Is it safe to give babies breast milk during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Preparing to give birth can be a stressful time for any mom. Delivering during a pandemic is sure to add a layer of worry.

One concern pregnant women and new moms may have is whether or not it’s safe to breastfeed infants if mom has COVID-19 or has been exposed.

The answer? Yes.

But there’s more to it.

“We highly recommend collecting milk if a new mom is symptomatic with COVID-19 and having an unaffected caregiver feed it to the newborn,” says Dr. Michael Caplan, a neonatologist with the Chicagoland Children’s Health Alliance.

The World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Academy of Pediatrics and the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine all agree breastfeeding should continue at this time.

While researchers have not yet concluded if COVID-19 can pass through breast milk, viruses that enter a mother’s bloodstream signal her body to create antibodies to fight the virus, which then pass through breast milk. If COVID-19 is passed to the infant via breast milk, the antibodies are, as well.

“COVID-19 or not, it remains clear that mother’s milk is best for her newborn,” says Dr. Caplan.

Dr. Caplan says if mom is sick, after recovery, she can advance to full nursing, which will promote optimal growth, development and immune health for her baby.

Here are a few tips for lowering your baby’s chances of exposure to COVID-19 while providing breast milk. Keep in mind any germs can enter pumped milk, so follow these precautions at all times.

• Wash your hands thoroughly before handling your breast pump equipment.
• Clean the exterior of your breast pump kit before use with a disinfectant wipe.
• Wash, rinse and air dry the collection kit with warm, soapy water every time you use it.