What if I get the flu while breastfeeding?

Navigating Flu Season While Breastfeeding
As the flu season approaches, many breastfeeding mothers may find themselves grappling with the question: What should I do if I get the flu while nursing? Understanding the implications of influenza on breastfeeding is crucial for both the mother’s health and the well-being of her infant.
Breastfeeding with the Flu: A Safe Approach
The good news is that breastfeeding while having the flu is generally considered safe. According to health experts, influenza is not transmitted through breast milk. Instead, the virus spreads through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Therefore, mothers can continue to breastfeed their babies, providing them with essential nutrients and antibodies that can help bolster their immune systems.
Precautions to Take
While continuing to breastfeed is encouraged, it is vital for mothers to take precautions to minimize the risk of spreading the virus to their infants. This includes practicing good hygiene, such as washing hands thoroughly with soap and water before handling the baby or expressing milk. If a mother feels too ill to breastfeed directly, she can express her milk and have someone who is not sick feed it to the baby. This method ensures that the infant still receives the benefits of breast milk while reducing the risk of exposure to the flu virus.
When to Consider Alternatives
In some cases, health authorities suggest that if a mother exhibits severe flu symptoms, it may be advisable to temporarily separate from the baby to prevent transmission. However, this is typically a last resort. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) emphasizes that the benefits of breastfeeding during illness often outweigh the risks, as long as proper precautions are taken.
The Importance of Vaccination
To further protect both mother and baby, health professionals recommend that breastfeeding mothers receive the flu vaccine. Vaccination not only helps prevent the mother from contracting the virus but also provides her baby with passive immunity through breast milk. The CDC advocates for flu vaccinations for everyone aged six months and older, including nursing mothers.
Conclusion
In summary, if a breastfeeding mother contracts the flu, she can continue to nurse her baby while implementing necessary precautions to prevent the spread of the virus. Maintaining good hygiene, expressing milk if too ill to breastfeed, and getting vaccinated are key strategies to ensure both mother and baby remain healthy during flu season. By staying informed and proactive, mothers can navigate this challenging time with confidence.

How can I prevent passing my cold to my baby?

The best defense against the common cold is commonsense precautions and frequent hand-washing.

1. Keep your baby away from anyone who’s sick.
2. Wash your hands before feeding or touching your baby.
3. Clean your baby’s toys and pacifiers often.
4. Teach everyone in the household to cough or sneeze into a tissue.

Will my baby get sick if I’m sick and breastfeeding?

If you have a cold or flu, fever, diarrhoea and vomiting, or mastitis, keep breastfeeding as normal. Your baby won’t catch the illness through your breast milk – in fact, it will contain antibodies to reduce her risk of getting the same bug. “Not only is it safe, breastfeeding while sick is a good idea.

Should I stay away from my baby if I’m sick?

Wash your hands frequently to prevent the spread of germs. Avoid close contact with your baby if you are sick and encourage friends and family to do the same, especially during cold and flu season.

Can I pass the flu to my baby through breastfeeding?

Flu viruses do not pass through breast milk. Be careful not to cough or sneeze in baby’s face. Wash hands before touching baby. Before breastfeeding, wash breasts with mild soap and water.

What can I take for flu while breastfeeding?

Summary

• You can continue to breastfeed when you have a cough, cold, the flu or COVID-19.
• You can take paracetamol and ibuprofen whilst breastfeeding, at the normal adult doses.
• Oral decongestants are not recommended when you are breastfeeding as they can reduce your milk supply with just one or two doses.

Can the flu dry up breast milk?

“Don’t worry about your breast milk supply – you will keep producing it. Just don’t stop breastfeeding abruptly as you’ll run the risk of getting mastitis,” Sarah adds. Good hygiene is important to minimize the risk of spreading the illness.

How long are you contagious with the flu?

Most healthy children and adults with the flu can infect others beginning about one day before developing any symptoms and up to seven days after the symptoms resolve. People with weakened immune systems can remain contagious for up to several weeks.

What happens to the baby when the mother has flu?

If you get the flu while pregnant it can also cause serious problems for your baby including premature labor and birth defects. Studies show that getting a flu shot while pregnant can help protect your baby from the flu for up to six months after birth.

How to treat flu when breastfeeding?

For women who are breastfeeding with suspected or confirmed flu, the preferred antiviral medication is oral oseltamivir.

Will my baby get the flu if I have it?

Your child can get a flu virus by touching something that was touched by an infected person, and then touching their mouth, nose, or eyes. People are most contagious with the flu 24 hours before symptoms start, and while symptoms are most active. The risk of infecting others often ends about day 5 to 7 of the illness.