COVID-19 AND BREASTFEEDING
Written by Liza John
According to the World Health Organization, breastmilk is the best source of nutrition for infants and is essential for their survival, growth, and development. Experts suggest that babies below six months should be exclusively breastfed, and then continued breastfeeding with complementary foods until they are two years old.
As always, mums and pregnant woman, are flooded with information from friends, next of kin, or even random people on the street. This might seem okay at first, but with this flurry of information, you also get spammed with misinformation or obsolete pieces of advice.
With the coronavirus pandemic, it is natural for mums and pregnant women to worry if breastfeeding might pass down the coronavirus to their babies. The WHO recommends that mothers should continue breastfeeding, as its benefits outweigh the risks posed by it.
Benefits Of Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding protects the baby: Breastfed babies are found to have better immunity against infections and deadly diseases than others. What makes it even better is that antibodies against the Covid-19 virus were detected in human milk.
Breastfeeding is good for mums: Your body releases hormones when you breastfeed your baby, these can relieve stress and anxiety. It helps with faster post-partum weight loss and lessens post-partum bleeding. Breastfeeding also lessens UTI and chances of anaemia. Besides, it reduces risks of various types of illnesses such as breast cancer, ovarian cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular issues.
Nutrition for the growing baby: Breastmilk contains an abundant amount of easily absorbable nutritional components, antioxidants, and enzymes. Additionally, breastmilk is always at the right temperature and clean, making it a more convenient option than formula.
Lowers Infant Mortality: Studies suggest that breastfed babies are less likely to contract SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) and significantly lowers infant mortality rates.
Should You Breastfeed During the Pandemic?
Definitely a huge yes! As mentioned before, there is no evidence that suggests that Covid-19 can be transmitted vertically from mum to baby through breastfeeding. On the other hand, coronavirus was seen to be absent in the amniotic fluid, placenta tissue or the umbilical cord blood. Additionally, the fact that no newborn tested positive for Covid-19 at birth further rules out the chances of vertical transmission from mother to child.
Based on the available information from studies, the virus seems to be absent in breastmilk. Even if the virus was to be transmitted occasionally, the long-term risks of not breastfeeding should be placed at a higher priority, as Covid-19 in children and infants are usually mild. Therefore, with proper hygiene and precautions, breastfeeding should be continued.
Tips For Breastfeeding During the Pandemic
Hygiene
The UNICEF recommends breastfeeding mums to follow the 3 W’s of hygiene while breastfeeding:
- Wash hands with soap before and after each feeding session
- Wear a mask while feeding
- Wipe and disinfect surfaces frequently
Close contact with the mother or another family member is the foremost risk for a baby to contract the coronavirus. Following the 3 W’s, will significantly reduce the chances of transmission from mum to baby.
When You’re Sick
Mothers who contract the Covid-19 virus shortly before or after giving birth or those who get infected while breastfeeding, have been found to produce antibodies in their breastmilk. Thus, continuing to breastfeed is the best way to combat the virus while protecting your baby and enhancing the baby’s immunity.
Regardless, if you come down sick with Covid-19 symptoms such as fever, cough, or respiratory issues, consult a medical health practitioner immediately. If you are not too tired, continue breastfeeding.
For mums who are too sick to breastfeed, you can still express the breastmilk and ask your spouse, doula, or a non-infected family member to feed the baby with a clean cup and spoon.
Extra Care When Using Formula
While breastmilk is the best option to feed a growing baby, there may be situations where you may be unable to breastfeed the baby. In such cases, mothers may resort to formula feeding. While formula feeding thoroughly clean and sterilize any equipment used such as teats, bottles, spoons.
Vaccination And Breastfeeding
The Covid-19 vaccines available can be safely administered on lactating or expressing otherwise healthy individuals. No WHO approved vaccine contains live viruses and are absolutely safe for both the mother and baby. If you are fully vaccinated against the SARS-Cov-2 virus, you need not take any extra precautions than the 3Ws while feeding the baby.