Does the common cold affect the quantity and quality of breast milk?
A cold usually has no influence on the quantity and quality of breast milk. During a cold, the mother should make sure that she drinks enough and eats a healthy diet. Often the appetite is missing when a cold occurs. Nevertheless, one should make sure to take in sufficient nutrients. Then the mother’s milk should not be negatively influenced.
What can I do so that my baby is not infected?
Many nursing mothers are afraid of infecting their baby during a cold. With a common cold, the risk for a breastfed child to become infected is not particularly high. To give your baby extra protection against transmission, it is advisable to pay attention to a few simple things.
- During the winter months, hands should be washed several times a day, especially when in contact with other people.
- Disinfecting hands with a disinfectant from the pharmacy further reduces the risk of transmission.
- During the breastfeeding process, the nursing mother can continue to wear a mouth guard. This is especially recommended if coughing and sneezing occur frequently.
It can’t hurt to wear a mouthguard during a cold or a flu-like infection while nursing. The mouthguard is particularly recommended during the breastfeeding period, as there is a higher risk of transmission for the child due to the close contact with the mother. Cold viruses are mainly transmitted by coughing, sneezing and touching with the hands. Therefore, mouth protection and regular hand disinfection are the best measures to protect the infant from infection.
Causes of a cold
Mothers who suffer from cold symptoms while breastfeeding can consult both their family doctor and gynecologist. Both can adequately diagnose and treat the disease. In the case of a simple cold, no special tests need to be performed to confirm the diagnosis.
The examination of the mother and the typical symptoms are sufficient to make a diagnosis. However, if there is a fever, severe cough and very pronounced symptoms, other diagnoses such as a real influenza flu, pneumonia or bronchitis must also be clarified. A rapid test exists for the diagnosis of influenza flu, which also occurs frequently during the winter months.