Breastfeeding While Sick

Absolutely continue to breastfeed for the same reasons that have been given in all the responses before me.

If you have any doubt about what you can/can't take (ever, not just now) ASK A PHARMACIST. They know more about drugs and drug interactions and special situations (such as breastfeeding-safe drugs) than most doctors do. Also, if they don't know about a specific drug, they know where to find the information needed to give you the advice/recommendation you need.

Drink loads, that will help with milk production and also help you get over the cold. Also eat foods rich in vitamin C, which will also help you get over the cold. All citrus fruits and kiwi fruit, and green vegetables are rich in vit C.

my guy is 12 months I have had

Stomach flu
a cold
the FLU :(

only thing I can say is pump up the water cause if you get dehydrated you dont make milk... the stomach flu was the worse - I had to break out a pumped bag or two....

Hi K. ~
I'm an OB nurse. Yes, continue nursing. Increase your fluids (this will also help thin out the drainage). Do Not take sudafed! Any medication that helps to "dry you up" will also dry up your milk. Use a cool mist vaporizor at night. You can always try some saline nose drops or baby strength nose drops - especially when you go to bed will help clear you some to at least fall asleep. Antibiotics (if your doctor decides you need them) are fine while breast feeding. Pharmacists will always say not to take most meds while breast feeding, but alot of them are safe. But like I said, stay away from meds that dry you up.
Hope you fell better soon!
D.

Yes, you can still breastfeed while you are sick. I did for both my boys.
As for suggestions to soothe your throat, I always have a stock of lemons or limes and make honey tea. Just squeeze half of a lemon, add some honey, and hot water. It soothes my throat a lot!

Hi K.,

I think it's wonderful that you're breastfeeding your little one. In answer to your question, yes you can continue to breastfeed your baby while you're sick. You were producing antibodies to your cold, even before you knew you were getting it, and passing it on to your daughter. So, if by chance she gets the cold also, she's less likely to get really sick from it. You'll continue to pass the antibodies on to her while you have this cold.

I am a Lactation Consultant (IBCLC, RLC) and can answer your question about medications you can take, if you email me privately and ask me to look up specific meds. I can't tell you to take this or that. Because that would be considered prescribing. You can also call a local LC in your town. To find a local LC go to: www.ilca.org or to find a local La Leche League Leader go to: www.llli.org

I hope you're feeling better soon.

S.

Yes - DO continue to breastfeed!! The breastmilk will actually give your baby immunity and protection from getting your sickness!

Hi K.---You have lots of great advice. Best of all is not to worry as both you and your baby are very resilient and will get through this nicely.

I would like to suggest that you consider looking at the foods that you eat helping you to recover from this cold, as well as helping to prevent the next one. We all know that we need to eat to fuel our bodies, but what I have learned in studying nutrition the past few years, is that our food also is very important in how our immune system functions. Our diet and lifestyle also have a huge impact on how our body can protect our DNA and protect us from diseases like cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

I am a Wellness Educator and I would be happy to share any information about how to build and balance your immune system so that you are less likely to get colds and the flu. Not only will food help your immune system, with the right foods (mostly fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, while minimizing animal protein and cows milk; see www.strongbones.org) you should start to notice more energy every day as well.

Your body is going through amazing demands right now, and you really need to eat optimally to help it work most efficiently. If you need help getting more fruits and vegetables, I can also recommend a great nutritional supplement which is 17 fresh, raw fruits and veggies that have been juiced, dehydrated and put into capsule, chewable or gummie form. There are independent studies done at major universities all over the world that show that this wonderful fruit and veggie supplement really works. It's called Juice Plus+. Feel free to contact me if you have any concerns about your family's health and we can see how I can help.

Looking forward to talking to you. In health, D. McCall

Yes, it is ok to nurse while sick. Drink extra water. Get extra rest, stay warm, and use vicks, steam, and hot baths for releaf. Good luck and get better.

Good Morning K.,

I applaud your committment to continue breastfeeding! What a gift you are giving your child. I have a great CD made by a mom who breastfed successfully 3 children and it's about how she navigated the very things you're asking about. Is that something you'd like to listen to?

Hope you feel better very soon!
M.

You are better off continuing to breastfeed, because the baby will get your antibodies and she has already been exposed to your germs, so you should continue to breastfeed.
For question #2 there is not much you can take, I would call my dr and see what is ok to take, you could take a small dose of sudafed, but be careful Sudafed can reduce your supply. And DON'T ask a pharmacist, they will just tell you that the only thing you can take is regular Claratin and that does nothing for a cold. They do not know what is safe for a breastfeeding mom to take, so they will tell you that you can't take anything. My Dad is a pharmacist and there are so many drugs, interactions, and special contitions that unless the information says specifically that it is safe to use when breastfeeding they will not recommend it to you. Where as your dr or a lactation consultant (check with the hospital where you devliered) can tell you what is safe to use.

I went through the same situation last spring. Yes you can continue to nurse when you have a cold. I just tried not to get in her face too much when burping her. Always make sure you wash your hands before you nurse and each time you blow your nose. The doctor recommended orange juice for the vitamin C and Halls Natural Cough Drops help sooth the sore throat. My doctor even suggested pseudoephedrine for congestion every 4-6 hours or as needed.(I didnt do it though) So I hope that helps.

I use vick's vapor rub at night - obviously, not where your daughter will rub in it... ask hubby to put it on your back... (free back massage too??) ;-)

Hi K.,

Sorry to hear you have a cold. Yes, it is miserable. Yes,you can still breastfeed while you are sick, even though you may pas the germs, you are also passing antibodies. The germs you will pass through your hands and respiratory secretions, so wash up and cover up your mouth/nose when youare close to her. Many decongestants, like Sudafed, will be passed onto her, and it can slow your milk production, so it is better to stick to nasal sprays that are not systemically absorbed. as much. I hope you feel better soon!

K. -

Yes you can most definitely continue to breastfeed while you're sick. The antibodies your body makes to help fight off the sickness will pass through your breastmilk to your child which will help her fight off whatever you're infected with. Be careful about any meds you may conisder taking while you're breastfeeding though - too much stuff can pass into breastmilk, and in my opinion it's better to be safe than sorry. I got sick with my little guy three times while I was breastfeeding him (I breastfed for one year) and he only got sick once, at six months old, and that was probably because I handled him without thoroughly washing my hands or something. I didn't take any meds; I basically just suffered through it, took my prenatal vitamins, downed OJ like it was going out of style (Simply Orange OJ is expensive, but worth the investment so you don't have to worry about additives), avoided dairy (it can inflame your mucus membranes), and blew my nose at every opportunity. If you don't feel hungry, you need to EAT (even if it's something small) and stay hydrated by drinking plenty of WATER. STAY AWAY FROM ASPIRIN! It's harmful to babies. Get plenty of rest!

Hope this helps!

Unless you have a very high fever with an infection, breastfeeding is the best thing to KEEP doing. Just a bit of a cold or bronchitis shouldn't affect anything. Just be careful of OTC drugs that could affect your milk supply. Baby gets all the immunity benefits from the breastmilk. You need to find a way to keep healthy and not get the bronchitis to begin with. You might have an allergy to something in the air this time of year. If your system is fighting with that, your immune system gets compromised. Keeping your immune system in check is imperative. Go to www.ahccenter.com
This is a group of chiropractors/nutritionists who through whole food supplements and a great diet "keep all systems running". Since I have been going there, I have only had one cold that lasted all of 2 days. Good luck!

Everyone has been great at encourage you to keep breast feeding and I agree. I will suggest something for your cold a Vaporizer with the Vicks inhalant should be safe and help you to feel better and I swear by Zicam and I am pretty sure it is safe will nursing but check just to be sure. I can always tell when I have a cold if I take the Zicam I feel better 3 to 5 dayas sooner then when I cheap out and don't take it.

breastfeed away your daughter will get the anti bodies you produce and she is less likely to get sick i dont know of anything to help with the cold i just dealt with being sick. congrats on breastfeeding and good luck

I just had the same thing happen I had a sinus infection and I am breastfeeding my 3 mos old son. I had to take an antibiotic and was worried if it was safe. I also wanted to take something to dry up my drainage. Breastmilk is considered a secretion just like mucous so you have to be careful what you take to decrease the secretions because it can also dry up your milk or decrease your supply. I was told by the breastfeeding support at the hospital that I delivered that you want to avoid anything with pseudoephedrine. I took Tylenol Cold and Sinus and it was fine. Hope you feel better.

Yes, you can continue to breastfeed. In fact, they say it helps build up their immune systems. Who knows if that is true or not. Just do things like wash your hands really well and don't sneeze on the baby, etc. As for what you can take, I think you are pretty limited. I used to take Tylenol products. I figured if youcan take it while pregnant, you can take it while breastfeeding. If you get really sick, your OB or pediatrician might be able to recommend something that is safe to take while breastfeeding. Good luck and I hope you feel better soon!!! S. M.

You should breastfeed when you are sick- it is actually good for your baby since your body has antibodies that are given off when you are ill and it is passed to the baby to build up her resistance...you should probably only use a warm air vaporizer if it is a cold and if you need antibiotics later your doc can prescribe something safe for breastfeeding...I breastfed for over a year with my daughter- way too long if you ask me but she went directly to a cup and refused bottles- anyway I fed her through bronchitis several times and she did beautiful- feel better:)

Hi K.! I breastfed my son for the first 12 months and know that you can nurse through a cold. The literature says that way your baby gets the immunities you have built against the cold. Does that help? Hope you feel better soon! D.

Hi K.,
As far as breastfeeding goes, continue to do it! Your baby will be getting the antibodies that your body makes to fight the cold, which will help if she comes down with the cold.

In regard to medications, you would have to ask your doctor. But if it's a matter of you getting some sort of relief/rest, then by all means take the over the counter stuff! A good night's rest is the best way to get well, and the little bit you would take shouldn't hurt your baby.

HI!
Yes you can continue to nurse your baby, your immune systems are use to eachother and she has no more chance of getting sick being nursed than she would otherwise. You can take tylenol cold, robetussen and suddefed, also sailine nasel sprays are ok.
Hope this helps and feel better!

Yes, you can bf while you are sick. I have even nursed when I have had the stomach flu. My husband would bring me the baby between trips to the bathroom and then take her again when I was done nursing. Just drink lots of fluids and get lots of rest. Just to warn you any meds that will dry up mucus suck as sudafed will aslo decrease your milk supply.
blessings, K.

I breastfed both my kids and my doctors always told me to go ahead with it even when sick(however if you do get put on medication you should check again with your doctor). I think they partly figure by the time you know you are sick you have already exposed them. As far as what to do, my personal doctor is very conservative and only gived anti-biotics when he absolutely has to, but he always suggest for a cold to do a sinus rinse. It's not a cure all but it can help rinse out any bacterial and/or virus from your sinus cavity to shorten the duration or prevent it from getting worse. I don't typically suffer from bronchitis so I don't know how it will help with that put should help with the cold. One note of caution if you can't breath through your nose at all you won't be able to use it. But look for NeilMeds Sinus rinse, it's similar to a netty pot but much easier to use. Good luck and get lots of sleep when you can!

yes you should still BF while you are sick otherwise your milk supply could go down. You also give the baby immunities with your milk to help them if they get sick. Try this website tells you all the medications approved while BF http://www.kellymom.com/health/meds/aap-approved-meds.html

I was having the same problem when i breast fed my twins...I got sick more often and would hesitate to breast feed them..When i asked my pediatrian she said its always good to feed the babies when you have cold such such except of dangerous flu's...When they drink milk from us when we are sick they will get more immunity...Thats what she said..so, always make sure you are not running in any flu or else you should be good to go to feed your baby..Talk to your pediatrian about it...

All the best hope you feel better soon..:)

Yes the best thing for your baby is for you to breastfeed. That way if she does catch your cold, then you are passing on the antibodies too and it won't be as bad for her. If she gets it and you're not bf then it will be a lot harder on her.

Just wash your hands often and try not to sneeze on her :) I wish I knew something that would actually help you get over the cold faster... be sure to get LOTS of fluids and as much rest as possible.

Hope you feel better soon!
K.

Hi K.,

Yes, it is totally safe to breastfeed while you are sick. If you do get a fever you may lose some milk supply, but keep breastfeeding through it all and it will come back. There isn't much you can take for a cold except tylenol. I would suggest drinking chicken broth and getting a lot of extra rest. The cold will have to take its course. I remember getting a sinus infection while nursing and I am sure I had a cold one time or another too. Its hard to tell the difference sometimes, but I breastfed through it all. Its tough, but just keep thinking it will not last forever.. :) Take care!! - Marci

ABSOLUTELY continue breastfeeding. Your breastmilk contains microphages and antibodies to keep your little girl healthy. There are all kinds of antibiotics that are safe to go on while breastfeeding. The human body is amazing and there are very few drugs that are harmful while breastfeeding. As for getting over the cold Cold-eeze are awesome. They are a zinc tablet and will make you feel worlds better. You might want to consider taking an antihistamine like Claritin or Zyrtec. They help minimize congestion and can be taken daily. (As a former first grade teacher I've had my fair share of fighting illness). Best of luck

Yes, continue to breastfeed as all other posts mentioned. But a word of caution: some of the medications that doctors consider "safe" to use during breastfeeding (meaning that unharmful levels get passed through the milk to the baby) can really mess with supply. I took 1 Sudafed in a desperate attempt to get my nose to stop running on a plane flight alone with baby. It took AT LEAST a week to get my supply back to where it had been.

YES!!! Breastfeed baby whether you are sick or not!!! Breastfeeding will actually HELP baby to either avoid getting what you have or not getting it as severe. By breastfeeding you are giving baby all your antibodies... so it helps build her immune system. Also, IF she does get sick, breastfeeding aids in recovery for baby.

As far as meds... talk with your doctor. I do know that a steam treatment with chamomile is good for helping aid with congestion. Chamomile is a natural antibiotic and helps clear sinus passages and such. Eucalyptus also helps clear congestion.

In addition, eat LOTS of garlic and mushrooms. Mushrooms have the highest level of vitamin C of ANY food source. Garlic is GREAT. It is a natural antibiotic and aids in immune boosting. I was seriously sick a month ago, I wanted it OVER, so I actually ate 2 cloves of garlic RAW! Oiy. Then that night I bundled up myself in layers and layers piled blankets on top of me and sweat it out. Next day was feeling great. That's pretty hardcore and you REEK of garlic... but just making an omlete with lots of garlic will help a well.

Drink lots of fluids.

To help this winter, taking a daily garlic pill will help you stay healthy.

Hi K., I breastfed all 3 of my children for over a year each. It is absolutely fine to nurse while sick. Actually it's better for your baby. When you are sick your immune system goes into overdrive trying to fight off the virus, you produce extra white blood cells. That goes into your breastmilk and gives baby an extra kick of immunity so she doesn't get sick. It's perfectly fine to take extra chewable vitamin c. I never did take any kind of medicines even though the doctors will say certain ones are fine. I believe all medicines aren't healthy for you or your baby. Stay natural. Drink lots of fluids, try to rest. Hot green tea with natural honey soothes the sore throat very good, and it is loaded with antioxidants to help your body heal itself. One thing I suggest though is to wash your hands alot when sick, especially before breastfeeding and after you blow your nose. Keep up the breastfeeding. It is absolutely the best thing you can give her, and it gets very easy after baby turns 6 months. They stop wanting it so much. By the time they're almost 12 months they only nurse 2 to 3 times a day. Good luck

It is completely okay to breastfeed while you are sick. As far as medication.....I think you can only take tylonel, IB, and maybe benadryl. I would call the ped to find out for sure what you can take. I remeber that was the hardest part of breatfeeding was fighting through those sicknesses without any medicine. I do beleive that i it is bactirial that you would be able take penicillin. The DRS will know for sure.

Greetings K.,

Yes, you can still breastfeed. I'd come down with food poisoning and was told by a breastfeeding expert that my son wouldn't get sick and he didn't!! Yay! The milk is protected some kind of a way and God totally knew what He was doing when He made us. So, rest assure that your daughter will be just fine. Be blessed!

Yup, you can keep on breastfeeding Tessa. :o) I have a list recieved from a hospital on safe medications during pregnancy, so I thought of them as safe during nursing as well. If you are unsure I'd just give a quick call to your gyno's office.

Tylenol (reg. or ext. strength)in the normal adult dosage, TUMS, Rolaids, Zantac, Robitussin (not sure which one), Sudafed, Benadryl, Imodium, Preparation H and Tucks.

Get well soon!

Hi K.,

You poor thing! Yep, I got sick a couple of times too when my little one was very little. The doctors all told me of the medicines I could take that were safe.... but my gut told me differently. I never stopped breast feeding and didn't take anything other than hot showers, vitamin C, soups and other liquids. It was awful suffering through but I was lucky because she would sleep through the night; therefore, I would slip in a Tylenol just after nursing her the last time so that I could at least enjoy some relief in the night. I had some rotten bug with horrible joint pain that kept me in bed for 2 days. Never had it that bad before! My husband had to stay home even! Hope I never get it like that again!

Good luck!

Yes, breastfeed.
I've had great luck with Zicam. I have staved off 3 colds that way - they are the melt in your mouth tablets and boy do they work if you get it before the cold gets bad. But they are supposed to shorten the duration of your cold too, if you already have one. They are homeopathic so have no negative effects, but on the bottle it does say to check with your doctor if breastfeeding. But everything has to say that. If it doesn't work when you have a cold, please try it when you notice one coming on. They work so well! I'm surprised they haven't been on Oprah or something. (Hee hee) Also, airborne is great and that extra vitamin C will be great for the baby. Someone mentioned Garlic and that, too, is awesome...just stinky. But it works!

I would call your Doctor's office or your baby's doctor's office to see what OTC meds. they recommend. I know there was a list of OTCs that I could take while breast-feeding which I did for 11 1/2 mos , 14 mos , and 13 mos. so I know there were a few colds and/or allergies in those years of feeding. I hope this helps because it is the best thing you can do for your kids.--M.

When you're breastfeeding, you actually pass on antibodies to the baby via breastmilk. Sooo, that means that you're helping the baby fight off your cold by breastfeeding. When my youngest was about 5 months old, we had the stomach flu go through the entire family. I was laying in bed all day, and I would get up to vomit, then breasfeed, then have diarrhea, then go to sleep, and start all over again!!! So keep on breastfeeding!!! As far as medication is concerned, I would stick to drinking lots of fluids, take vitamin c, eat healthy, and get adjusted (we're a chiropractic family). You want to do whatever you can to boost your immune system to fight it off naturally. Good luck, hope you feel better soon :) A.

Always breast feed if you're ill unless your doctor tells you not to! It will help baby from getting sick too. Trust me I know. My husband and I soon after we brought our first child home got very ill with a flu or some other virus, something Grandma brought with her unintentionallly. She came to spend the week and came down with this thing on her way back home and we had symptoms and full blown down for the count ill for several days after. Having one parent sick with a newborn at home is bad enough but the 2 of us I don't wish on anyone. Good luck.

The antibodies your body makes to combat the cold will be passed on to the baby...

I have a list of approved OTC meds that are safe to take while breast feeding...
Its really too long to type out on here... So if there is a specific med that you are wondering about, just send me a message and I'll look it up on the list. :-)

One day I will have to type it all out and save it on the computer so I can e-mail it easier...
Hope your feeling better soon!

Not sure on question number one. As for question number two, I would think Sudafed would be ok.

Absolutely you can breastfeed! Your daughter gets your antibodies when you breastfeed her, so if she even does get sick she'll have a weakened strain of whatever you have. She may not even get sick at all, because you've been giving her your antibodies all along before you even knew you were sick.

As for helping get rid of the cold, drink lots and lots of fluids. You can take Motrin or Tylenol to help with body aches and pains as well.

yes you can breastfeed while you're sick.. I've been sick a few times since my son's been breastfeeding. he sometimes gets it, but often not. He'll have some extra immunities I believe cause you are sick.

Have you ever tried a netty pot? I'm afraid to do it, but my husband tried it and it really worked. I actually had a few people tell me to try it out.

Hope you feel better soon.. it stinks being sick and having to take care of someone else.

I was sick once with food poisoning and was nursing.. it was not so pleasant.

I should mention that I have taken Benadyl while nursing.. I just take one dosage and I buy the one without dyes (it's hard to find, but I found it). I drink LOTS of water so that it doesn't affect my milk supply. I checked with our Dr. and that's what he said as well.. drink lots of water if I take it.