Coronavirus (COVID-19) Frequently asked questions – Pregnancy, baby & breastfeeding

I’m Pregnant

Can Pregnant women pass coronavirus to unborn children?

At this time, there is not enough evidence to determine whether the virus is transmitted from a mother to her baby during pregnancy. Or the potential impact this may have on the baby. This is currently being investigated.

Pregnant women should continue to follow appropriate precautions to protect themselves from exposure to the virus and seek medical care early if experiencing symptoms, such as fever, cough, or difficulty breathing.

My Child Is Between 0 To 6 Months

What Should I Do If My Baby Has Symptoms Of COVID-19?

Seek medical attention but remember that it’s flu season, and symptoms of COVID-19 such as cough, or fever can be similar to those of the flu, or common cold – which are a lot more frequent.

Does COVID-19 Affect Babies?

This is a new virus and the World Health Organization does not know enough yet about how it affects babies or pregnant women. What they do know is that it’s possible for people of any age to be infected with the virus, but so far there have been relatively few cases of COVID-19 reported among children and none in babies. The virus is fatal in rare cases, so far mainly among older people with pre-existing medical conditions.

If you have any further questions, contact your doctor.

Is It Safe For A Mother To Breastfeed If She Is Infected With Coronavirus?

All mothers in affected and at-risk areas who have symptoms of fever, cough or difficulty breathing, should seek medical care early, and follow instructions from a health care provider.

Considering the benefits of breastfeeding and the significant role breastmilk plays in protecting against other respiratory viruses, the mother can continue breastfeeding while applying all the necessary precautions.

For symptomatic mothers well enough to breastfeed, this includes wearing a mask when near a child (including during feeding), washing hands before and after contact with the child (including feeding), and cleaning/disinfecting contaminated surfaces – as should be done in all cases where anyone with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 interacts with others, including children.

If a mother is too ill, she should be encouraged to express milk and give it to the child via a clean cup and/or spoon – all while following the same infection prevention methods.

If you have any questions, contact your doctor.

Can A Baby Wear A Mask To Go Outside?

As how to use a masks by infants under one year old has not been defined yet, and considering that masks have certain airtightness, it may be very uncomfortable for your little one at too early stage to wear them, and if not used properly, it may also cause harm to their body. Therefore, the World Health Organization suggests that in the special period of the epidemic, infants should not go out as much as they can, and should avoid going places in crowd; parents who go home from outside need to pay attention to self-protection and personal hygiene, which is also an indirect protection for our children.

If you have any further questions, contact your doctor.

My Child Is Between 6 To 12 Months

What Should I Do If My Child Has Symptoms Of COVID-19?

Seek medical attention but remember that it’s flu season and symptoms of the COVID-19 such as cough or fever can be similar to those of the flu, or the common cold – which are a lot more frequent.

If you have any further questions, contact your doctor.

Does COVID-19 Affect Infants?

This is a new virus and the World Health Organization do not know enough yet about how it affects babies or pregnant women. What they do know, is that it’s possible for people of any age to be infected with the virus, but so far there have been relatively few cases of COVID-19 reported among children and none in babies. The virus is fatal in rare cases, so far mainly among older people with pre-existing medical conditions.

If you have any further questions, contact your doctor.

Is It Safe For A Mother To Breastfeed If She Is Infected With Coronavirus?

All mothers in affected and at-risk areas who have symptoms of fever, cough or difficulty breathing, should seek medical care early, and follow instructions from a health care provider.

Considering the benefits of breastfeeding and the significant role breastmilk plays in protecting against other respiratory viruses, the mother can continue breastfeeding while applying all the necessary precautions.

For symptomatic mothers well enough to breastfeed, this includes wearing a mask when near a child (including during feeding), washing hands before and after contact with the child (including feeding), and cleaning/disinfecting contaminated surfaces – as should be done in all cases where anyone with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 interacts with others, including children.

If a mother is too ill, she should be encouraged to express milk and give it to the child via a clean cup and/or spoon – all while following the same infection prevention methods.

If you have any questions, contact your doctor.

Bottle-Feeding And Infant Formula

How Should Milk Powder’s Utensils Be Disinfected?

The bottles, nipples, scoops and bowls used by the baby must be disinfected; please clean them with clean water firstly, and then the appliances resistant to high temperature should be immersed in the pot and boiled for more than 30 minutes, or placed in a sterilizer. The appliances not resistant to high temperature can be disinfected by wiping the surface with alcohol cotton.

If you have any further questions, contact your doctor.

What If My Child Is Stressed About Coronavirus?

Children may respond to stress in different ways such as being ore clingy, anxious, withdrawing, angry or agitated, bedwetting etc. Respond to your child’s reactions in a supportive way, listen to their concerns and give them extra love and attention.

For more information visit:
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public