Mom Seeking Advice with the Flu and Breastfeeding

Actually the best you can do is to keep breastfeeding. If you have it already it is possible that he already have it, just because he has contact with you. The breast milk would help him more than anything build inmunity to fight it. If you stop then he will definitely get it bad. Breast milk is the best medication and inmunity for any tipe of virus or sickness.

Its funny I had the same concern when my child was 6 months old and I got the flu really bad. I called my doctor and I had let her know that I had stopped breast feeding and she told me not to because I can still provide the nutrians that she needed despite my illness. If she gets sick she will get sick by simply being around me not because of my breast feeding. She said I should avoid taking any night time medications because they tend to have stuff in them thats not good for the baby. Robitussin DM she said was ok, daytime Nyquil was cool but not the other stuff and it also tends to dry up milk when taking them. Good Luck and I hope you feel better.

I would really try to keep breastfeeding. You will give your baby immunities from your sickness...If you don't breastfeed, he won't have anything to help him fight off the sickness.

yes, you definitely can give him the flu, unless you quarantine yourself from him. but chances are that you've already been pass the contagious part, so it's too late for that.

more importantly, if he does get the flu, ONLY YOU can help him fight it too. since your body is working hard to fight off the virus, antibodies get transfered into your milk. your body believes that whatever you are exposed to the baby is also since he's with you. giving him the breastmilk is like giving him natural antibiotics. if you are exposed to everything he is, your body will help his immune system fight it off.

now as for the vomiting, you want to stay well hydrated. the thing is, usually the stomach can't hold large amounts, so it's difficult to keep things down. what you can do is literally, drink a tsp or a sip every 5 minutes. believe it or not, but that's enough to keep you hydrated until you are able to keep things down.

if you need to, don't be afraid to get in contact with a lactation specialist. i'm not sure where you delivered, but there are many in the inland empire. you can call ###-###-#### to get a hold of one if you like. good luck!

Your child could get the flu whether your are nursing or not. I would NOT stop nursing. Stay very well hydrated. Water is great but if you can get your hands on a hydrating drink, one that would be great is called Hydralyte (formerly known as Gookinaid) not only for runners but great for people who are sick or during labor. You can find it at most running stores and REI. If your child does get the flu, speaking from experience - your breastmilk is the best thing you could give him. Even if he vomits, let him nurse as much as possible. Twice my son got the flu or some sort of stomach virus and if not for still nursing, I'm sure he would have been on IV's at the hosptial.

I'm sorry you are feeling so crummy right now. Hang in there!
M.

C.,

I nursed my daughter for 18 months and have a 7 week old. During the time I nursed my daughted, I was sick a few times. I was always told by my pediatrician and lactation consultant to contimue to nurse. The baby will still get the nutrtients that he needs and will get antibodies. Use caution like you would with any other cold, like washing hands, etc. to keep him from getting sick. You can't get him sick from nursing. Also, as long as he is nursing you will still have milk. If you find your supply going down, just stick with it.

C.,

You are more likely to give your son the flu by touching him that breastfeeding him. Make sure you are washing your hands frequently. If you were to quit breastfeeding him, you'd still be exposing him to the flu but you wouldn't be passing on your antibodies via your breastmilk - so his chances of getting sick and being sicker would be higher. Either way, if you are sick, he's exposed. So give him the benefit of breastmilk to help keep him healthy and to help him fight it if he does get it.

To keep up your milk supply, drink as much water and fluids as you can, eat as much as you can and nurse frequently. Stay away from decongestants as much as possible (when I'm sick I usually just take them at bedtime so I can sleep and just deal with it the rest of the time). If it will dry up your nose, it will also dry up your boobs. Ibuprophen and tylenol are fine to take and will help with the body aches, head ache, sore throat and general crappy feeling that comes with being sick.

For what it is worth, the flu virus will NOT pass to him via your breastmilk. But your antibodies will. Whatever you do, don't quit breastfeeding while you are sick.

:-)T.
mama to 2 healthy, happy kids who were breastfed

you should probably be drinking TONS of water. more than your normal amount to maintain your milk supply. i would reccommend you continue breastfeeding. thats how our kids build up their immune system. i breastfed my son while i was sick and he didn't get sick. hope that helps.

rah

there is tons of good advice in your responses but for more peace of mind try contacting Le Leche League... they are so helpful. BTW, they encourage breast feeding while sick as well.

You can still breast feed, just wash your hands a lot, he'll be fine. If you don't feel up to feeding and pumping for a few days your supply will drop, but once you feel better you can get it back. You can get milk back even after several weeks, just increase fluids and food. Rest, drink decaf tea and juice, feel better.

Remember, supply & demand, if your supply gets low, just offer the breast a lot and it will come back. Frequent nursing & pumping means ALOT of milk.

Hi,
I just looked in "The Nursing Mother's Companion", which is a very helpful guide having to do with everything related to nursing. It didn't mention any problems at all with nursing while ill, which means it isn't a concern. As long as you aren't kissing your sweetie too much, i think you are OK.
I hope you feel better soon!

The flu does not transfer into breastmilk. Your baby could get the flu just from exposure, but not from breastfeeding. Don't worry about your milk supply going down....even if it drops a little for a couple of days, your baby will be fine and your supply will come back up once you can keep food down. There is always a risk of dehydration with the flu, and breastfeeding at the same time increases your chances. Just make sure you're drinking plenty of fluids. If it's hard to keep fluids in, make sure you are sipping them very slowly. I really hope this helps and I hope you feel better soon!

The BEST thing you CAN do - is NURSE!!! You're actually passing antibodies to your baby!!!! So your baby will stay healthy! Take it from a mom, that hasn't stopped nursing in 12 years!!! I've nursed, had a baby, times 4!! :)

Continuing to breastfeed now is the best thing you can do! Your baby will get antibodies from you that way. It used to be that women were told to stop nursing if they got sick with the flu or whatnot, but it's a myth that you can pass it to them via your breastmilk. Yes, they can still get it from you in the usual ways - airborne, etc., so make sure your wash your hands plenty, but keep nursing! And make sure you're drinking plenty of fluids to keep your supply up.

Hi C.,

I'm glad you asked. My work is dedicated to public health planning for pandemic influenza, and the seasonal flu (regular flu) is transmitted much the same way.

The best way to hamper the spread of most contagious diseases is "in your hands". Most viruses, like the flu, are transmitted by coughs and sneezes. Sometimes, if conditions are right, viruses left on an object by cough or sneeze can be picked up by someone else on their hands. Your a mom and you know how some people - not excluding men ( ;) no offense, dad), but particularly children manage their coughs,sneezes, and mucus (aka boogers).

Here's how you can slow the spread:
1. COVER THOSE COUGHS AND SNEEZES! We need to change some habits though. We've all learned to cover our mouth and nose with our hand. It's best to cover with a tissue. I mean REALLY COVER. Then throw the tissue into the trash, and wash your hands with soap and water scrubbing for 20 seconds before rinsing. If you don't have a tissue handy at the critical moment, cough or sneeze into your sleeve at your elbow. That puts the virus (and other ickyness) away from your hands so you don't leave it behind on objects or people when you touch.

2. STAY AWAY FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE SICK. You're more likely to pick up their "germs", just like Granny told you. In your case, your little one needs to eat. If you have stored milk in the freezer, have Dad or big brother feed that. You can pump and store your milk while your down with the flu. The milk is still good as long as you are very careful about handwashing before you handle the equipment, milk, etc.

3. WASH YOUR HANDS FREQUENTLY THROUGHOUT THE DAY WITH SOAP AND RUNNING WATER. Rub and Scrub for 20 seconds before rinsing. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer gels containing 60% alcohol or more. It's a good substitute, but hand washing is the best.

4. KEEP YOUR HANDS AWAY FROM YOUR FACE. Viruses infect us through our mucus membranes of the eyes, nose and mouth. If your hands are carrying a virus and your rub your eye, eat without washing your hands, or do some unseemly thing with your nose, you can plant the virus exactly where it needs to be in order to grow and infect you.

5. THE WORLD IS FULL OF VIRUSES. Here in "the OC" most grocery stores have those wipes at the door. Use them to wipe down the handle and places you might touch on the grocery cart. It might sound a little like MONK (TV show about a germ-phobic detective), but we know it helps. If you carry handwipes (60% alcohol-by the way, handwipes don't count against your carry-on liquids in the airport, another virus laden place)you can use it in other places where wipes are not provided.

6. GET A FLU SHOT EVERY YEAR!!! I know the biggest myth known to mankind is: you'll get the flu from the shot." LIES-ALL LIES!!! People who come down with the flu after getting the shot had been exposed to the virus the week before getting the shot. In fact, the shot will make the illness less severe than if they hadn't been immunized. This year things got a little different with a strain of human influenza that was not expected, but CDC has things under control for this coming years vaccine. There will be several events in the Fall offering free vaccine. It's also not too late to get your flu shot now, for this year. Keep your eye on the news for coming flu shot events.

Sorry about the long-winded response. I'm glad you're still breastfeeding you little one. That will help build his immunities as well. By the way, chicken soup is still good for the one who has the flu. Good Luck and I hope you feel better soon.

C. The Nurse

YOu can safely take Nucleotides, colostrum, probiotics and allicidin complex from premier labs...sold at our wellness center. More than that, if you are worried, we can do some non-invasive QRA testing in a 15 minute appointment and determine precisely what you have in your body, be it bacteria, virus, etc and the exact location, small intestine, large intestine, lungs, etc. And we can then determine which herbal remedies are best suited for you and baby. You give nucleotides and colostrum to baby in your milk, so they are more than safe for you to take and they boost your immune system. At minimum take those!

Good luck.

Namaste,
J. Eltman, MPH, RD
Preventive & Therapeutic Holistic Health
www.CreativeNutrition.com
1.877.5.EATWELL
Author: The NO DIET Diet: Healthy Meals in 5 Minutes

Keep breastfeeding! It is the best. Your antibodies that your body is making to combat the flu are being passed to your child through the breast milk. In fact when the baby feeds, the saliva goes into your breast tissue as well, and your body starts to make antibodies for anything the little one may start to get. If he does get sick, it will last so much less time if you keep breastfeeding then if you stop. Your supply will be fine. Keep drinking fluids, and then as you feel better, keep feeding on demand and if your supply does dip a little, it will be back to normal in no time. Hope you feel better!

You can absolutely continue to nurse. The truth is, you have already "passed it on" to your son without you even knowing it. Antibodies in the breastmilk have already been distributed to help protect against the illness, so there really isn't any harm to him. Be careful with the meds your're taking because it will pass through the milk, however. Get better real soon!

Hi there, you need to really increase your fluid more so than with the normal flu, you may also try drinking Mother's Tea from GNC to continue your milk flow. It is always better for the baby to continue breastfeeding especially if they are prone to colds' & such. It's hard when they are born around flu season, but don't give up!!

Me: Was a full-time working/nursing mom and I nursed our baby until she was 18mos. and she too was born during flu season.

Don't give up :)

The best thing you can do for him is to keep breastfeeding him to boost his immunities. Being sick isn't fun without being a nursing mom. It's even worse when you're nursing.
Like others have said, the worst will be for you in keeping your fluids up. Your supply probably won't be that affected but you will be. Try to sip water or eat ice chips when you can. You can also go and buy those pedialyte pops you buy for your kids and suck on a few of those. When I'm sick, I drink tons of gatorade. Not only does it keep me hydrated but my stomach seems to handle it better than water or 7-up.
You can also try some peppermint tea, hot or cold.

Dear C.,

I wouldn't worry so much about passing the flu through your breast milk as much as when you breathe on him, or touch him without washing your hands. If what you have is truly influenza, and not a stomach virus, it is airborne. You are passing anti-bodies through your breast milk.

Good luck,
B.

Keep nursing! I would imagine your milk supply might go down because of being dehydrated, just keep drinking water and after the flu goes away your milk supply will come back. If you stop nursing, your son is more likely to get sick because you won't be giving him the antibodies from your milk but still be holding him and touching him while caring for him. So just try to nap with him and drink lots of water to speed up recovery... and keep nursing! :)

I had the flu when I was about to give birth to DS2. I talked to my OB and asked what I could do to make sure he didn't get it. Her response was to start breastfeeding IMMEDIATELY. Your body builds up immunities to whatever your body is fighting. And you pass those immunities along in your milk.

As long as you keep breastfeeding him, your supply will continue (regardless of throwing up).

When you're looking for over-the-counter meds to keep from feeling miserable, there's one you can take that won't affect the baby. It's usually in cough syrups, and the active ingredient is called "Guaifenesin" -- it's an expectorant. Tylenol makes a good one that I used whenever I was sick while I was breastfeeding; it really helps.

Other than that, just some common sense stuff -- wash your hands a lot, etc. Good luck! Hope you feel better soon.

I breast feed my daughter and when she was only 2 months old my 4 yrold, my husband and I all came down with a stomach virus and had us all throwing up. I was concerned too about my baby getting sick and what would happen with breast feeding, so I called the lactation support line. They said my baby would be fine and actually she never got sick which they said I could have passed immunities to her. Of course...keep hydrated.

I was told not to stop breastfeeding if you get sick. 1st reason being that they are already exposed to it by now so you have to keep feeding your baby to give him your antibodies. 2nd reason is that the breast is best! That is what I was told anyway. Hope you feel better. Oh almost forgot to add, the only time I was told you should not breast feed is if you contract HIV or some other immune disease. There is a ton of info on Kellymom.com that is great for breastfeeding mommies. Good luck and congrats for sticking it out as long as you have, you should be proud. I am at the 4 month mark and I know how hard it can be!

Breastfeeding through your illness is actually best for him. Your body is making antibodies to your illness to get over it and he's getting those through the breastmilk. You're doing the best thing for him!

C.,

My pediatrician said it's safe to nurse anytime you are sick, UNLESS you have a fever higher than 101 or the medications you are on are too strong for baby.

Hope you feel better soon!!

A.

Continuing to breastfeed is the best thing you can you. Your breast milk actully has antibodies in it that will help him not get what you have, or get a lighter version.

But because of his history, be sure to put a call into your pediatrician to see if there are any other precautions you should be taking. Be sure to wash your hands a lot.

Don't stop breastfeeding. Even when you are not sick, everytime you kiss your baby or are exposed to things that you are not even aware of your body is constantly making antibodies. Then when you breastfeed you pass those antibodies to your baby providing him/her with protection. When you are sick and breastfeeding your body makes antibodies that you then pass on to your baby thus reducing the chances that your child will get sick.