Using Telehealth to Support Expectant and Breastfeeding Moms During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Program Goals: Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, an increased number of healthy, full-termnewborns are being discharged 24 hours after delivery No study has demonstrated the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in breast milk, so breastfeeding promotion and education are still of the utmost importance Withshelter-at-home recommendations in place, mothers face challenges with finding lactation guidance Telehealth allows this gap to be filled by providing breastfeeding support virtually when in-person contact islimited Telehealth breastfeeding support initiatives were piloted for expectant and new mothers (andfamilies) The objective is to provide breastfeeding education by establishing interactive, support groupsfacilitated by lactation professionals using telehealth services Evaluation: Two models were established basedon experiences with the prior in-person sessions, as well as those of local and national colleagues Model A:Small group teaching Several 1-hour IBCLC-led sessions (one in Spanish) were offered weekly online on aHIPAA-compliant videoconferencing platform through a consistent link A toll-free number was provided if no internet access was available English and Spanish flyers with link, instructions for joining, and email to answertechnology questions were distributed to 150+ partners electronically Each session was structured aroundopportunity for individualized questions on video chat or chatbox, with additional resources provided onslides A separate team member managed technology, slides, attendance and the chatbox, which freed theIBCLC to serve solely as subject matter expert Challenges addressed are listed in Table This model'sattendance was initially limited but increased each week with additional promotional efforts Ultimately 29expectant and breastfeeding mothers joined across 10 sessions, including several repeaters Mothers foundthe sessions helpful and informative, and offered to spread the word Model B: Traditional didactic teaching A1-hour webinar, led by IBCLCs (including Spanish), was offered weekly with unique themes on a differentHIPAA-compliant videoconferencing platform The weekly theme was sent to a listerv with a registration linkfor attendance tracking and for distribution of the attendee link to address security concerns A formal slidepresentation (45 minutes) was given, followed by Q+A (15 minutes) via chatbox Presentation slides and videorecording were sent to registrants with an access code for security This model had consistently highattendance -- 110 mothers across 4 sessions, including several repeaters Each session had a different theme,which allowed for women to select a session specific to their needs Discussion: Establishing virtual lactationsupport groups is realistic and important Our 5-week pilot initiative successfully created telelactation sessionsfacilitated by IBCLCs and CLCs Notable challenges faced in transitioning to a virtual support environment were able to be quickly met, resulting in increased attendance and engagement Using telehealth servicesallowed vital accessibility to essential breastfeeding support for mothers during this public health crisis