Qualitative Assessment of Perioperative Lactation Patient Education: "I Think It's Something Women Navigate on Their Own".

Patients who are lactating at the time of a procedure requiring anesthesia benefit from specific education and care coordination to support continued lactation and avoid complications. Before design and implementation of a comprehensive care pathway for this patient population at our institution, we sought to elicit the patient perspective. We conducted semistructured qualitative interviews with eight patients by phone regarding their experience as a lactating patient presenting for a procedure with anesthesia care at our institution. These were analyzed for predominant themes regarding their experiences. The patients we interviewed reported receiving conflicting information and feeling a sense of uncertainty. Some patients experienced preventable health effects such as mastitis, and prior experience with breastfeeding was protective. The interviewed patients endorsed a desire for structured support and improved education resources. This qualitative study of lactating patients undergoing anesthesia and surgery demonstrates a need for coordinated perioperative lactation care. A structured pathway for this patient population with access to updated care guidelines and patient education would be welcomed.