Baby Hub
Breastfeeding While Sick
Feeling a little under the weather? Exhausted, runny nose, coughing, drowsy or experiencing any other awful symptom that falls under the umbrella of ‘being sick’? It’s never a nice feeling, especially when you’re expected to feed your child every few hours. Thankfully, not only can you breastfeed while you’re sick, but you absolutely should! There are actually heaps of benefits for you and bub – the body really is an amazing thing. It is important though, to drink lots of water, eat nutritious meals and get as much rest as possible. This is when your family and friends need to step up and take care of bub while you regain your energy. Can my baby get sick from my breastmilk? No – whether it’s a cold, the dreaded flu, or something even worse like vomiting or diarrhoea, you should breastfeed as normal. If you are experiencing symptoms of mastitis, it’s also very important to keep breastfeeding and expressing – as this is the best way to get rid of it, painful as it may be. There’s no need to worry about your breast milk stream, as being sick won’t impact the flow. It might seem counterintuitive, especially for new mums, but breastfeeding while sick is actually an effective way to transfer important antibodies to your baby. Its first job is to help protect bub from catching your bug, but even if they do catch it then those helpful antibodies will support their little system to fight it off faster and harder. How can I protect my baby from getting sick too? If you’re worried about spreading germs to your baby, here are some tips: Wear a mask while breastfeeding. Whenever you feel the sudden urge to sneeze or cough and there are no tissues within reach, do it into the crook of your elbow – never your hands! Keep some hand sanitiser on you at all times, and wash your hands with soap regularly – especially before and after feeding. If you’re really not up to breastfeeding, especially overnight when you need your rest, then pump and refrigerate your breast milk and let someone else (such as your partner) take over with a bottle feed. The Pigeon GoMini Double Electric Breast Pump is the perfect pump for any situation – it’s compact, lightweight and comfortable so you can pump and get right back to resting. Can I use painkillers and prescription medications? While it’s okay (and encouraged) to breastfeed during most common illness, it’s important to monitor any medication you’re taking. Speak to a medical professional or maternal health nurse if you are worried about it interfering with feeding or transferring to you baby. Over-the-counter paracetamol is usually first choice for pain, but try to only take it for the shortest time possible. If you take ibuprofen, make sure you only take a minor to moderate dose, as small amounts of the drug do transfer into your breastmilk. There are many different antibiotics and most are safe to use. Your health care professional will know what best to prescribe. Make sure he/she knows you are breastfeeding. If you’re simply not comfortable breastfeeding while sick, that’s absolutely fine! Just be sure not to stop entirely. You’ll want to keep pumping while you recover to avoid the risk of mastitis and make sure you can easily resume breastfeeding when you are well again. We have a range of products available to help keep you going, including our new GoMini Double Electric Breast Pump to make pumping quick and easy.
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Keeping Your Baby Sun-Safe
Australia is blessed with beautiful weather all year round. And despite the chilly winters in the southern states, there’s still plenty of sun to soak up whether it’s the middle of January or a brisk sunny day in July. While we adults might be confident in the sun – from applying the right amount of sunscreen, to wearing a hat and long-sleeved clothes or sticking to the shade at a friend’s outdoor barbecue – babies don’t have the same sensibility when it comes to the sun. And with every infant’s skin (not just fair-skinned kids) extremely susceptible to sun damage, it’s important you look out for their safety. Here are some simple sun-safety tips for your baby: 0–6 months Newborn babies are much more sensitive to the sun than older children, so it is imperative they are protected from the sun’s UV rays (especially in Australia) any time they are outside. That includes walks in the pram, crawling around in the backyard and even for short trips over to your neighbour’s house. Their delicate skin contains very little melanin – the pigment that provides protection from UV rays – so it’s up to you as their caregiver to ensure they are properly sun-safe. So what’s the best protection? Sunscreen, we hear you say? Not so fast – the Cancer Council recommends waiting until your bub is at least six months old before slathering on a bit of sunscreen, mostly due to the sensitivity of their skin. Instead, hats, clothing and sunglasses are your best defence. Sun-safety recommendations The first line of defence against UV rays is always clothing. Dress your baby in lightweight layers that cover as much skin as possible (without making them too cranky or uncomfortable!). Lightweight clothing is essential, as babies are more prone to heatstroke. Invest in a wide-brimmed, bucket or legionnaires hat – not only do they offer much better protection than a traditional cap, but they look extra-cute. When out for walks on a sunny day, attach a sun-protective cover to your pram. Avoid lengthy periods outside between 10am and 4pm (especially during summer) as this is when the sun is at its strongest. Slip on a mesh window shield over the back passenger window in your car to protect bub from the harsh sun while driving. 6+ months At around the six-month mark, your bub will be much more mobile and may even be crawling around. This is the perfect time to support their development by letting them roam around in new areas, including outside in the sun. It’s also at this stage that you can start applying mild amounts of baby-safe sunscreen to your little one. Sun-safety recommendations Sunscreen is a must even on overcast days. Choose a specially formulated baby sunscreen with a high SPF rating – the higher the better! Apply sunscreen generously about 15 minutes before heading out and reapply every two hours. Doing some swimming lessons in an outdoor pool? Use waterproof sunscreen and reapply after they are towelled down and dry. What should I do if my baby gets sunburnt? Despite the best intentions and all possible precautions taken, sometimes kids just get sunburnt. You’ll notice redness on their skin that feels warm to the touch, and they may be a little irritable as well. More serious sunburn can cause blistering on the affected skin or even fever. If this is the case and your baby is younger than 12 months, seek medical advice from your doctor. Sunburn in infants can be more serious than it appears, so it’s always better to err on the side of caution. For babies over 12 months (unless the sunburn looks very serious), you can use home remedies by: Treating the burn with a cold washer for 10–15 minutes throughout the day. Bathing your little one in lukewarm water to cool the skin. Gently applying a sensitive baby moisturiser or calming cream. Don’t use any petroleum-based creams as they will block heat and sweat from escaping and may make the burn even worse. If your baby is in pain, an over-the-counter baby painkiller can provide some comfort. There’s a good chance your baby will be dehydrated from overexposure to the sun, so keep them hydrated with lots of liquids and feeds. If you are still breastfeeding, your baby may not want to feed if their sore sunburnt skin is touching you. Bottle-feeds and water from a sippy cup can keep them hydrated, while you can get some relief from a portable breast pump like the Pigeon GoMini Double Electric Breast Pump. If you have any concerns at any time, please consult your healthcare professional. Whether it’s summer, winter or anything in between, it’s great to get outside and enjoy the surroundings with your little one. Just remember to stay sun-safe with all the proper precautions. For more tips and advice, check out our helpful blogs. You can also find exceptional products for breastfeeding, bottle-feeding, oral care and more at our online store.
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Storing Breastmilk Safely
There are many different reasons why mothers express and store their milk. Some have an abundance of milk and need to express off regularly to reduce pain and sensitivity in their breasts. Others head back to work while their baby is still breastfeeding and need to ensure there is plenty of milk for bub while mum’s away. Expressing is also the best way to keep your milk supply flowing – and it’s a vital tool when the dreaded weaning phase begins!Looking for breastmilk expression tips? Visit our guide to Expressing Breast Milk for New Mums. So how do you store your milk safely? 1. Finding the right breast pump for your needs Whether you’re headed back to the office, your partner takes on some feedings, or you’re leaving your little one with the grandparents for a date night, storing your breastmilk is a great solution. But first you need a pump that helps you express off milk quickly and comfortably. Our Pigeon GoMini is a stylish and functional device that’s lightweight and compact – so you can easily store it in your bag wherever you go. That means expressing on-the-go is made simple. And best of all, it’s designed for your comfort! 2. Storing your milk As any mother who’s expressed milk already knows, after going through all the effort of expressing and collecting your milk, the worst thing to happen is for it to go to waste because it’s been left out for too long or stored incorrectly. There’s also a few different ways to store your milk. It doesn’t always have to go directly into the freezer. If, for example, you need some ready-to-go meals for bub over the next few days (but no longer than three days total), you can pop it in the fridge. There’s also a window of around six to eight hours where it can be left at room temperature (26°C or less) for an upcoming feed. Need longer storage? Off to the freezer it goes (see the table below for how long you can keep the milk refrigerated or frozen). 5 steps for safely-stored breastmilk 1. Tear away the safety seal at the top of the storage bag and open it by gently pulling the zip-seal apart. Don’t blow into the bag as this ruins the sterilised interior.2. Pour expressed breastmilk into the bag. Make sure you don’t overfill it, as the liquid will expand in the freezer and explode!3. Carefully squeeze the bag to allow any excess air to escape.4. Once all the air has been squeezed out, seal the bag tightly.5. Mark the bag with today’s date and off it goes into the fridge or freezer. How to thaw and warm your breastmilk Place in the fridge for up to 24 hours after removing from the freezer. 1. Immerse the storage bag in warm water (recommended 40°C) and use your fingers to massage the outside of the bag to separate chunks of frozen milk to speed up the process.2. Alternatively, you can use a dedicated bottle warmer to bring the cool liquid breastmilk up to the appropriate feeding temperature.3. Never microwave your breastmilk. You will lose the nutritive value and it may create dangerous hot spots in the milk. Breastmilk storage guidelines The Australian Association of Breastfeeding recommends the following guidelines for safe storage of breastmilk: Breastmilk Room temperature Refrigerator Freezer Freshly expressed into a closed container. 6–8 hrs (26ºC or lower). If refrigeration is available store milk there. No more than 72 hours. Store in back of the fridge, where it is coldest. 2 weeks in freezer compartment inside refrigerator (-15°C). 3 months in freezer section of refrigerator with separate door (-18°C). 6–12 months in deep freeze (-20°C). Previously frozen – thawed in refrigerator but not warmed. 4 hours or less (i.e. the next feeding). Store in refrigerator for 24 hours. Do not refreeze. Thawed outside refrigerator in warm water. For completion of feeding. Hold for 4 hours or until next feeding. Do not refreeze. Infant has begun feeding. Only for completion of feeding, then discard. Discard. Discard. *Storage times may vary for preterm or sick babies. Source: National Health and Medical Research Council 2012, Infant Feeding Guidelines. NHMRC, Canberra p59. Can my breastmilk split? Have you noticed that your stored breastmilk has started to separate into two different-coloured parts during storage? Don’t worry, this is completely normal and it doesn’t have any ill effect on the quality of the milk. Just give it a light shake to mix it together and you’re ready to feed it to bub. One last thing… It’s obvious but it does bear repeating: breastmilk is a bodily fluid, and because your baby’s gut is so sensitive in the early months of their life, you want to ensure nothing contaminates their milk supply! So always remember to wash your hands before feeding, pumping or handling breastmilk storage bags. That goes for pumping while on the go as well – so always wash before and after using your Pigeon GoMini! For more tips and advice, check out our helpful blogs. You can also find exceptional products for breastfeeding, bottle-feeding, oral care and more at our online store.
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