Breastfeeding & Covid-19

Breastfeeding & its importance:

Breastfeeding is the practise of nourishing your infant breast milk directly from your breast. Breastfeeding is crucial for the survival, growth, and development of babies and young children. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), new-borns should be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life, followed by continuous nursing with suitable supplementary meals for up to 2 years and beyond. Breast milk is the natural first nourishment for new-borns. It has a virtually ideal balance of vitamins, protein, and fat – all that the toddler requires to develop. Plus, it's all in a more readily digestible form than baby formula. Babies who are nursed solely during the first 6 months, without the use of formula, have fewer ear infections, respiratory problems, and episodes of diarrhoea and breastfed babies are more likely to gain the appropriate amount of weight.

However, there is rising fear among breastfeeding moms who have contracted the COVID-19 virus and about the possibility of transmission to their babies.

According to WHO, breastfeeding should be promoted or continued for moms with probable or confirmed COVID-19. Since, active COVID-19 has not been discovered in breast milk or during lactation it is safe for the infant to consume breast milk.

Breastfeeding advice and safety measures:

If a mother develops COVID-19 symptoms or has the virus confirmed, she should take the following precautions to avoid transmitting the virus to her infant and can breastfeed if she wishes:

• Before holding the infant, wash your hands with soap and water.
• While nursing, use a face mask.
• Clean and disinfects the surface on a regular basis.
• Before contacting your breast pump or bottle components, wash your hands. After each usage, thoroughly clean all parts.
• Manage stress.
• When you are too unwell to nurse, use a cup and spoon to feed them pumped breastmilk. 
• Cough or sneeze into a tissue. Then throw it out right away and wash your hands.
• Maintain a healthy diet, which will not only benefit you but also the baby.

The ideal approach to tackle such challenges is to maintain women health while prioritizing the health of one's baby, which can be accomplished through breastfeeding. Get the COVID-19 vaccination for your new-born to safeguard him or her. Consult your pediatrician for advice on how to keep your child healthy. Don't be afraid to nurse your child; it's not dangerous. Just be sure you take preventative measures to keep the infection to a minimum.