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FAQ | Is It Safe to Breastfeed Your Baby if You’re COVID Positive?

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Her Health
4 min read
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Pregnant and lactating women have had it tough in the pandemic.

While on the one side the risk of them experiencing severe COVID symptoms has been studied, on the other hand, they were denied vaccines for a long time.

It took the horror that was the second wave of COVID in India for the government to finally approve vaccines for both pregnant and lactating women.

But the go-ahead is only the first step in a winding road.

Pregnant and lactating women are still at a risk of contracting COVID due to many other barriers like lack of access to vaccines, hesitancy, the threat of more dangerous variants and breakthrough infections.

So, what must a pregnant or new mother who has tested COVID positive know about ensuring her baby's safety?

FIT speaks to Dr Sunita Varma, Director, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fortis Hospital Shalimar Bagh.

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I am pregnant and I have tested COVID positive. What should I do?

The first think to do incase you start experiencing COVID like symptoms is to get tested to confirm the illness.

"The management of COVID is almost the same during the pregnancy as it is for others, but it should be done only under the strict supervision of a doctor."
Dr Manju Puri, Head, Department, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, in a press statement

In a press statement released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Dr Manju Puri, Head, Department, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Lady Hardinge Medical College, also gave some other guidelines for COVID positive pregnant people.

  • Isolate yourself.

  • Drink plenty of fluids.

  • Check your temperature and oxygen saturation every 4-6 hrs.

  • If you have persistent fever that does not come down even after taking paracetamol, Dr Puri recommends contacting a doctor.

  • If there is a drop in oxygen concentration or if there is a decreasing trend for example if it is, say, 98 in the morning, 97 in the evening, and then drops further the next day, she advices alerting your doctor.

Moreover, women with other comorbidities such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, obesity, etc, need to be more careful, as they may need hospitalisation.

She further goes on to recommend a full body check-up post-Covid recovery to ensure that the mother and the foetus are doing fine.

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Can my baby get infected with COVID in the womb?

When a mother is COVID positive while she is pregnant, the chances of her infecting the baby while still in the womb is slim, says Dr Sunita Varma, Director, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fortis Hospital Shalimar Bagh.

"This is called vertical transmission," she explains. "Wherein the virus travels through the placenta into the baby."

"Though a few cases have been observed around the world, majority of babies are not infected this way. They are COVID negative even when they are born to COVID positive mothers."
Dr Sunita Varma, Director, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fortis Hospital Shalimar Bagh

Dr Puri adds that in these few cases, "we are not sure whether those babies got the infection inside the mother’s womb or soon after the birth."

Can I pass on the infection to my baby after they are born?

"If the mother is handling the baby with full COVID appropriate precautions, the chances of transmission are extremely low," says Dr Varma.

Is it safe to breastfeed my baby when I am COVID positive?

Yes, say the experts.

The World Health Organization (WHO) encourages COVID suspected and COVID positive mothers to breastfeed their babies.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India too reccomends this.

However, before handling the baby it is important to wash your hands thoroughly.

Dr Varma also adds that the mother should "wear protective masks and face shields at all times while breastfeeding the baby."

"She is advised to keep the baby at a distance of 6 feet from her when she is not breastfeeding. A caregiver who is tested negative can also help in taking care of the newborn."
Dr Manju Puri, Head, Department, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, in a press statement
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What do I do if there is no one else who can look after my baby?

"If there is no one else to take care of the child, a mother should wear a mask all the time, and maintain physical distance from the child as much as possible," reccomends Dr Puri.

It is also important to ensure the room that the mother and child are staying in is well ventilated.

Ensure you sanitise your surroundingly frequently.

Can vaccines reduce the risk of transmission from mother to child?

"Vaccinated mothers develop protective antibodies," explains Dr Varma. "These are passed on to the baby not only during pregnancy but also while breastfeeding."

"Not only does the vaccine protect the mother but also the baby before and after they are born."
Dr Sunita Varma, Director, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fortis Hospital Shalimar Bagh

Which means not only does being unvaccinated pose added threat to pregnant women, but being vaccinated presents an added benefit of protecting the child.

This is the reason experts have been lobbying for and encouraging vaccination of pregnant and lactating women.

"The last wave was really bad and we lost alot of young lives including pregnant women who were affected very severely. The ones who do get severe disease have a very high chance of ICU admission and even losing their lives."
Dr Sunita Varma, Director, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fortis Hospital Shalimar Bagh
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Will taking the vaccine while I'm pregnant harm my baby?

"Our regulators have approved the administration of the vaccines during pregnancy only after they were confident of their safety."
Dr Manju Puri, Head, Department, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, in a press statement

In the MoHFW statement, Dr Puri explains how other vaccines for viral infections like Hepatitis B and influenza are given during pregnancy to protect the unborn child.

She reiterates that the COVID vaccine though new in itself is based on tried and tested technology.

"The benefits of taking the vaccine far outweigh the risks," adds Dr Varma.

(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)

Read Latest News and Breaking News at The Quint, browse for more from fit and her-health

Topics:  Neonatal Care   COVID-19   FAQ 

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