For mothers who are breastfeeding and concerned about swine flu (H1N1), The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the following:
"Infants who are not breastfeeding are particularly vulnerable to infection and hospitalization for severe respiratory illness. Women who deliver should be encouraged to initiate breastfeeding early and feed frequently. Ideally, babies should receive most of their nutrition from breast milk. Eliminate unnecessary formula supplementation, so the infant can receive as much maternal antibodies as possible."
If you do become sick, you should still continue to breastfeed and, as best you can, increase the frequency of feeds. If it is not possible or safe for you to feed directly from the breast, you should continue to pump, as this will keep your milk supply strong through the illness. The risk for swine flu (H1N1) transmission through breast milk is unknown. It is best to take these precautions until more information is available.
Expressed milk should be used for babies who are too sick to feed at the breast. In particular circumstances, babies may be able to use donor human milk from a HMBANA-certified milk bank.
What can you do to protect your baby from the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like swine flu (H1N1)? Here are some tips:
- Wash your hands and your baby's hands frequently with soap and water, especially if the baby puts her hands in her mouth.
- Limit the sharing of toys or anything else that has been in the baby's mouth. Wash anything that has been in the baby's mouth thoroughly with soap and water.
- Keep pacifiers out of adults' or other babies' mouths before giving to your baby. (This may sound odd, but many a parent has licked pacifiers to "sanitize" them after falling on the ground.)
- Ensure that you're coughing and sneezing away from others. (It is also best to cough or sneeze into the crook of your arm versus your hand.)
Please keep in mind: Taking antiviral medication does not mean that you have to stop breastfeeding.
