Is It Safe To Breast Feed During Flu?

Postnatal

oi-Asha

By Asha Das

Monday, March 2, 2015, 16:02 [IST]

Breast milk is the best milk! Breastfeeding is the easiest and cheapest methods to keep your children healthy. No matter whether you are a first time mother or not, when it comes to breastfeeding, it is common that you will be haunted by many doubts. Is it safe to breastfeed during flu is the most significant doubt of mothers. There are many things to consider in this, since your decision has a great impact on your child's health.

It is common that mothers stop feeding their baby once they notice any symptoms of cold or flu. But, doctors recommend mothers to continue feeding their baby as long as it is safe for the medical condition. When you get flu, the truth is that you have already passed the pathogens to your baby, even before you notice any symptoms. So, there are few side effects of breast feed when mother is sick. The next best option is to provide the antibodies also to the baby.

Tips To Breast Feed Your Baby Anywhere

It is important to consult a doctor when you get flu while breastfeeding. Never try self medications. Stop feeding your baby if you are taking antibiotics that may harm your baby or if your flu is too serious. Getting medical advice at the earliest is the key. Here are some important points that you have to notice, when you are breastfeeding and have flu.

Feed To Pass The Antibodies
When you have a fever or cold, it means that the baby is already exposed to the bacteria. If you are worried about is it safe to breastfeed during flu, know that it is always recommended to continue breastfeeding your child. This will help to pass the antibodies that are essential for protecting the child. This is one of the safe measures to breastfeed during flu.

Take Safe Antibiotics
Even though mild flu of mother will not affect the child, there is a hidden danger that you have to consider. This is when the mother is taking any medication like antibiotics. While you are breastfeeding, it is always better to take medicines that will not affect the health of your baby.

Follow Flu Hygiene Precautions
When you have flu, your baby is at higher risk to get the same. So, it is important to follow standard flu hygiene precautions like washing your hands often, covering while coughing or sneezing and limiting face-to-face contact with your baby.

Get Medical Advice
Never be too late to consult a doctor when you get flu. This will help you make necessary steps to handle the situations safely. When you are breastfeeding, your doctor will prescribe only medications that are safe to use during breastfeeding. This will be the best idea to avoid any side effects of breast feed when mother is sick.

Ensure Supply
When you stop breast feeding your baby when you are ill, chances are more that the production of milk will also be reduced. If you take more days break, it will be difficult to come back to previous phase easily. So, if there is no side effects of breast feed when mother is sick, continue feeding.

When You Should Not Breastfeed
If your flu is not getting cured or not responding to your medication, stop breastfeeding your child and seek further medical assistance. Make sure that your physical symptoms are not due to any other underlying medical conditions.