Can I breastfeed if I have conjunctivitis during lactation?

Whether a mother with conjunctivitis during lactation can breastfeed depends mostly on the cause of the disease. It may be due to external stimulation or infection.

1. External stimulation: Conjunctivitis may be caused by ultraviolet light stimulation, smoke, dust and wind and sand stimulation, which causes conjunctival damage and leads to local irritating inflammatory reaction. Normally, breastfeeding will not cause cross infection, will not affect the quality of milk, and will not affect the baby's growth and development, so breastfeeding is allowed.

2. Infection factors: Conjunctivitis may also be caused by chlamydia infection or bacterial and viral infection, which usually causes an inflammatory reaction in the conjunctiva, easily leading to local congestion and accompanied by symptoms of swelling and pain. Breastfeeding should be avoided at this time, because conjunctivitis is contagious. If the baby is not properly cared for during breastfeeding, it may induce cross infection and cause conjunctivitis.

Conjunctivitis usually affects the clarity of vision, so you need to increase the rest time for the eyes and avoid rubbing them directly with your hands. You can use anti-inflammatory and bactericidal eye drops to treat the condition. For example, using levofloxacin eye drops to promote the absorption of inflammation can improve symptoms such as tearing and eye pain.