bub 3 weeks old...am breastfeeding...and getting sick!

[KLM1975]

just wondering if anyone else has been in this position....i'm feeling like i'm coming down with a cold/flu...throat feels like it's getting sore...am a bit achy...i guess it's stress from a rough three weeks since we been home (unwanted house guests.....little bubba not feeding to well...the usual)
anyway, is it bad that i'm breastfeeding him and kissing him while i'm feeling sick...little tucker has to eat i guess....just wondering if it's dangerous for him me being sick...

[the_queen]

NO - in fact, this is really GOOD for your baby because bubba will get all your antibodies, and this is a wonderful, wonderful way to boost your newborn's immune system. I had a cold when DS was a few weeks old, I didn't stop kissing and nuzzling with him, and he was fine, didn't catch it at all.

Hope you feel better soon, and don't have any stress about the bubba. :hugs:

[elissas]

Exactly as the_queen says! I had a cold when Will was about 6 weeks old, and I continued to feed, kiss and cuddle. He was fine.

When you get a cold your body produces antibodies that are passed onto bubs during feeding. So it's actually a good thing :)

[LilShenanigans]

An interesting fact, it's beneficial for babies to get the cold/flu when they can.. as in adults, it builds their defence against that strain of virus...

Thats why (as I read not so long ago), kids can have at least 12 flus a year, while their parents many only get 4-6... This is just because the parents have already built a defence or resistence to those other 6-8 strains!

I know it's a pain to deal with, but better to have sick little babies now for majority of the year, rather then sick school aged kids all year who miss so many days at school! :)

[pookiesossige]

It's fine! You're passing on those great antibodies as you feed. Currently in our household, DH has a bad flu (into week 3), DS just has a bad cold and I have a mild cold. Ariene is feeding and is fine! The other day she had a bit of a stuffy nose that I delt with using that fess for babies snot-sucker thing and a few drops of breastmilk to loosen up her clogged up snoz, but that was just for one day and that's as bad as she got! Yay for the powers of breastmilk! :smiliedance: And if you go back to work down the track and your bub ends up spending some time in day care, all the breastfeeding that you did now (the more the better) means higher immunity against all the illnesses going around later - even if you're no longer feeding! :yes:

[winniethepooh]

hi you may have mastitis so get checked out by a dr as it presents like the flu! I had it 3 times.have you got a fever or are you better now?

[the_queen]

Mastitis presents like the flu except with Mastitis there is no sore throat. The OP said she had a sore throat. ;)

[Will]

Sorry if someone else has said this, i havent read the posts!

I was told that bub would already have what you anyways so it is best to keep feeding him cuz then he will get the antibodies you are creating to fight your flu. So you are doing the best for your bub!! And i dont think the kisses would matter, if nothing else they make you both feel good, and that has to be a good thing, especially if you are both a bit crook!!