Re:Can I breast feed my baby if I am sick?
It is rare to have a disease that is just passed through breast milk. Most sicknesses are passed on through contact or coughing and sneezing. You will already have exposed your baby to any illness you may have even if you didn’t breastfeed. If you breastfeed, the baby will be exposed to your illness but no more than if you hold the baby or take care of the baby.
In fact, breast milk contains helpful antibodies that will improve your baby’s immunity so if he or she gets sick, the baby will get better as soon as you do due to passive immunity through the breast milk. There are rare diseases that are passed only through the blood, like hepatitis B and HIV, which can be passed through breastfeeding. Should you develop either of these diseases, you will be advised not to breastfeed your baby.
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