Urgh - Swine Flu and Breastfeeding.

[cfc]

I am feeling really rough - very, very sore throat which feels restrictive, snotty nose, aches, pains, cotton-wool head...

I am NEVER sick, never ever ever...however, I feel so rough, I actually went onto the website, put in all the yes's and no's re the symptoms and it gave me a reference number to collect Tamiflu from my local Boots.

DH is back from the States tomorrow, so I will have help with our EBF 11 week old son. He's a virology expert and he and my GP friend who stayed with us last night (and who I probably caught it off as she's been seeing sick peeps!) reckon that it's better to ride it out and not take the anti-b's. I've never taken anti-b's in my life, apart from IV ones at the birth as my waters broke early.

Anyway, my question is, does anyone know if I should be staying away from baby? I have a bank of expressed milk ready for collection by the human milk bank in my area so could nick a couple of bottles and DH could feed the little one as I stay out of his way. Or is it too late? I will have to do the night feed and possibly the morning feed and have fed him whilst symptomatic....

I can't find anything on the website re nursing mothers, only pregnant ladies.

Help please, I feel so rough - thank goodness I'm not a sickly person as I'd never cope!!

I'd keep on feeding the baby myself.

Oh, and the milk I will express off in any event (because I always express twice a day for donation and if DH is feeding baby it'll obviously be more as I express to make up the missed feeds) will I have to pump and dump, or will it have antibodies in it to counter the virus?

I'll ask DH that one. But if anyone knows.

CHeers ladies.

Dunno. You need advice from a proper source.Tiktok and Mears on here could give it.Or ring ABM or La Leche.
How fabulous that you donate!!!!

Agree with Moondog. No point going through all the hassle of pumping, feeding ebm, sterilising, etc. Unless you feel too ill to physically feed then I'd carry on bfing.

The BfN drugs helpline may have advice about it, don't remember the number anymore but googling or searching on here will bring it up.

Have found this which suggests you should keep breastfeeding.

Also this.

And this.

Hope you start feeling better soon.

Thank you, that's really useful - off to bed now, rest and fluids and maybe some paracetamol will sort me out - really don't want to take the tamiflu.

TAmiflu is not an anti-b, btw.

yes keep feeding. if it is pig flu your baby has already been exposed to it from you so the best bet is to keep feeding to pass on they antibodies your body is now making.

I have had suspected swine flu. I didn't take anything and I was fine after six days. I kept breastfeeding throughout and neither my 3 month old nor her 2 yr old sister got sick.
I hope you feel better soon.

Thanks puzzle, that's good to hear. Am feeling so much better, DH back too which helps....baby is fine (but we think maybe cutting a tooth, lots of crying for no apparent reason..?) so we're all well.

Thanks for all your replies x