Can a Mother with COVID-19 breastfeed?
Yes. Mother with COVID-19 can breastfeed if they wish to do so. They should:
Practice respiratory hygiene during feeding, wearing a mask where available;
Wash hands before and after touching the baby;
Routinely clean and disinfect surfaces they have touched.
Can I touch and hold my newborn baby if I have COVID-19?
Yes. Close contact and early, exclusive breastfeeding helps a baby to thrive. You should be supported to
Breastfeed safely, with good respiratory hygiene;
Hold your newborn skin-to-skin, and
Share a room with your baby
You should wash your hands before and after touching your baby, and keep all surfaces clean.
I have COVID-19 and am too unwell to breastfeed my baby directly. What can I do?
If you are too unwell to breastfeed your baby due to COVID-19 or other complications, you should be supported to safely provide your baby with breastmilk in a way possible, available, and acceptable to you.
This could include:
- Expressing milk;
- Relactation;
- Donor human milk.