Since, moms are very concerned about the health of their babies, even if they are ill, they wishes to keep their baby free from any type of environmental factors. Due to changes in weather condition people gets ill. Similarly, mothers of newborn babies can also get fever sometimes or the other.
During such situation, is it favorable for them to feed their babies with their breast milk? According to the researchers, in very rare case illness of mother can get transmitted through the breast milk.
No side effects of breast milk
Mother might suffer from fever, but feeding the baby with breast milk will be quite safe. Since breast milk consists of antibiotics that facts with any types of diseases, your child is quite safe whenever you feed him with your breast milk.
In any case, even if your baby becomes silk, breast milk is the best remedy as it include anti bodies to fight against the disease.
There is also confusion among some moms with regards to consumption of medicine. Yes, their worry is not reasonable. Since, the medicine consumed by adults is not very mild they have a side effect on the baby if they consume breast milk that includes chemical or drug remains.
Since some drugs can be easily penetrated, it is not safe for child.
Every woman can feed their child with breast milk even if she is suffering from fever provided she is not consuming any chemical drug to cure fever.
You can try on natural way of eradicating fever such as by drinking herbal solution made of ginger, tulsi and honey. There are other natural herbs that can reduce the effect of fever in an individual in a natural way.
Effect of stopping breast feeding during fever
Some moms have tendency of stopping breast milk when they are suffering from fever and need to take up tough medication.
But, while doing this nothing good will happen as your breast will be filled with milk and will touch its brim. Mother can also suffer from mastitis due to excess milk deposition inside the breast. A lady stopping feeding the baby with the breast milk for longer period of time will easily notice that her breast milk production has decreased.
Even if you are going for a counter medication while you are breastfeeding your baby, it is good to consult with the doctor before proceeding with the same.
It is better to feed your baby with breast milk rather than feeding him with formula milk till 6 months of his age as this is the time needed to keep the baby strong and get ready to fight with the outside world of diseases.
His immune system will be developed by breast feeding only if he is consuming his mother’s milk for a period of 6 months after his birth.
Precaution for keeping your baby safe during illness
Since fever is a sign of infection, it is important to take some precautionary measures when a baby is involved. Some of the precautions are as follows:
- When you are touching the baby, try to wash your hands repeatedly with hot water, antiseptic soap or else apply a sanitizer.
- If you have used tissues and wipes to clean your baby, throw it away straight to the bin without washing it and thinking about using it again
- Before having a tendency of coughing and sneezing, cover your face and nose with the handkerchief or a tissue.
- It is better not to kiss your babies face when you are ill. There will be good time throughout your life to kiss him once you are fit.
Type of illness when baby is safe
When the mom of a newborn is suffering from ordinary illness such as cough, fever, flu, mastitis etc, breastfeeding will be quite safe.
But, you need to let the doctor know that you have a baby and he is still fed by breast milk. Doctor will prescribe those medicine and medication which will be safe for both mother and the child.
An alternative medication is always present that will be compatible with the breast fed baby which can be adopted by all such moms. Babies are very susceptible to the outside world. Parents must keep them very carefully in all conditions.
No disease or infectious object can touch him. For every baby, mother’s lap is the coziest place. Also he gets immense pleasure with the breastfeeding of mother. But did you think what will happen to the baby when the mother gets sick? This is the time when even baby can become sick.
Baby can get infected with the breath of his mother. Even from the skin contact, baby can become ill. Let us find out some precautions which mothers should take when she is sick and have a baby of breastfeeding age.
Precautions taken by breastfeed mother when she is sick
Precautions for breast feed
When the mother is suffering from the common cold and fever, there is no risk for the baby. Rather, the situation can be worse if the baby is not provided with mother’s breast milk when she is sick.
You can easily carry on with breast feeding to your child. But, do inform your doctor that you are nursing mother with fever. He will prescribe you the medicine that will be compatible to breastfeeding.
Use a mask
The spread of infection is mostly effective from the nose of mouth of a mother. Thus, it will be better for the mother to take a precautionary through the use of mask.
This will help mother restrict the spread of common cold and fever from mother to baby. You should also avoid face to face contact with the baby. This must be done by every smart mother with the intention of keeping baby better.
Do not kiss your baby
For every mother, her child is a jewel. She likes to tender and care him all the time. Loving the baby by tossing cheeks and kissing is also quite common. But when you are sick, these things must be avoided.
You should keep all your love and affection for your baby for the time till when you become free from diseases. This will easily help your baby stay away from the infection.
