IN general, mothers have been encouraged to continue breastfeeding even if they become unwell, partly because it will help to keep up breast milk supply, but more importantly, breast milk provides added protection for your little ones against many illnesses.

And while limited studies have reportedly revealed that the virus causing COVID-19 has not been detected in breast milk or any other maternal fluids, parents continue to express concern about the possibility of mother-to-child transmission.

So do you continue to breastfeed your child during this COVID-19 crisis? Well, it depends on who you ask.

For example, the World Health Organization (WHO), making its recommendation against the background of the insignificant role that breastfeeding has historically played in the transmission of respiratory-related illnesses, has given mothers the go-ahead to continue nurturing their little ones, all while taking care to follow every precaution to ensure that the child is protected.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, on the only hand, has advised that infected mothers should be temporarily separated from their babies. Instead, they say that mothers should pump breast milk rather than allowing babies to latch directly until the mother has returned at least two negative tests for the virus and therefore can no longer transmit it.

Paediatrician at We ‘R’ Kids Paediatric Centre, Dr Lisa Franklin-Banton, reasoned that ultimately, the decision whether to express the breast milk or to feed the baby directly from the breast lies with the mother. However, regardless of how you will continue to nurture your little ones, the guidelines below should help you to reduce the chances of exposing your child to the virus.

1. Whether or not you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, always wash your hands as per the guidelines of the WHO — for at least 20 seconds before touching your baby.

2. Change your clothes if you have been out or if they may not be clean, before holding the baby. The virus can live on fabric for long periods of time.

3. If you have COVID-19, symptoms associated with it such as coughing, sneezing or even the flu, always wear a clean mask if you are going to feed your baby (whether directly or if you will use a bottle). Studies have shown that COVID-19 is thought to be transmitted mainly through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

4. You may want to consider expressing your breast milk if you have contracted the novel coronavirus. Reducing skin-to-skin contact as well as contact with any other body fluids such as saliva could reduce the chances of transmitting the virus to your child.

5. After each breast pump use, make sure that all parts of the instrument are properly sterilised. This process is very important because the virus can live on surfaces for up to a few days. You don’t want to use a contaminated breast pump to express milk because this milk can be tainted with the virus.

6. If possible, having expressed the breast milk, ask a healthy adult to assist you with feeding the baby as well as to perform other childcare duties. This way you limit exposing your child to the virus. Use video call applications to check in on your little one so that you can continue to bond with your child.

7. Mothers who decide to express and store breast milk, “must ensure the proper storage of expressed breast milk as [the] mother may have a good supply and can express more than the baby consumes”, Dr Franklin-Banton advised.

“The milk should be stored in reasonable-sized aliquots and labelled with date and time. The first one stored should be the first one used. Milk can be left at room temperature for up to four hours, in a fridge for four days, and frozen for six months or more. Once thawed you should not refreeze, and ideally you would want to consume all within the feeding. If you don’t, the remainder should be consumed within two hours,” Dr Franklin-Banton said.