When covid-19 is suspected or confirmed, the mother should not stop breastfeeding her baby. This is the advice given by Dr. John Baptiste Nkuranga.
According to Dr. John Baptiste Nkurunga, a pediatrician and neonatologist at King Fayçal Hospital, covid-19 should not be a reason to stop breastfeeding her baby.
“The World Health Organization (WHO) and the King Faisal Hospital do not recommend that mothers who are suspected or confirmed to have covid-19 stop breastfeeding,” said Dr John Baptiste Nkuranga. “The benefits of breastmilk outweigh the risks of transmission,” added Dr Nkuranga, a paediatrician and neonatologist.
However, Dr. Nkuranga advises mothers to follow preventive measures while breastfeeding. “A breastfeeding mother should wash her hands well and wear a mask before starting breastfeeding,” he said.
In case of confirmed covid-19, “instead of stopping breastfeeding, one should seek advice from doctors,” he suggests.
Breastfeeding does not only benefit babies. It also has many health benefits for the mother.
Breastfeeding is good for the mother’s health
By taking the breast from birth and regularly, your newborn baby promotes the retraction of the uterus and the expulsion of the placenta. “When a mother breastfeeds, her uterus retracts faster than that of a non-breastfeeding mother,” says Dr. Peter Hattmann, a world expert in the science of breastfeeding.
The longer you continue to breastfeed, the greater the benefits. “Breastfeeding reduces the long-term risk of developing heart disease or type 2 diabetes,” says Dr. Hattmann. “Each additional month of breastfeeding also reduces your risk of developing various cancers, including breast, ovarian and uterine cancers,” adds Dr. Hatmann.
Gerard Rugambwa
