Table 5.

Results from the SWOT^a analysis

Strengths	• Follow-up of the World Breastfeeding Week’s activities • Recommendations to keep breastfeeding during the pandemic • Mexican Ministry of Health’s efforts to promote breastfeeding during the pandemic • Comments about the importance of breastfeeding from Mexican Ministry of Health’s and UNICEF’s experts
Weaknesses	• Lack of female representation in decision-making at the policy level and in breastfeeding events • Lack of meaningful public policies to protect breastfeeding • Separation of mother-infant dyads during the birth hospitalization period during the COVID-19 pandemic
Opportunities	• UN agencies’ general nutrition recommendations during the pandemic, and breastfeeding highlighted as a measure to combat food vulnerability and insecurity • New Cooperation Program between UNICEF Mexico and the Mexican government for the 2020–2025 period, where breastfeeding protection and promotion can be incorporated • Non-governmental organizations’ demands to regulate BMS donations during the pandemic, which were promoted by pharmacies and BMS companies to the general public
Threats	• Increase of marketing of BMS during the pandemicb • Employment and household work inequities during lockdown measures (i.e., women taking a disproportionate role in caring for children) • Increasing C-section rates, which are associated with reduced breastfeeding • Influence of medical doctors on women’s decisions not to breastfeed

^aSWOT refers to strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats

^bEvidence of marketing was found through an examination of documents/programs referring to promotional marketing materials, but not through an assessment of advertisments