I'm nursing and sick but I don't want to get the baby sick?

Question

I have a four month old that I'm breastfeeding. I got a sore thoat and a really bad cold. I don't want to get him sick. I'm a stay at home mom and my husband can't take off work and everyone else is busy to. How do I keep him from getting sick if I have to touch him.

I also have a two year old who has a cold too. He caught it from me.

Answer 1

Chances are your baby was already exposed before you even knew you were sick. But at this point all you can do is wash your hands frequently and of course don't cough or sneeze in his face.

Answer 2

Don't depair and by all means, keep nursing!! It's the best choice you can make for your baby! Now, to attempt to ease your mind. All you really need to do is make sure you are eating healthy and staying hydrated...and wash your hands with warm, soapy water a lot, but especially before you handle your breasts at feeding time. You are providing needed antibodies to your baby to prevent illness. As long as you practice good hygene, you'll be helping your baby even if you continue to breast feed when you have a cold. It's the best defense you can give your baby to build a strong immune system. Also, if you are taking any medications, or you see a doctor for this cold, make sure you read all warnings, avoid medicines not recommended for nursing moms, and tell your doctor that you are a nursing mom! Just don't give up because of a cold.

Answer 3

How silly do you want to be? you could only feed the baby with expressed milk so that you wouldn't have to hold the baby. you could wear a face mask and carry a bleach solution soaked towel with hand sanitizer on your hip at all times. you could sanitize your breast before feeding with either bleach solution or sanitizer but it may stop the baby from latching on. But all of these things won't guarantee that the baby won't get sick. the baby needs to get sick to build up it's immune system. the only way to do that is to become introduced to everyday illnesses, like colds...If you have been breastfeeding for 4 months already the chances of the child getteing sick are greatly reduced because of the antibodies you have already provided through the breastmilk. Keep up the good work!

Answer 4

Your breast milk is full of antibodies, and is the best thing you can give him as protection against the sickness you have coming on. He will get sick, but thats part of growing an immune system and it has to happen, but he will by and far have less severe versions of the viruses you have and get.

Just keep on like normal.

For yourself, get some saline nasal spray, blow your nose squirt the spray in your nose until it just starts to run down your throat and then blow your nose again. I promise it will clear everything up in half the time. Drink a lot of fluids and go ahead and sleep every time your four month old is napping, as that will also help you get better faster.

Answer 5

Hand washing is always good, but especially important now that you are sick. Try to limit kisses and breathing in baby's face as much as possible. Definitely keep breastfeeding.

Hope you feel better, and good luck. A woman's work is never done even when sick it just waits for you.

Answer 6

Chances are, the baby is exposed just b/c you are all living together and in close contact.

But, b/c you are breastfeeding, your little one can get your antibodies and immune cells through your milk! Therefore, breastfeeding is the BEST thing you can do while sick. W/o your milk, your baby LOSES that protection.

Answer 7

Wash your hands frequently. After coughing or sneezing and before touching your baby. One of the benefits of breastfeeding is that you pass your antibodies onto the baby through your breast milk. These will help protect your little one from getting ill. I hope you feel better soon. Take care.

Answer 8

i'm so sorry to pay attention approximately Brayden. i'm happy that he's being dealt with nonetheless.. he would be in my prayers.. as a strategies via fact the retarded nurse (or lpn bc they generally are those that take the vitals) you are able to definitely ask to speak to the top nurse and request that she no longer look after him. additionally, many hospitals have affected person-service departments. you are able to definitely checklist this terrible habit there. ultimate of success and would Brayden in trouble-free terms get greater beneficial and greater healthy!

Answer 9

Wash your hands and try not to kiss him as much. Breastfeeding when your sick won't matter, breastmilk has so many antibodies to keep them from getting sick, he will be okay.

Good Luck!

P.S. Our jobs as mothers never stop even when we're sick. :)

Answer 10

you can always get some face masks that they use at a hospital to keep from breathing on him while he is eating or in close proximity to you, or simply cover your mouth with a towel, and wash your hands super frequently.

EDIT: thumbs down because I suggest a face mask or covering your mouth to prevent breathing sore throat germs on him? That makes sense, isn;t it better to do whatever you can to KEEP him from getting it, and an extra precaution is just that, extra people...not saying walk around with a face mask on all freakin day long, just while feeding him or being so close to his face. I do this and my children when young never contracted any kind of cold from me, and they were not breastfed as i am one of those rare anomalies that does not produce breastmilk, so none of them even had my all important antibodies to protect them. You guys act as though i told her to give her baby to someone else until she feels better.