storytelling across Media, from Nationhood to Now, published in 2023 by Vanderbilt University Press.
- SLU Professor and Author Jonathan Sawday Wins MLA's Prestigious James Russell Lowell PrizeSaint Louis University's Jonathan Sawday, Ph.D., has received the James Russell Lowell Prize for the most outstanding book published in 2023.
