Breastfeeding and Caring for Newborns if You Have COVID-19

While we still have a lot to learn about the risks of COVID-19 to newborns from people with COVID-19, we know these facts:

Pregnant and newly pregnant people are more likely to contract Covid-19 than non-pregnant people. Pregnant women with COVID-19 are also more likely to give birth prematurely.
Most newborns to people who had COVID-19 during pregnancy will not have COVID-19 when they are born.
Some newborns tested positive for COVID-19 shortly after they were born. We don't know if these newborns got the virus before, during, or after they were born.
Most newborns who tested positive for COVID-19 had mild or no symptoms and recovered. Some newborns have reportedly developed severe COVID-19 illness.

Caring for your newborn in hospital for COVID-19

Current evidence suggests that the chances of a newborn baby developing COVID-19 from their birth parent are small, especially if the parents take steps (such as wearing a mask and washing their hands) to prevent it from spreading before and while caring for the To prevent newborns.

Decide whether your newborn will be hospitalized with you.

Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of keeping your newborn in the same room with you. Having your newborn in the room has the advantage of making breastfeeding easier and it helps with parent-newborn bonding.

Take precautions if your newborn is hospitalized with you.

If you are there Isolation for COVID-19 and share a room with your newborn baby, take the following steps to reduce the chance of the virus being transmitted to your newborn baby:

Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before holding or caring for your newborn. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer that is 60% or more alcohol.
Wear a mask when you are within 6 feet of your newborn.
Keep your newborn as far away from you as possible.
Talk to your doctor about ways to protect your newborn, such as: B. through the use of a physical barrier (e.g.

If your Isolation phase has ended, you should still wash your hands before caring for your newborn, but you do not need to take the other precautions. You most likely will not pass the virus on to your newborn or other close contacts after your isolation period ends.

If you've had symptoms, your isolation period ends after:
- 10 days since symptoms first appeared, and
- 24 hours without fever, without antipyretic drugs, and
- Other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving.
If you've never had symptoms, your isolation period ends after
- 10 days have passed since you tested positive for COVID-19.

These deadlines do not apply if you have a severely weakened immune system or are seriously ill with COVID-19. Please read “If You Can Be With Others After Having COVID-19 Illness or Probability” and contact your doctor to find out when it is safe for you to end your isolation period.

Taking care of your newborn at home if you have COVID-19

If you are there Isolation for COVID-19, Take the following precautions until your isolation time is up:

Stay at home to separate yourself from others outside your home.
Isolate (stay away) from other household members who are not infected and who wear a mask in common areas.
Have your newborn baby cared for by a healthy caregiver who is fully vaccinated and has no increased risk of serious illness (see recommendations below).
- Follow recommended precautions if you need to care for your newborn before the end of the isolation period.

Recommended precautions for healthy caregivers helping to care for newborns:

Caregivers should wash their hands for at least 20 seconds before touching your newborn. If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
If the caregiver lives in the same household or has been in close contact with you and is not yet fully vaccinated against COVID-19, they may be exposed.
- Fully vaccinated individuals who have had close contact with someone with COVID-19 should be tested 3-5 days after the date of exposure and wear a mask in public indoor spaces for 14 days or until they get a negative test result. You should isolate yourself if they test positive.
You should wear a mask throughout the isolation period and during their own quarantine after isolation is complete if they are within 6 feet of your newborn.

If a healthy caregiver is not available, you can care for your newborn when you are fine.

Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before touching your newborn baby. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer that is 60% or more alcohol.
Wear a mask throughout the isolation period when you are within 6 feet of your newborn and others. The mask will help prevent you from passing the virus on to others.

Others in your household and caregivers who have COVID-19 should isolate and avoid caring for the newborn as much as possible. If you need to care for the newborn, you should follow the hand washing and masking recommendations above.

As soon as your Isolation phase has ended, You should still wash your hands before caring for your newborn, but you don't need to take the other precautions. You most likely will not pass the virus on to your newborn or other close contacts after your isolation period ends.

If you've had symptoms, your isolation period ends after:
- 10 days since symptoms first appeared, and
- 24 hours without fever without antipyretic drugs, and
- Other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving
If you've never had symptoms, your isolation period ends after
- 10 days have passed since you tested positive for COVID-19.

These deadlines do not apply if you have a severely weakened immune system or are seriously ill with COVID-19. Please read “If you can be with others after a COVID-19 illness or likelihood” and ask your doctor when it is safe for you to end your isolation phase.

Monitor your newborn for COVID-19 symptoms.

If your newborn baby has any of these signs or symptoms, early symptoms of COVID-19 or another disease may appear and you should see your doctor.

Fever (a temperature of 100.4 or higher is considered an emergency)
Lethargy (excessive tiredness or inactivity)
Runny nose
to cough
Vomit
diarrhea
Poor diet
Increased work of breathing or shallow breathing

For more information, see the CDC website on Evaluation and Management Considerations for Newborns at Risk for COVID-19.

Breastfeeding and COVID-19

Current evidence suggests that breast milk is unlikely to transmit the virus to babies.

The COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all people aged 12 and over, including those who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or who may become pregnant in the future. Always wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds before breastfeeding or expressing breast milk. even if you don't have COVID-19. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer that is 60% or more alcohol.

If you have COVID-19 and choose to breastfeed:

Wash your hands before breastfeeding
Wear a mask while breastfeeding and whenever you are less than 2 m from your baby.

If you have COVID-19 and choose to express breast milk:

If possible, use your own breast pump (one that will not be shared with others).
Wear a mask when expressing breast milk.
Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before touching any part of the pump or bottle and before expressing breast milk.
Follow the recommendations to properly clean the pump after each use. Clean all parts of the pump that come into contact with breast milk.
Consider having a healthy caregiver feed the baby the expressed breast milk. Nursing staff should be fully vaccinated (at least two weeks after the 2nd. If the caregiver lives in the same household or has been in close contact with you and is not yet fully vaccinated against COVID-19, they may be exposed.
- Fully vaccinated individuals who have had close contact with someone with COVID-19 should be tested 3-5 days after the date of exposure and wear a mask in public indoor spaces for 14 days or until they get a negative test result. You should isolate yourself if they test positive.
Any caregiver who feeds the baby should wear a mask when caring for the baby throughout the isolation period and during their own quarantine period after isolation is complete.