Is it Safe to Breastfeed if I Have the Flu?

Yes, if you have the flu, you can keep breastfeeding your baby — even if you take antiviral medicines. Breast milk is custom-made for babies, and it provides antibodies that babies need to fight infection. So, breastfeeding can protect your baby from the infection that your body is fighting.

How Can I Help Keep My Baby Healthy When I'm Sick?

While you're sick, protect your baby from as many germs as possible. Babies have a higher risk of catching the flu and having health problems from it.

Be sure to:

• Wash your hands well and often.
• Cough or sneeze into a tissue (and then throw it away).
• Limit close face-to-face contact with your baby.
• Keep other sick family members away from face-to-face contact with your baby.

You also might want to wear a mask during breastfeeding to avoid coughing, sneezing, or breathing into your baby's face. This can help protect your baby and others in your household from any respiratory virus that causes these symptoms (such as RSV and coronavirus), even if it's not the flu.

What Else Should I Know?

If you're worried about your baby's risk or are too sick to breastfeed, pump your breast milk and have someone who is not sick use it to feed your baby. Also, doctors recommend the flu vaccine during flu season for babies and everyone else 6 months and older.

Call the doctor right away if your baby gets any flu-like symptoms.