Covid-19: #1
“A mother with confirmed COVID-19 or who is a symptomatic person-under-investigation (PUI) for COVID-19 should take all possible precautions to avoid spreading the virus to her infant, including washing her hands before touching the infant and wearing a face mask, if possible, while feeding at the breast.”
Note how in the graphic I said "illness" rather than mentioning the current pandemic, coronavirus. These rules apply whether we're talking about COVID-19, the flu or the common cold.
I chose to leave "wear a face mask" off of the infographic for a few reasons:
All the St. Patrick’s Day luck in the world probably won't get you a mask.
If a mother is symptomatic for COVID-19, her baby has already been exposed for a period of time before symptoms arose.
Face masks are in short supply and need to be saved for those who truly need them. While it is best practice for anyone who is symptomatic to wear a face mask, people with chronic health issues, those that are immunocompromised, and healthcare workers are in dire need of masks in order to protect themselves.
And don't forget your social distancing! The more we can distance ourselves from each other, the shorter our isolation will be.
The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine will be updating their recommendations as new information regarding Covid-19 evolves.
Here are the World Health Organization updates on COVID-19.
These are the Centers for Disease Control updates re COVID-19, specifically speaking to breastfeeding and pregnancy.