Breastfeeding by patients with serious mental illness: An ethical approach

What is it about?

This article presents two clinical cases of perinatal women with serious mental illness (SMI) who requested to breastfeed during inpatient psychiatric hospitalization. It outlines the clinical, ethical, logistical, and child-welfare considerations involved and proposes a relational-ethics framework to guide multidisciplinary decision-making in settings where mother–infant units are not available.

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Photo by Olivia Anne Snyder on Unsplash

Photo by Olivia Anne Snyder on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The management of breastfeeding in the context of acute psychiatric illness poses complex challenges. Limited specialized inpatient resources in the United States, concerns about infant safety, and high rates of custody involvement make these decisions particularly consequential. This article contributes an ethical structure to support clinicians in balancing maternal autonomy, infant wellbeing, and psychiatric stabilization.