COVID-19 Resources for Healthcare providers available HERE on our website
COVID-19 and Breastfeeding
Breast milk is the best source of nutrition for most infants. We do not know whether mothers with COVID-19 can transmit the virus via breast milk, but the limited data available suggest this is not likely to be a source of transmission.
Whether and how to start or continue breastfeeding should be determined by the mother in coordination with her family and healthcare providers.
A mother with confirmed COVID-19 should be counseled to take all possible precautions to avoid spreading the virus to her infant, including hand hygiene and wearing a cloth face covering.
Handouts
COVID-19 Vaccine Shared Decision-Making Information for Pregnant Women
Collecting and Storing Breastmilk During the COVID Pandemic
COVID-19 handout for NICU families
COVID-19 Birth Plan–March of Dimes
COVID-19 Things to know if you’re pregnant (English, PDF)
- Additional versions available in Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Hindi, Hmong, Vietnamese. Arabic Farsi, HYE (Armenian), Korean, Punjabi, Russian, Somali, and Tagalog.
LA County DPH: Guidance During Pregnancy
Baystate Hospital: I’m Pregnant, should I get the COVID-19 vaccine?
Sus derechos en el trabajo durante COVID-19- Amamantamiento y lactancia
Resources
Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine
In limited studies on women with COVID-19 and another coronavirus infection, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV), the virus has not been detected in breast milk; however we do not know whether mothers with COVID-19 can transmit the virus via breast milk. Breast milk provides protection against many illnesses
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists/Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine
ACOG recommends that COVID-19 vaccines should not be withheld from pregnant individuals who meet criteria for vaccination based on ACIP-recommended priority groups. COVID-19 vaccines should be offered to lactating individuals similar to non-lactating individuals when they meet criteria for receipt of the vaccine based on prioritization groups outlined by the ACIP.
California Department of Public Health
COVID-19 Guidance for Women and Families
City of Los Angeles Housing and Community Investment Department
Eviction information from the City of Los Angeles Housing and Community Investment Department.
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Coronavirus and Breastfeeding FAQs
Much is unknown about how COVID-19 is spread. Person-to-person spread is thought to occur mainly via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, similar to how influenza (flu) and other respiratory pathogens spread. In limited studies, COVID-19 and another coronavirus infection, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV), have not been detected in breast milk.
The Center for WorkLife Law
The Center for WorkLife Law is offering a free legal helpline for workers nationwide who have questions about their workplace rights related to coronavirus. Helpline callers can connect with attorneys to receive information about how to protect their incomes, health benefits, and jobs while taking care of their families and their health during the COVID-19 crisis.
County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is cooperating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to respond to recent reports of a novel (new) coronavirus. The L.A. County Dept. of Public Health is conducting news updates on COVID-19 that can be viewed on Facebook.
COVID-19 in the Workplace
We have added a page to find quick information about your workplace rights and other COVID-19 related legislation.
Harvard Health Publishing: Coronavirus outbreak and kids
Advice on playdates, social distancing, and healthy behaviors to help prevent infection.
Legal Aid at Work: Job related questions
Work related questions regarding Coronavirus and job-related rights.
March of Dimes
The March of Dimes has shared a revised birth plan guide to help patients discuss prenatal care and hospital policies during the COVID-19 pandemic with their provider. The revised birth plan is available in English and Spanish.
Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Division (MCAH)
The Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Division (MCAH) partnered with Women, Infants and Children (WIC) to develop guidance for pregnant and breastfeeding women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Guidance in English.
Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Division (MCAH)
Guía para mujeres embarazadas o las que están amamantando durante la pandemia del COVID-19
The Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Division (MCAH) partnered with Women, Infants and Children (WIC) to develop guidance for pregnant and breastfeeding women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Guidance in Spanish.
Mothers' Milk Bank of San Jose
Mothers’ Milk Bank will remain OPEN during Covid-19 outbreak. Mothers' Milk Bank is committed to ensure that donor human milk continues to be safe and available for all sick babies in our communities. As an organization that provides essential services that supports health care, they have a commitment to those served and in partnership with donors to ensure they are able to continue providing these necessary services.
Contact them at: (877) 375-6645 (option 4 for Spanish) and or connect with them at https://mothersmilk.org, To contact the nearest Mothers’ Milk Bank Collection Center connect with them at: https://mothersmilk.org/donate-milk/
MotherToBaby: Breastfeeding and COVID-19
Breast milk provides protection against serious childhood infections. Women are often encouraged to continue breastfeeding or providing breast milk even when they are sick with a virus, such as the flu. Information about COVID-19 in breastfeeding women is limited at this time, but no virus was found in milk samples provided by a small number of women with COVID-19.
National Perinatal Association COVID-19 Resources
As our community prepares to face a new and novel virus we need to be prepared - not just for the virus but for people's anxieties and fears. One of the most important things we can do as providers and advocates is to empower people with information. When we all have the facts it's easier for us to make informed decisions.
New York Times: Parenting and the Coronavirus
The New York Times parenting section has lots of great, practical articles on coronavirus:
UNICEF
UNICEF has published a webpage titled “Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): What parents should know“
United States Breastfeeding Committee
Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies, including COVID-19
United States Department of Labor: COVID-19 and the Workplace
Temporary Rule: Paid Leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. FFCRA will help the United States combat and defeat COVID-19 by reimbursing American private employers that have fewer than 500 employees with tax credits for the cost of providing employees with paid leave taken for specified reasons related to COVID-19. The legislation will ensure that workers are not forced to choose between their paychecks and the public health measures needed to combat the virus, while at the same time reimbursing businesses.
WIC
California WIC Association COVID-19 links. Please note: the situation with WIC is changing moment by moment. The important thing to know is that WIC is working feverishly to provide services. PLEASE do NOT go to WIC in person. If you have questions, contact the WIC program for clarification of the current situation.
World Health Organization COVID-19 Guidance
Ongoing and up-to-date information on the novel coronavirus
Guidance from the World Health Organization
Women with COVID-19 can breastfeed if they wish to do so.
They should:
☑️ Practice respiratory hygiene and wear a mask
☑️ Wash before and after touching the baby
☑️ Routinely clean and disinfect surfaces
World Health Organization Q&A on COVID-19 and Breastfeeding
The World Health Organization (WHO) has created a FAQ sheet that answers some basic questions and concerns regarding COVID-19 and breastfeeding. To date, COVID-19 transmission through breast milk has not been detected and there is no reason to discontinue breastfeeding.