As moms, we all want to keep our babies as safe as possible and with everything currently going on in the world it might feel a little overwhelming to navigate through this new normal.With states and counties reopening in stages, our quarantine bubbles may soon be burst. Cocooning ourselves in the safety of our homes with our little babes will no longer be mandated. For many moms, myself included, the reprieve of having some social distancing from our quarantine team may be just what the doctor ordered. But then, the worry of how do we continue to stay safe when we now have to venture back out into the viral world? As breastfeeding moms, we’re plagued with questions and concerns like,“IfI get sick can I pass this on to my baby? Will my breastmilk be tainted?”
Luckily for us, one one of our favorite baby product brands,Fridababy (@fridababy), hosted a live Q&A on Instagram with their CEO and Founder, Chelsea Hirschhorn, and her trusted pediatrician, Dr. Philip Floyd, for her 3 boys to answer so many burning questions. We followed the Q&A and have the key points for all you breastfeeding mamas;
-
Do infants have a higher susceptibility to Covid-19?What we have seen in all of the data that has been gathered so far shows that children and infants are still largely protected from this, they are doing well, many are asymptomatic and most have moderate to mild symptoms.
-
Are infants getting the symptoms and do they have milder symptoms?Symptoms in infants are mild to moderate at most. Yes they can contract the disease and be carriers, so where we become concerned as pediatricians isn’t so much children becoming sick but how they might spread it to other family members, in particular to older people.
-
If your child is demonstrating symptoms, what are the recommended next steps?The first step is isolation and continue to perform good hygiene and good hand washing. Contact your pediatrician if you have any concerns especially with cough and fever.
-
If your baby is learning to crawl, what's the best way to keep their hands and the surface clean? Rule #1 is take off your shoes when you get home and once home everyone should wash their hands thoroughly. I would keep a baby that is learning to crawl or can crawl in a confined space that you can keep clean, like a confined play area where you can wash and scrub the mats.
-
Should you postpone your well child checks and scheduled vaccinations?Right now pediatricians, guided by policies of the American Academy of Pediatrics, are recommending that children who have routine visits, especially small children who need vaccines should go ahead and obtain those vaccinations.
-
Should you continue breastfeeding after exhibiting symptoms?Yes! Breastfeeding transfers antibodies that are very important to the baby and so we would not want to separate the source of those antibodies from the mom and baby nor would we want to separate that bond which is so valuable. Right now we don't have any evidence that the virus is transmitted through breast milk so we will continue to encourage breastfeeding like we always do.
The full Q&A can be found on the FridaBaby Instagram page or by clicking the link hereFridababy (@fridababy)
The CDC also acknowledges that breastmilk is incredibly important and given there is no evidence to show that Covid-19 can be passed on to our babies through breast milk, all breastfeeding moms can continue to breastfeed their babies without worry or concern by following the guidelines below;
-
If you directly breastfeed:Wear a face mask/covering while you are breastfeeding and wash your hands before every feeding.
-
If you do have the option to pump:Wash your hands before handling your pump and bottle parts. Properly sanitize your pump and all its parts after each pumping session. If at all possible have someone else who is not sick or exhibiting symptoms to feed the expressed milk to your baby.
The full page as well as additional information from the CDC can be found here:Pregnancy and Breastfeeding.
We hope these answers give you peace of mind and reassurance as we all navigate this new normal. The Maman's Village, here at Choix, wish you and bebe health, happiness and hand sanitizer, always!
This is not a sponsored post. All products and sites mentioned are not affiliated with Choix.
