Posted on March 22, 2020 at 2:15 PM by Julie Sutor
If you’re a new or expecting mom, you most likely have questions about the risk of COVID-19 for you and your baby. Since COVID-19 is a new disease, the CDC is still learning how it spreads, but they do have some interim guidance until more is known, and you can always call your primary care provider for answers to specific questions.
Since the CDC doesn’t know many details about the risks associated with COVID-19 and pregnant or breastfeeding moms, the guidelines suggest that it’s important to protect yourself from COVID-19 like you would protect yourself from any illness, and you should take the same measures that we advise the general public to take to avoid COVID-19 infection:
- Avoid people who are sick
- Clean your hands often using soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer
- Stay at least six feet from others
- Do not hug or high-five - wave to each other instead
- Do not gather in groups of more than 10 people - and still honor the six-foot rule in these small groups
- Work from home
- Use electronic devices to visit family or friends instead of visiting in-person
The CDC does not know whether mothers with COVID-19 can transmit the virus via breastmilk. They recommend, “Whether and how to start or continue breastfeeding should be determined by the mother in coordination with her family and healthcare providers.”
For more info on COVID-19 and pregnant or breastfeeding moms, visit CDC.