Breastfeeding while Sick- Possible and Even Beneficial?

Our Body and Breastfeeding

During Postpartum and the first couple of months as a new Mom, our body may be more susceptible to illness than usual. Nine months of pregnancy and giving birth demand a lot from our body, and instead of resting ourselves afterward, we have a newborn to take care of!

So what weakens our immune system?

• Our body`s strength is focused on healing
• Sleep deprivement
• We may not eat or drink properly
• Stress

It is very important that we take good care of ourselves during this phase, so we stay strong and healthy for our family. However, it happens easily that we catch a cold or the flu, and feel like nothing but sleep. It is extremely hard to take care of our kids when we feel like we are going to fade any second.

So you might ask yourself- If I feel like hell, can my milk be any good for my baby at all? Can my illness pass to my baby if I nurse him or her? Will my baby more likely get ill because while nursing he or she is very close? Can I breastfeed at all while sick?

read Postpartum Tea Recipe

I am sick- what now?

As much as we might pay attention to ourselves- when our body is overwhelmed with stress, missing sleep, too fewer fluids, and we might even have older children at home who bring in all kinds of viruses from school, we might get sick. 

So what to do with our baby when we feel like the only thing we can- and should! do, is lay down and rest?

First of all, there is absolutely no reason to stop breastfeeding! As long as you are not taking any medicine that is not allowed for nursing moms, you can feed your baby as usual. There are only And it is even beneficial for him or her if you do. There are only very few diseases that would prevent a mother from nursing her baby.

We are contagious even before we show signs of illness, so there is no reason to keep your baby away from you in order to protect him or her. It would be even worse to take away the comfort and benefits he gets from being nursed while you are sick. Your milk cannot pass any virus or bacteria to your baby, but instead, all of the antigenes your body developed pass to your baby and protect him or her from getting sick, too! And not only does your body give your baby antibodies to the virus you have, but also to any other virus, your baby is or was exposed to! That`s how awesome nature is. 

I feel too sick to feed my baby

Being ill is annoying. You feel weak, can`t eat, and most of the time your whole body hurts. You may feel like your supply is going down if you eat less, but please try and drink plenty of fluids. If your baby is not yet mobile, it can be very convenient if you just lay next to him or her and nurse in this position rather than getting up every time and lifting the baby. If your baby is already crawling maybe you can put a mattress on the floor where your kids play. This way you are close and your baby can reach you whenever he or she wants to nurse. 

It might get tricky if you don`t feel comfortable nursing in a lying position. Maybe you have some frozen milk stored -which is always convenient- and can ask for help from family or friends while you rest. In most cases with common illness, it is only one or two days during which you feel really bad.

What if my baby gets sick?

In that case, it is even more important to keep nursing. Bottle-fed babies so often refuse feedings when sick, while breastfed babies tend to nurse even more frequently. Breastmilk is like medicine for your baby and the more often they nurse, the more liquids they get which helps wash out everything.

The Benefits…

• Antibodies are passed through breastmilk to protect your baby
• Comforting your baby through nursing helps him or her sleep better and get well faster
• Breastmilk contains probiotics which help with diarrhea
• Breastmilk can prevent respiratory and ear infections
• Frequent nursing helps your baby stay hydrated and wash out viruses and bacteria
• Sick babies tend to be fussy and whiny, nursing helps you both relax

Breastfeeding and Medication

You need to know that every medicine you take is partly passed to your baby through your milk and your baby`s tiny body will need to wash it out on its own. There are a lot of options for medicine that are allowed for nursing mothers, but always ask your doctor, even when you buy medicine that doesn`t need a prescription.  

Always outweigh the benefits and risks of the medicine you think of taking. If it is not really necessary, try and do it without. Most common illnesses are best cured with home remedies or pass alone after a couple of days.

Things to have in mind

• Wash your hands frequently and before handling your baby
• If you have to catch or sneeze look away from your baby
• Keep yourself and the baby warm
• Drink a lot of water, fresh juice, and unsweetened tea
• Don`t take medication you don`t absolutely need 
• Ask for help

Conclusion

Breastfeeding is the best thing you can do for your baby, even while you`re sick. Take care of yourself to get better and think about how great it is that your own body is producing preventive and curing medicine for your baby!

References and further reading

Should breastfeeding continue when mom is sick?

https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-special-circumstances/maternal-or-infant-illnesses/influenza.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6567207/