Breastfeeding & Perinatal Mental Health: Practical Tools for Fostering Emotional Safety Lecture Pack

Lactation consultants use a variety of tools and strategies to support the breastfeeding dyad. This presentation will describe three core concepts and approaches embedded within infant mental health: the neuro sequential model, Facilitated Attuned Interactions (FAN) and Touch points. Using a case-based format, the presentation will offer examples of how these approaches can be used to support the breastfeeding dyad through engagement and co-regulations and will be shown how to integrate these practices into a lactation care plan for improved infant mental health outcomes.

Perinatal depression is the most common obstetrical complication, with 1 in 7 women experiencing depression during pregnancy or postpartum. A vast array of negative outcomes are associated with untreated perinatal depression, including breastfeeding difficulties and premature weaning. In this talk, an evidence-based overview of the symptoms, outcomes, and breastfeeding challenges posed by perinatal depression is offered. The key role of the lactation consultant in screening, referring, and supporting the family confronted with perinatal depression is highlighted so that lactation professionals can incorporate into their clinical practice a model of care based on the individual needs of their clients.
From this presentation, lactation consultants can learn about the characteristics of perinatal depression, the instruments they can use for screening, the main challenges specifically associated with breastfeeding, and how they can refer to and act accordingly to their scope of practice when offering support to breastfeeding families (e.g., management of breastfeeding complications, providing evidence-based information regarding the use of antidepressants during breastfeeding, client-centered communication, and follow-up).

There are 1.8 billion neurodivergent people within reproductive age potentially birthing or nursing. It's likely that each of us has provided lactation support to someone who is neurodivergent. However, we may not have considered how lactation intersects with the neurodivergent experience, sensory sensitivities, and mental health. This presentation will provide context around the neurodivergent lactation experience, mental health, and the use of sensory safe spaces as a supportive tool. We will explore and design a sensory-safe lactation space in the office, hospital, and home environment as an adjunct tool for clinicians supporting neurodivergent parents.

Breastfeeding and mental health are inexplicably linked. The physical act of breastfeeding downregulates the stress system, which protects mental health. But depression, anxiety, and PTSD are direct threats to breastfeeding, making initiation less likely and duration far shorter. Drawing on research from physiology, psychology, and psychoneuroimmunology, this presentation describes the oxytocin vs stress systems and how these systems mutually suppress each other. When oxytocin is upregulated, the stress system is suppressed, which protects mental health. Conversely, breastfeeding problems upregulate the stress system, which increases the likelihood of depression and other conditions. This session also addresses the complex topic of social support. Recent studies show that certain types of “support” completely undermine breastfeeding. This session describes effective support from partners, grandmothers, community groups, and healthcare providers and highlights the links between breastfeeding and mental health.

The transition into parenthood is incredibly complex and often results in shifts in our physical and emotional well-being. Unfortunately, many parents do not receive adequate screening and support for perinatal mental health challenges, which in turn can negatively impact their ability to co-regulate with their children and find joy in their breastfeeding and perinatal journey. As lactation professionals, we connect with families during pivotal moments that may involve traumatic experiences, physical pain, financial strain, changes in relationships, and shifts in identity. We have an opportunity to play a pivotal role in identifying and assessing mental health challenges, reducing the stigma of accessing mental health support, and referring to our qualified counterparts to offer treatment. In this PowerPoint presentation, we will review how to perform a mental health assessment during a lactation consult. Topics that will be covered include how birth & breastfeeding experiences impact maternal mental health, how to bring forward difficult conversations including intrusive thoughts and suicide risk assessment, what to chart, and how to know when to refer.

This presentation explores the mental health impact of breastfeeding journeys that do not go to plan and sets out practical steps perinatal professionals can take to better support parents who feel a deep sense of loss when they cannot feed their babies in the way they had hoped. Combining personal narrative, professional insights and research findings, this presentation sheds light on the emotional toll of lactation difficulties. Many parents who initiate breastfeeding are invested in its success and deeply conscious of its benefits, leading to feelings of grief, frustration and guilt if their plans are disrupted. Moreover, some causes of breastfeeding challenges, such as birth trauma, a period of maternal/infant separation after birth, medical issues, pain, and lack of support can contribute to parents reporting their breastfeeding journey was traumatic. And even though the cessation of breastfeeding can bring a mix of emotions from relief to a deep sense of loss, these challenges can leave their scars that parents often bear alone. This presentation describes the protective power of trauma-informed emotional support for parents whose breastfeeding journeys do not go to plan. Participants will learn how to listen to stories of breastfeeding grief/trauma, how to hold space for parents going through feeding challenges and how to help parents navigate hard choices around infant feeding.