Exclusive Breastfeeding Rates Upon Hospital Discharge at a Tertiary Centre Prior to and During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This study aimed to describe exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) rates at discharge at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and explore factors that contributed to changes in breastfeeding rates during the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, 4762 patient charts were reviewed, 2000 from the pre-pandemic period, and 2762 from the lockdown period. Data was collected on EBF status at discharge, on maternal health history, and on infant characteristics.

Developing a policy to support breastfeeding in women who are hospitalized and acutely ill.

Breastfeeding support is a key part of caring for childbearing women. When a woman is acutely ill, hospitalized and breastfeeding, there can be a focus on initiating or maintaining breastfeeding in challenging circumstances. This article describes the development and implementation of a policy to identify, educate and support acutely ill women and their families in reaching their breastfeeding goals.