Breast Feeding When Mom Feels Sick (or has COVID!)

Between sleep deprivation and putting the needs of others before their own, it’s pretty common for moms to get sick. And it’s common for me to get questions about breast feeding when mom feels sick. I’m not surprised by these concerns. There’s not one answer for everyone, but here are my thoughts: Should I breast feed the baby if I’m sick? Personalized precision medicine: If you have a minor illness, such as the cold or flu, not only is breast feeding still okay, but it can also be one of the best things you can do to help protect your baby. Your baby has probably already been exposed to the virus. As you make antibodies to the specific strain of virus, the antibodies come through your milk and might protect your baby from getting sick or help him get better faster if he does. In addition to this, there are powerful molecules in breast milk, such as lactoferrin and lysozyme, that help protect babies from getting sick. Should I breast feed the baby if I have COVID? How hard to have COVID and a nursing baby! Current evidence suggests that it would be very unlikely for COVID to be transmitted through breast milk. It’s wise to wash or sanitize your hands before nursing or pumping, and to wear a high-quality mask whenever close to your baby or pumping. You may want to consider having someone else feed your baby pumped breast milk during the time of your isolation, if feasible. But as with minor respiratory infections, the breast milk itself is l...
Source: Conversations with Dr Greene - Category: Child Development Authors: Tags: Dr. Greene's Blog Uncategorized Breastfeeding Breastfeeding Tips Home Page Feature Source Type: blogs