If you are breastfeeding or chestfeeding an infant or child, you may have questions about the coronavirus, getting vaccinated for COVID-19 and what to do if you get sick. Here are answers to common breastfeeding questions, advised by Melanie Newkirk, 注册营养师/营养师及临床营养主任，负责营养服务及哺乳 Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Should someone continue to breastfeed if they have COVID-19 or COVID symptoms?

Though breastfeeding is ultimately a personal decision, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 世界卫生组织(世卫组织)和母乳喂养医学学会(ABM)都支持婴儿母乳喂养，即使母乳来自COVID-19感染者.  

因为在母乳喂养期间有可能通过呼吸道飞沫传播COVID-19, it is very important to follow safety guidelines. ABM显示某人是否被确诊患有COVID-19或出现症状并正在接受检测, ABM建议，如果可能的话，他们应该与其他人隔离，包括婴儿, except during breastfeeding. 美国医学会建议采取预防措施，如洗手和戴口罩，以避免感染儿童.

The breastfeeding person with COVID-19 or coronavirus symptoms can either:

• 用吸奶器吸乳，提供持续的母乳供应

OR

• 在母乳喂养期间允许接触并采取预防措施，如戴口罩和保持手卫生.

将患有COVID-19的母乳喂养者与其婴儿分开，应在卫生保健团队或专家的指导下做出决定，并考虑成人和婴儿的健康. 如果两者都能保持在一起，则鼓励母乳喂养.

Can babies catch the coronavirus through breast milk? 

没有证据表明母乳中存在导致COVID-19的病毒. (同样，其他呼吸道病毒也没有在母乳中传播.) For example, the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) virus, which is similar to the one that causes COVID-19, has not been detected in breast milk. However, 在母乳喂养期间，有可能通过呼吸道飞沫传播COVID-19, it is very important to follow safety guidelines. Please review safety tips for breastfeeding further down this article.

Small, 早期研究表明，对抗冠状病毒的免疫球蛋白抗体(IgAs)存在于先前感染者的母乳中. 这些研究表明，IgAs在感染后仍存在长达5个月.

Though more research is needed, 通过母乳传递COVID-19抗体可能有助于保护哺乳婴儿. Breast milk provides babies with antibody protection against many illnesses, 这只是健康专家和组织建议尽可能母乳喂养的几个原因之一.

更多的研究将揭示儿童是否可以通过母乳和母乳对冠状病毒产生免疫力, if so, how long that protection could last.

Is it safe to get a COVID vaccine when I’m breastfeeding?

Yes. 目前已知的调查COVID-19疫苗安全性的研究没有包括哺乳期人群. However, the ABM recommends that people who are lactating get vaccinated, 它也不认为母乳喂养是避免接种COVID-19疫苗的理由.

研究表明，哺乳期的人在接种疫苗后不久就会在母乳中产生抗体. 进一步的调查将进一步阐明疫苗引起的免疫是否可以通过母乳传递给哺乳的婴儿.

What happens when someone with COVID-19 gives birth?

Based on the CDC recommendations, if a person with COVID-19 gives birth in the hospital, 婴儿可暂时与亲生父母分离，以减少将COVID-19传播给新生儿的风险.

在分离期间，建议给婴儿喂奶. 一旦父母的症状好转，父母和孩子都可以回家了, the parent should follow the same guidelines as above, 要么使用挤出的乳汁，要么允许接触母乳喂养(母亲戴口罩并保持手部卫生)。. 医疗小组将提供关于过渡和继续在家母乳喂养的最佳方法的指导.

What do I do if I have to isolate away from my baby? 

During temporary separation, you are encouraged to express breast milk, and someone else, such a care partner or nurse, will feed the child. Even when the baby does not feed at the breast, you must still wash your hands before and after pumping.

• 泵送时使用的柜台或桌面表面应使用消毒产品清洁.
• 泵的外部应按照制造商的说明进行清洁, both before and after pumping.
• 根据制造商的说明，每次泵送后，应清洗泵组件, rinsed, 用洗洁精和水在只用于清洗婴儿喂养物品的盆里清洗, and rinsed.
• If the pump kit is dishwasher-safe, it may be cleaned in a dishwasher.
• 泵部件应按照使用蒸汽袋的说明每天至少消毒一次, boiling for five minutes, or in a dishwasher with a sanitize setting.
• 泵部件绝不能直接放置在水槽中，泵送后应尽快清洗.
• 泵部件应放在干净的抹布或纸巾上，并在储存前充分风干.
• 每次使用后，用肥皂和水彻底清洁洗脸盆和瓶刷(如果使用的话), or clean in a dishwasher if dishwasher-safe, and air dry.

Safety Tips for Breastfeeding with COVID-19

因为在母乳喂养期间有可能通过呼吸道飞沫传播COVID-19, 鼓励患有COVID-19或有疾病症状的人在母乳喂养婴儿或哺乳时采取以下预防措施.

• 咳嗽或打喷嚏时捂住口鼻(用肘部弯曲是个好方法), throw away any tissue immediately and wash hands well.
• Wear a mask for any contact, including while feeding baby at the breast.
• 洗手至少20秒，或在喂奶前后使用含60%至95%酒精的含酒精消毒剂(包括喂奶和泌乳)。. Wash hands well when visibly soiled.
• 清洁和消毒台面，泵和泵组件外部，如上所述.
• If a mother has coughed or sneezed onto her uncovered chest or breast, cleanse the skin that may come into contact with the baby or pump.
• Clean and disinfect other surfaces that the child may touch.

这一信息是基于我们目前对COVID-19和其他呼吸道病毒传播的了解. For more information on breastfeeding with COVID-19, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.