Breastfeeding in COVID-19
I used to look at this picture and just be in awe of the sweetness of everything about it- those eyes, that dimple in her little hand, that toothless little mouth chewing on a finger to sooth those budding gums. With the development of COVID-19, I'm sure many of you will look at your little ones posing like this and instantly feel something else- worry, fear, and stress over what germ your baby just put in her mouth. There is so much in our world that we do not have control over. The bright side is, parenting is full of good lessons in loss of control, so I have faith we are all going to be really good at surviving this COVID-19 pandemic:) Mommas- breastfeeding has become more critical than ever for the health of your babies. At this current moment in time, the world stands pretty united on the fact that mother's milk is the best source of nutrition regardless of the presence of known or suspected COVID-19, under the care of a medical professional, and with proper respiratory protection and hand washing. There is still lots to learn, but breastmilk remains the safest and best food for babies. As I try to do my part to learn as much as I can to support you during this time, I wanted to share a list of resources for you to reference the latest developments. The media is abundant, and not all sources of information are reliable and trustworthy. Knowledge is power and breastfeeding is an incredible superpower, so spend some time checking out theses reliable sites and comment with what you are concerned about! Let me know how lactation consultants and your healthcare professionals can support you better!
Center for Disease Control (CDC)
UNICEF
World Health Organization (WHO)
Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine
National Perinatal Association