When a new baby is born, new parents have many questions. These questions can be answered by speaking with physicians, midwives, and attendants. If you tested positive for COVID-19, you might have more questions right now. We want to assist you in answering these concerns and preparing you for a safe journey from the hospital to home.
Caring for your new born in the hospital if you have COVID-19
- If you are in isolation in hospital for COVID-19 and sharing a room with your baby, take the following precautions to decrease the risk of the virus transmitting to your infant:
- Before handling or caring for your infant, wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Put on a mask when you’re within 6 feet of your infant.
If you are in home isolation for COVID-19, observe these measures until your isolation time is over
- Stay at home to isolate yourself from others outside your door.
- Isolate yourself from other members of your home who are not afflicted, and wear a mask in public places.
- If you need to care for your infant before your isolation time is through, take the required measures.
If you have COVID-19 and choose to express breast milk
- If feasible, use your breast pump.
- Wear a mask while expressing breast milk.
- After each usage, pump cleaning is important. All parts of the pump that come into touch with breast milk should be cleaned.
- Consider having a healthy caregiver feed the infant the expressed breast milk.
We know motherhood is a precious gift. And dealing with such situations at the beginning of your motherhood can be stressful. But you will cross this phase of hardships; after all, motherhood isn’t easy!
By Vanshika Bansal
