Can you breastfeed if you're sick?

Question

Like just common cold or flu sick. I mean will it pass through you and make the baby sick too?

Thanks for all the great answers!

Answer 1

Yes, it's actually better for the baby. Chances are the baby has already been exposed. Now the baby needs your antibodies which can be found in your breast milk. Be careful about medications you are taking though. I would ask your OBGYN or a pharmacist or pediatrician about which meds are safest.

Happy Mommying to you!!! Hope you feel better soon.

Answer 2

Yes you can and SHOULD breastfeed. The virus/bacteria will more than likely not pass through your milk, and your baby has already been exposed in other ways. You are most contagious before you even know you are sick.

However continuing to breastfeed provides your baby with antibodies to fight off the illness. Heck half the time when mom is so sick she wishes she was dead, the breastfed baby isn't sick at all. Drives me nuts, shouldn't my antibodies help me! *lol* Then again nothing worse than a sick baby.

Should breastfeeding continue when mom is sick?
http://www.kellymom.com/health/illness/mom-illness.html
"During any "ordinary" illness such as a cold, sore throat, flu, tummy bug, fever, mastitis, etc. you should continue to breastfeed. Just remind your doctor you are nursing so that if medications are needed he can prescribe something that is compatible with breastfeeding. Most medications are safe to take while breastfeeding, and for those that are not recommended there is almost always an alternative medication that is safe.

If mom has food poisoning, breastfeeding should continue. As long as the symptoms are confined to the gastrointestinal tract (vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps), breastfeeding should continue without interruption as there is no risk to the baby. This is the case with most occurences of food poisoning. If the food poisoning progresses to septicemia, meaning the bacteria has passed into mom's bloodstream (mom would most likely be hospitalized), see this guidance from Dr. Ruth Lawrence:

"Maternal infections of the genitourinary or gastrointestinal tract do not pose a risk to infants except in the rare circumstances when septicemia occurs and bacteria might reach the milk. Even in this event, continued breastfeeding while the mother receives appropriate antibiotic therapy that is compatible with breastfeeding is the safest course for the infant. If the infecting organism is especially virulent or contagious (e.g., an invasive group A streptococcal infection causing severe disease in the mother), breastfeeding should continue after a temporary suspension during the first 24 hours of maternal therapy. Prophylactic or empiric therapy for the infant, against the same organism, may be indicated." [source: Lawrence RM & Lawrence RA. Given the Benefits of Breastfeeding, what Contraindications Exist?
Pediatric Clinics of North America 2001 (February);48(1): 235-51.]
"

You Should Continue Breastfeeding (1)
(Illness in the mother or baby)
http://www.kellymom.com/newman/09a-illness_mother_baby.html

Answer 3

Okay...i definitely agree with everyone that you should keep breastfeeding even if you are sick and that it gives your child antibodies to protect against germs. But it doesn't mean that your child won't get sick! I breastfed my daughter for 9 1/2 months and she still got RSV twice (hospitalized first time at 5 1/2 weeks) and i am currently breastfeeding my son for almost 6 months now, but of course he has been sick at least 5-6 times already (twice with RSV also). Yes you do give them antibodies from your breast milk, but you or anyone else can still spread your germs from contact especially if your child has a weak immune system to start with. Make sure you wash your hands religiously, spray down your home daily with Lysol to kill germs, and try to keep contact to a minimum until you start feeling better. I know it's an absolute pain, but honestly it's really awful when they become sick especially when they are under 6 months. You feel defenseless

Answer 4

No its even better to breastfeed when you are sick because of the extra antibodies that you have because of the sickness(except with virus and diseases where you should not<- resurech which ones but def not a cold or fever) and that will help your baby even more


Good luck and hope you get well soon

Answer 5

From all the information I read recently when breastfeeding was that you can still nurse while sick. The only time you might not want to is if you had food poisioning and were throwing up because you wouldn't want that to get into the baby. Common cold or flu is fine.....baby's going to get sick at some point.

Answer 6

I addition to all the great answers you've already gotten, I will add that while you're sick, you need to rest. That means laying baby beside you and plugging him in. If you're preparing formula and washing bottles, you're not resting. Baby has already been exposed to your germs from kissing and other contact, so it's very important to breastfeed now!

Answer 7

you can definitly breastfeed when you're sick. It's already in your system before you realize the onset of it, so the baby is already getting the immunity from it.

Answer 8

Yes you absolutely can.
Your breastmilk has antibodies in it that will protect your baby.
Years ago I asked that same question to my CNM and she told me that.
And none of my three children EVER became sick from my nursing them when I was sick.
Hope this helps!
Great question, by the way!

Answer 9

no your baby can't get sick through your breast milk, as your dr. also to see if you can take anything for the cold or flu while breast feeding too

Answer 10

The baby will be fine. Also, any exposure she gets from you while breastfeeding should only help to make her immune system stronger.