Lets say a breast feeding mom has a cold?

Question

Will that cold pass to the baby through the breast milk?

or does it only pass through the air

Answer 1

Well, if YOU'RE feeding when she sneezes, it might make you cough. Then you'd puke up a big hairball of breast milk and air. If the baby is anywhere near you at this time, he might mistake your puke for breast milk and lap it up. It would taste so nasty that he might get sick. Then HE'D puke, and you'd have a big mess of puke, breastmilk and haiballs all over the place. I'd say it's a good time to invest in some formula stock...

Answer 2

You cant catch a cold from breast milk, and since breast feeding your baby while you have a cold ,will build their immunity to what ever virus it is that the mother has, the baby has less of a chance of getting sick. But even if he/she does catch a cold It wouldn't be nearly as bad as the mothers. Kissing the baby and breathing on her are more likely to get he/she sick! good luck!!!

Answer 3

Breastfeed that baby by all means! Breastfeeding is how infants receive antibodies to fight off viruses and infections. It's nature's way of ensuring the survival of the species. They can build these antibodies on their own without mom's help but it is harder on them and they'll get sick more often. Continuing breastfeeding will help keep the baby from getting sick. Besides, the baby has probably already been exposed to the virus before mom came down with symptoms. If it's not sick yet, chances are it won't be or the symptoms will be light.

Answer 4

Not usually, though there is a chance, just like with any cold or flu- But that is why for the first few days you produce colustrum, that has *all* of the antibodies that the baby will need, plus since your body is fighting off the cold there will be extra antibodies so it should prevent the baby from getting your illness

Answer 5

Certain diseases can pass through breastmilk, however so would the antibodies for fighting them.

However colds to not spread via breastmilk:

"The best thing you can do for your baby when you're sick is to continue to breastfeed. When you have a contagious illness such as a cold, flu, or other mild virus, your baby was exposed to the illness before you even knew you were sick. Your milk will not transmit your illness to baby, but it does have antibodies in it that are specific to your illness (plus anything else you or baby have been exposed to) - they'll help prevent baby from getting sick, or if he does get sick, he'll probably not be as sick as you. "
http://www.kellymom.com/health/illness/mom-illness.html


The only disease that you SHOULD NOT breastfeed if you have i HIV and that is only if you live in a country with access to clean drinking water. If you live in a country without clean drinking water the chances of contracting HIV through breastmilk is less than the chances of dying from water-borne disease.

Answer 6

If the mom continue to breast feed as she should she will pass immunitites to her virus so the baby will not likely get the virus..It applies for all colds flus and other virus.

Answer 7

Passes through the air. The baby, however, will get the antibodies that mom is producing to fight off her cold. These antibodies very well may prevent baby from getting the cold at all...and will reduce the severity at the very least.

BREASTFEEDING IS AWESOME! :-))

Answer 8

The breast milk from the mother will help build up the child's immunity so they don't catch the cold, or at least less likely to catch it.

Answer 9

The only thing you are going to pass through the breastmilk are the antibodies you are making to the cold you currently have. Your child will become immune.. likely before he/she ever a chance to get sick.

Answer 10

Put on a mask and feed baby anyway. They baby has probably got some immunity through the milk from you.