Exploring the vital role of lactation support providers in recognizing maternal mental health symptoms

Lactation support providers (LSPs) primarily focus on breastfeeding assistance, yet they frequently interact with new mothers during a critical period for maternal mental health. Despite this opportunity, it is unclear whether LSPs are equipped to identify and refer mothers experiencing perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs), potentially leaving mental health concerns unaddressed.

Lactation support, as currently provided, focuses exclusively on breastfeeding. However, lactation support providers have the potential in the course of their work with new mothers to identify maternal mental health issues and connect mothers to mental health care.

To explore whether lactation support providers could expand their role in maternal health to include identifying mental health needs of new mothers and referring them to mental health services.

A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online survey administered to 185 LSPs across the United States between March and August 2022. The survey assessed participants' knowledge, experience, and practices regarding the identification and referral of new mothers to mental health services.

Over 80 % of participants (n = 150) agreed that assessing mothers for perinatal mood and anxiety disorder symptoms is within the scope of lactation support practice. However, only half reported that their training included identifying postnatal mood and anxiety disorders (n = 93). Just under 80 % of participants (n = 146) reported being comfortable speaking with their clients about mental health symptoms, but only 40 % (n = 74) had ever used a screening tool to assess their clients' mental health.

Although lactation support providers agreed that attending to new mothers' mental health needs through referral could be an important part of their work, they require additional training to identify the symptoms of postnatal mood and anxiety disorders.