As global preparations for swine flu heighten, Central Texas Medical Center continues to support the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). On behalf of the CDC and the International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA), CTMC urges mothers, health care workers, and the community at large, to promote, support and encourage breastfeeding, which provides infants with human antibodies that can help fight illness and disease.
Because infants are at higher risk of complications from the swine flu (as well as seasonal flu) breastfeeding becomes even more important as a strategy for reducing infant illness and death.
The CDC guidance, available at www.cdc.gov/swineflu/clinician_pregnant.htm, recommends that breastfeeding mothers who become ill with the flu take measures to minimize exposure to the infant, including hand washing and possibly covering the mother’s mouth/nose with a mask. Also, breastfeeding mothers are advised to continue breastfeeding while taking antiviral medications, when indicated. The CDC further reports that, although the risk of transmitting swine influenza from mother to baby through breastfeeding is unknown, reports of transmission of seasonal flu are rare.
While recommendations made by the CDC should be taken seriously, there is no cause for alarm. The CDC tells us in order to prevent further spread to others, people should not report to their doctor’s office or ED if they think they have the flu.
“The best thing to do is stay home, drink plenty of fluids and nurse yourself back to good health over the course of several days,” said Clay DeStefano, Administrative Director of PR and Marketing. “If symptoms worsen and you’re experiencing ongoing fever, respiratory distress or other life-threatening conditions, then a trip to the ER is appropriate.”