Breastfeeding Journeys: Comparing Mothers' Experiences with Autistic and Neurotypical Infants

Area of Science:

• Developmental Pediatrics
• Neurodevelopmental Disorders
• Infant Nutrition

Background:

• Breastfeeding requires complex infant developmental skills.
• The impact of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) on infant breastfeeding is not well understood, with conflicting reports on breastfeeding duration.
• Maternal and infant factors influencing breastfeeding cessation in infants with ASD require further exploration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the breastfeeding experiences of mothers with both autistic and neurotypical children.
• To identify differences in breastfeeding experiences between autistic and neurotypical infants.
• To understand maternal and infant factors contributing to breastfeeding cessation in autistic children.

Main Methods:

• Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 mothers of autistic children (diagnosed with feeding difficulties in the first 12 months) who also had a neurotypical child.
• Interviews focused on breastfeeding initiation, cessation, and challenges.
• Analysis identified key themes related to the breastfeeding experience.

Main Results:

• Four major themes emerged: struggle with latch, general breastfeeding challenges, reasons for cessation, and comparison with neurotypical siblings.
• Infant behaviors such as sensory sensitivity, lack of regulation, repetitive actions, and impaired social behaviors were noted.
• Mothers detected significant differences in breastfeeding behaviors between their autistic and neurotypical children.

Conclusions:

• Observed breastfeeding behaviors in infants may indicate early signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
• These behaviors include sensory sensitivity, regulation issues, repetitive actions, and social deficits.
• Further research is needed to validate these breastfeeding behaviors as potential early indicators for autism surveillance.