Communicable Diseases in the Breastfeeding Period

There are few reasons to stop breastfeeding for a longer period of time or to stop breastfeeding. In the case of infectious diseases of the mother, it must be decided on a case-by-case basis whether weaning is recommended. This is because pathogens can be transmitted with the mother’s milk and trigger the corresponding disease in the children, with varying severity of the course of the disease.

Gastrointestinal (affecting the gastrointestinal tract) diseases such as vomiting (vomiting) and diarrhea (diarrhea) or colds are examples of maternal illnesses that are not indications for a break in breastfeeding or even for weaning. On the contrary, breastfeeding can even protect the baby from severe courses, because breast milk contains numerous anti-inflammatory (anti-inflammatory), antimicrobial and immunomodulatory substances.

Breast milk contains not only pathogens, but also antibodies. These are directed against pathogens with which the mother’s mucous membranes have come into contact and which have thus been able to penetrate the maternal organism. As a rule, breastfed children suffer less severely from harmless illnesses such as a cold. The mother can continue breastfeeding even if she has a fever. However, it is then all the more important that she ensures an increased fluid intake.

The sick mother as well as the other caregivers must pay attention to appropriate hand hygiene in order to keep the risk of infection low in general and especially in the case of gastrointestinal diseases.

Breastfeeding may be discouraged for more serious infectious diseases such as HIV-see the topics below.