Breastfeeding While Sick: Safety, Benefits, and Tips for Moms

Breastfeeding while sick is a common concern of many new mothers, raising questions if it is safe to continue nursing during an illness. Whether dealing with a cold, flu, or more serious infection, mothers often wonder if their illness could be passed on or affect the baby’s health or if they should stop breastfeeding altogether. However, studies show that the majority of instances of breastfeeding while ill are perfectly safe and even beneficial. This article explores the recommendations for breastfeeding while sick, offering guidance on how to navigate the issue while ensuring the health and safety of both mom and baby.

Is it Safe to Breastfeed while Being Sick?

Breastfeeding while sick is safe as long as you take proper hygiene precautions like handwashing. You don’t have to worry about the baby catching the illness through breast milk because breast milk is perfectly made for babies, providing antibodies that the baby needs to fight infection. So, breastfeeding your baby when you are sick actually helps your little one gain immunity from the virus that you have.

Does Illness Pass Through Breast Milk?

No, the illness or the virus that you have won’t be passed down to your baby as you breastfeed. If you have a cold, flu, fever, diarrhea and vomiting, mastitis, and even COVID-19, you can keep nursing as usual as long as the skin of the breasts isn’t involved or if there’s no risk for transmission exits via breast milk.

Does Being Sick Affect My Milk Supply?

Yes, illness affects the milk supply. However, the impact depends on the kind of illness, how severe it is, and how well you have managed the challenges of breastfeeding at that time. Here's how being sick can affect your milk supply:

1. Dehydration. Taking care of a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea can lead to dehydration. Dehydration could limit your milk supply because milk production essentially goes down with the level of hydration. So hydrate as much as you can during an illness.
2. Loss of Appetite or Inability to Eat: Sickness can cause you to lack appetite and energy and, therefore, eat less than you normally would. Babies require a lot of calories from food to continue being fed via breast milk. If this is not achieved, then the milk supply changes.
3. Fatigue: An illness often results in weakness, and lack of sleep or general lack of energy can make your body unable to provide milk. Resting is indeed one way to keep your supply healthy, so do your best to rest as much as you can when you are ill.
4. Stress: For most women, being ill is stressful, and it may depress milk production due to the elevation of cortisol levels. Helping to alleviate stress, for example, by getting support with caring for the baby, resting, and drinking plenty of fluid may minimize its impact.
5. Specific Illness Effects:

Cold or Flu: Mild illnesses like a cold or flu are unlikely to affect milk production unless they lead to dehydration or loss of sleep. In any event, though, carry on nursing and expressing to keep up the supply.

Infections (e.g., Mastitis): An infection, for example, mastitis, will sometimes temporarily cause the milk flow or supply to be interrupted from the infected breast. Continue treatment with antibiotics and nursing or pumping so there is not a drop in supply.

COVID-19: With COVID-19 illness, you can experience a temporary lull in milk supply because of fever, fatigue, and dehydration. Typically, it is okay to continue breastfeeding if you feel like doing so because COVID-19 is not passed through breast milk but through respiratory droplets.

How Can I Keep My Baby from Catching My Cold?

There are no available vaccines for the common cold, but you can prevent your baby from catching it through the following:

Wash your hands often. Washing hands with soap and water before touching the baby can help lessen the chances of catching a cold. You should use 60% alcohol or wash your hands after coughing, sneezing, or wiping your nose. Wearing a face mask can also help.

Keep your baby from sick people: As much as possible, staying at home is better. Try to avoid public transportation and public gatherings with your baby.

Clean frequently: Clean your baby’s toys and things at all times before letting them use them again. You can use water and soap or disinfecting wipes.

Get vaccinated: Make sure that flu vaccines vaccinate your family members, including your baby. You can ask your friendly pediatrician about the flu and RSV vaccine.

How to Safely Breastfeed when I am Sick?

Breastfeeding while you're sick can be challenging, but it's usually safe and beneficial for both you and your baby. In fact, breastfeeding while you're unwell can help your baby build immunity, especially if you're dealing with a viral or bacterial infection. Here are some key guidelines for breastfeeding safely when you're sick:

1. Continue Breastfeeding. The vast majority of infections do not harm your baby through breastfeeding. Breast milk will continue to provide all the essential nutrients and antibodies helping to safeguard the baby from infections.
2. Prevention Techniques to Avoid Germ Transfer.Always wash your hands before touching your baby, your breast, or any equipment used for breastfeeding; and, if you have a respiratory infection like the flu or a cold, wear a mask, as this will reduce the likelihood of transmitting droplets to the baby when breastfeeding.
3. Hydration and Rest. Staying hydrated is important for maintaining your milk supply, especially if you're sick with fever, vomiting, or diarrhea. Drink water, herbal teas, and electrolyte drinks to keep your hydration levels up. When you are feeling sick and weak, get as much rest as possible. Try to nap while your baby naps, and do not hesitate to ask for help with baby care so you can focus on your health.
4. Manage Fever or Pain. You can take some medications, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil), that can be taken during breastfeeding. They may ease the pain and let you easily continue breastfeeding. When you are having body aches or other symptoms, try to manage them with over-the-counter medications your health care provider recommends.
5. Maintain Milk Supply. Continue breastfeeding or pumping even when you're feeling tired or ill. If you're too exhausted to nurse, pump, and let someone else feed your baby. Missing feedings can lead to a drop in milk supply. If direct nursing cannot be done, pumping may be necessary to maintain supply.

What Should I do if I’m too Sick to Breastfeed?

If you're too sick to breastfeed, whether because you're too exhausted, in pain, or your illness is already affecting your ability to take care of your baby, there are several steps you can take to ensure your baby still receives the nourishment and care they need. Here’s what you can do:

• Pump or express if you cannot nurse directly. Pump effortlessly with Momcozy M9. It lets you control your pumping experience via the Momcozy app, adjusting settings and tracking your milk yield without ever reaching into your bra. The 3rd Gen pump ensures a ber, more comfortable pumping session every time, even if you are sick.

• Ask someone to feed the baby from the bottle with expressed milk or formula.
• Hydrate and feed nutrient-rich food to keep your health and milk production.
• Feed your baby formula if needed. Do not think twice; your baby will be fed.
• Rest and recover as soon as you can. There is a time to get b and well again.
• Keep a close eye on your baby's health and understand that your baby is feeding well.

While being sick can be stressful, it’s important to remember that your baby can still receive the care they need with a combination of breast milk, formula, and support from others. Currently, your health takes priority, and when you recover, you can nurse according to your ability.

Which Medications are Safe while Breastfeeding?

Certain drugs are considered absolutely safe to use during breastfeeding. These include:

1. Analgesics/antipyretics: acetaminophen (Tylenol), low doses of ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
2. Decongestants and cough/cold medications: Expectorants with guaifenesin (Mucinex, Robitussin) and cough suppressants with dextromethorphan (DayQuil, Delsym)
3. Antihistamines and allergy medications: Claritin is safe to take, but Benadryl may cause drowsiness in the infant.
4. With worms:Most worm treatments are safe to take while breastfeeding.

Unsafe Medicines while Breastfeeding

In such situations, some of the medicines and substances to be avoided while breastfeeding are:

1. Anticancer drugs: These include anticancer drugs, lithium, cyclophosphamide, cyclosporine, and methotrexate.
2. Illicit drugs: Heroin and phencyclidine (PCP) fall in this category.
3. Medications that suppress milk production: Generally, these should be avoided.
4. Codeine: Therefore, trace amounts of codeine can be passed through your baby through your breast milk and cause drowsiness or breathing problems.
5. Antihistamines: Examples include diphenhydramine (Benadryl) and cetirizine (Zyrtec).
6. Decongestants: Examples include pseudoephedrine (Sudafed, Claritin-D, Zyrtec-D, and Allegra-D).
7. Birth control pills: Examples of pills with estrogen.
8. Fertility medications: Examples include clomiphene (Clomid).
9. Herbal remedies: There is not enough research to check their safety when breastfeeding.

Should I Breastfeed if my Child is Sick?

Continue breastfeeding if the child is sick. The antibodies present in breast milk help to boost the baby's immune system and may also reduce the duration or severity of their illness.

Does Breast Milk Change When My Baby Is Sick?

Yes, breast milk changes when your baby is sick. It adapts to your baby's needs by producing more immune cells and infection-fighting compounds in response to their saliva. It also has increased immune-boosting properties, provides comfort and hydration, and contains antibacterial and antiviral properties that help your baby recover faster and reduce the risk of getting sicker.

What are the Benefits of Nursing When Your Baby is Sick?

Continue to breastfeed your baby if she falls ill. Breastfeeding helps boost your baby's immune system. Through the transfer of antibodies from you through breastmilk, your baby is helped to fight infections. When a baby falls ill, breastfeeding her gives her a great chance of speedy recovery and also calms her down.

How to Breastfeed a Sick Baby?

To breastfeed a sick baby, continue nursing as usual, offering comfort and hydration. Ensure your baby stays well-fed by breastfeeding more frequently if needed, as breast milk provides essential antibodies to help fight the illness. Make sure you’re both comfortable and use a supportive position, especially if your baby has a stuffy nose or is too exhausted to latch easily. If your baby has trouble nursing, try expressing milk and feeding via a bottle or spoon.

FAQs about Breastfeeding While Sick

What to eat when breastfeeding a sick baby?

When breastfeeding a sick baby, focus on staying hydrated and eating nutrient-rich foods like soups, broths, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Vitamin C-rich citrus fruit sources, water, herbal teas, and electrolyte rehydration drinks for hydration also aid in milk production and recovery.

If a mom has an upset stomach, is it safe to breastfeed her baby?

Yes, it's generally safe for a mom with an upset stomach to breastfeed her baby. Most stomach issues, like mild indigestion, nausea, or diarrhea, do not affect breast milk quality. However, in case of infection of the stomach, like food poisoning or viral gastroenteritis, it would be advisable that she nurse the baby anyway because antibodies in the breast milk might protect the baby from the infection.

Is it good to pump while sick?

Yes, it’s generally okay to pump while you're sick, and it can be beneficial for maintaining your milk supply. Pumping helps ensure your body continues to produce milk, even if you're not breastfeeding directly. Even more straightforward advice is to stay well-hydrated, rest as much as you can, and care for infection with hygiene practices that prevent clogged ducts or mastitis. Always wash your hands before pumping and take steps to avoid passing germs to your baby.

Conclusion

Breastfeeding while sick is generally safe and can even be beneficial for both mother and baby. The antibodies present in breast milk protect babies against infections, and a mother's flow of milk may actually be maintained during illness. Proper precautions, including washing hands, wearing a mask if possible, and staying hydrated, allow mothers to continue nursing and comforting their babies while they recover.

Remember that if you are too weak to breastfeed directly, expression and having someone else feed the baby is a great alternative. Above all, prioritize your health and seek medical advice if needed to ensure the well-being of both you and your baby.