BF and cold.

[CBB]

I'm developing a cold. I have sore throat now, but am sure the congestion will come in shortly. Can I safely BF DD while having the cold? Anything else I can do, besides washing hands thoroughly, to prevent her from catching the cold from me?

TIA!!

[pritchettzoo]

I BF DD through the flu and didn't do anything differently. She didn't get sick at all! The baby will pick up your antibodies help prevent her from getting ill. Here's a reference page for you: http://www.kellymom.com/health/meds/cold-remedy.html

I hope you feel better soon!

Anna
Mama to Gracie (9/16/03)

[COElizabeth]

Anna's right. The best way to prevent her from getting the cold or to minimize its effects and duration is to continue to nurse her while you are sick, since your BM will have antibodies to the virus you have. Make an extra effort to stay hydrated yourself, though!

Elizabeth, Mom to James, 9-20-02

[HallsofVA]

Yes, you can and should still BF. For what it's worth, I tried to avoid breathing/sneezing on my son when I had a cold, and had my DH hold him a bit more just to be on the safe side. Hope you feel better soon!

[mcades]

I've had more colds while nursing than I care to count! My doc says sudafed & tylenol are safe while nursing. I've also found my sleep to be much more comfortable when I wear a "Breathe Right" strip on my nose since sudafed keeps me up at night & I hate sleeping with a stuffy nose. I agree with the other poster - be sure to keep yourself really well hydrated! And, there's a good chance baby will catch the cold - but it's only fair, as you'll catch plenty from baby down the road, too!

Michelle

[jennifer13]

Hi,
just wanted to warn you about some cold medicines- sudafed is safe but it can drastically affect your milk supply. Not always, but it can. And Ricola cough drops were also terrible for my milk supply. So, just wanted to share what I've learned from my experiences with colds. But, DD did not get sick the two times that I did.

Jennifer
Mom to Norah 5/23/03

[KGoes]

I've been breastfeeding with pneumonia. The hardest part is keeping your energy level up when you are nursing and fighting off an illness. Eat well, get as much rest as you can, take your vitamins and drink lots and lots and lots of fluids.
Hope you feel better!
Kelley
DD born 7/03

[Rachels]

Ewwww, that's hard. I had pneumonia when Abigail was five months old. Yikes. Hope you feel much better soon!

Everyone is right, though. Nursing is the best way to protect your little one from your cold. You do need to know that decongestants can really drop your milk supply. If you decide to take them, also consider a galactogue to keep your supply up. You can find a great list at www.drjaygordon.com in the breastfeeding section. And drink TONS of fluids! Lots of vitamin C, too!

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02