Our hearts go out to everyone affected by the COVID-19 crisis. In order to keep everyone safe, we are temporarily suspending our in-person monthly meetings. We are looking into how to hold a virtual meeting on Thursday, April 2nd. More information will be posted.
We are still here to support all of you and are available through phone, text and email if you have any breastfeeding questions or need support. Please reach out if you need anything! All of our contact info can be found here: Contact Us
Breastfeeding during COVID-19, by Dawn Burke, Professional Liaison Department Administrator, La Leche League
Current knowledge from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that breastfeeding parents, even those with confirmed Covid-19, should continue to nurse. By the time the nursing parent has symptoms, the child has already been exposed, therefore stopping breastfeeding increases the child’s chance of becoming ill. Human milk provides important protection and nutrition to nursing children and abruptly stopping can cause more problems than it solves.
Here are some practical steps families can take to limit the spread of Covid-19 and some ways to cope if the nursing parent becomes ill. Much of this is common sense and applies to similar illnesses like the flu. It’s best to have some basic items on-hand before anyone gets sick. If a nursing parent does get sick, a bin or basket to keep these items nearby works best:
Hand sanitizer and/or wipes
Tissues
Plenty of non-sugary liquids or rehydration fluids—it’s important to stay hydrated to maintain milk supply
Fruit juice popsicles—feverish people who won’t drink will often be willing to suck on popsicles for fluids
Nutritious snacks
Thermometer
Phone charger
Remote control and/or a good book
Diapers and clothing changes for the child
Basket of quiet books, toys, or puzzles for a toddler to play with nearby
If a nursing parent does become ill, the guidelines are similar to those of other viral respiratory illnesses:
“Breastfeeding women should not be separated from their newborns, as there is no evidence to show that respiratory viruses can be transmitted through breast milk, according to UNICEF. The mother can continue breastfeeding, as long as the necessary precautions below are applied:
Symptomatic mothers well enough to breastfeed should wear a mask when near a child (including during feeding), wash hands before and after contact with the child (including feeding), and clean/disinfect contaminated surfaces.
If a mother is too ill to breastfeed, she should be encouraged to express milk that can be given to the child via a clean cup and/or spoon – while wearing a mask, washing hands before and after contact with the child, and cleaning/disinfecting contaminated surfaces.”
Additional resources can be found here: Breastfeeding and Coronavirus
We will host a virtual La Leche League Airport Area group meeting on Thursday, July 2nd from 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM on the Jitsi.org platform.
Thinking about sleep training? Read this informative article from LLLI, about what sleep training is, how to co-sleep safely, what normal infant sleep is and ways to gently help your baby sleep.
