Breastfeeding is the practise of nourishing your infant breast milk directly from your breast. Breastfeeding is crucial for the survival, growth, and development of babies and young children. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), new-borns should be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life, followed by continuous nursing with suitable supplementary meals for up to 2 years and beyond. Breast milk is the natural first nourishment for new-borns. It has a virtually ideal balance of vitamins, protein, and fat “ all that the toddler requires to develop. Plus, it's all in a more readily digestible form than baby formula. Babies who are nursed solely during the first 6 months, without the use of formula, have fewer ear infections, respiratory problems, and episodes of diarrhoea and breastfed babies are more likely to gain the appropriate amount of weight.
However, there is rising fear among breastfeeding moms who have contracted the COVID-19 virus and about the possibility of transmission to their babies.
According to WHO, breastfeeding should be promoted or continued for moms with probable or confirmed COVID-19. Since, active COVID-19 has not been discovered in breast milk or during lactation it is safe for the infant to consume breast milk.
If a mother develops COVID-19 symptoms or has the virus confirmed, she should take the following precautions to avoid transmitting the virus to her infant and can breastfeed if she wishes:
The ideal approach to tackle such challenges is to maintain women health while prioritizing the health of one's baby, which can be accomplished through breastfeeding. Get the COVID-19 vaccination for your new-born to safeguard him or her. Consult your pediatrician for advice on how to keep your child healthy. Don't be afraid to nurse your child; it's not dangerous. Just be sure you take preventative measures to keep the infection to a minimum.
BSc, Masters (Nutraceuticals)
Sonali has done her masters in Nutraceuticals, while graduation in Microbiology. She is extremely passionate about science behind the nutrition which helps understand the human body, its dietary ne... Read More
