13/06/2023
RSV, influenza and COVID-19 are some common illnesses currently circulating in the community. It is often asked whether mum should continue to breastfeed when she is unwell.
In short, the answer is YES!
There are very few illnesses which can be transferred via a woman’s breastmilk to her child and RSV, influenza, gastroenteritis and (as far as we know) COVID-19 are not one of them. As we know, breastmilk has many amazing properties. When a woman is unwell or comes across an illness and her immune system fights the illness, it produces antibodies.
When a woman is also breastfeeding, these antibodies are transferred from the mother’s system into baby’s system via breastmilk and therefore gives bub immune-fighting antibodies to protect it from illness and infection. This can be either preventing illness or fighting it off so that the illness that manifests is not severe.
In short – when you are sick, your breastmilk PROTECTS your child from becoming unwell.
It’s a tough gig when you are unwell and caring for a child and breastfeeding. Some important things to remember are; to seek medical assistance early, keep well hydrated to avoid dehydration and keep up breastmilk supply and rest when you can (I know.. easier said than done!). Washing hands regularly after coughing, sneezing, blowing nose or going to the bathroom is vital in any case to reduce the spread of illness. Wearing a mask and avoiding kissing your baby can help prevent the spread of illnesses via saliva and droplets.
If you feel you are too unwell to breastfeed due to the energy is uses, it is okay to try expressing and feeding your baby with a bottle. It is also okay to use formula if required. A word of warning however, when unwell there can be a slight drop in breastmilk supply, usually due to dehydration. It would be best to try boosting supply eg pumping after feeds etc before trialing other methods of feeding, and if using formula to express in place of those feeds if wanting to maintain your breastmilk supply.
Share this with friends and let me know below if this was helpful or if you have any questions. 👇