Breastfeeding Anxiety | If I have erectile dysfunction, can I still breastfeed my baby? What should I pay attention to?

I was asked whether I can breastfeed my child after testing positive. Let me talk about the precautions for breastfeeding mothers who are positive or suspected of being positive (mainly from CDC recommendations) to avoid "new crown breastfeeding anxiety" (a word I invented, but it really exists in reality):

1. Can I breastfeed if I test positive for COVID-19?

A: You can breastfeed! The World Health Organization, La Leche League International (LLLI), the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (ABM) and other professional organizations and institutions all support breastfeeding women who are COVID-19 positive, unless there is a special medical need (see the picture below).

Of course, nothing is absolute. If you are really anxious, conflicted, or fearful, you can choose methods other than breastfeeding for the sake of inner comfort, but breastfeeding should be the priority.

2. Can the new coronavirus be transmitted to babies through breast milk?

A: The current evidence shows that the answer is “unlikely”. This is because newer evidence shows that the new coronavirus has indeed been detected in breast milk, but there have been no cases of the virus being transmitted to babies through breastfeeding.

3. What should you pay attention to when breastfeeding?

A: If you choose to breastfeed directly, you need to pay attention to two points:

① Wash your hands before breastfeeding;

② Wear a mask when breastfeeding and when you are within 6 feet (about 1.8 meters) of your baby.

4. What should you pay attention to when doing indirect feeding (expressing breast milk)?

A: The following points should be noted:

① Use a breast pump if possible (and do not share it with others);

② Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before touching any parts of the breast pump and bottle and before expressing breast milk;

③ Clean the breast pump and bottle in a standardized manner (Figures 2 and 3)

④ Consider having a healthy caregiver feed the baby expressed breast milk. The caregiver should have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in a timely manner and should not increase the risk of severe illness from COVID-19 infection. In addition, if the caregiver lives with you or has had close contact with you, they may have been exposed to the virus.

⑤ Any caregiver who feeds an infant should wear a mask while caring for the infant during the isolation period of the breastfeeding mother and during the isolation period after the isolation is completed.

5. What if a family member or “expert” advises against breastfeeding?

Answer: First of all, we must firmly believe that breastfeeding is the right choice. It is not only safe and provides comprehensive nutrition, but also has maternal antibodies to help children resist diseases.

But at the same time, we should also be aware that if breastfeeding causes excessive worry and anxiety, or if there is a fear that you or your family will not be able to accept the infection if your child is infected, and the extreme fear in your heart causes a more serious psychological burden, then perhaps switching to a non-breastfeeding method is a good option.

Breastfeeding should not be a moral kidnapping, but a scientific method. However, it does not mean that sticking to the "most" scientific method is necessarily correct.

6.Why not translate the pictures into Chinese?

A: Two reasons:

① Just look at the pictures (please note that the first picture does not mean that breastfeeding helps whiten your skin);

②Some people say that my photoshopped pictures are too ugly...

May the world be free of epidemics

=丸= Disclaimer: This article was created out of personal interest, only to allow more ordinary people to have a clearer understanding of vaccines. The content and views do not represent any organization, unit, or institution, and have not accepted any form of sponsorship. All pictures are from public online platforms. If the content is incorrect, everyone should do more self-criticism (not).