Newborns born to mothers with suspected or confirmed COVID-19

Much is still unknown about the risks of COVID-19 to newborns.

• Newborns can be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 after being in close contact with an infected person.
• Some babies have tested positive for the virus shortly after birth. It is unknown if these babies got the virus before, during, or after birth.
• Most newborns who have tested positive for COVID-19 had mild or no symptoms and have recovered fully. However, there are a few reports of newborns with severe illness.
• A small number of other problems, such as preterm (early) birth and other problems with pregnancy and birth, have been reported in babies born to mothers who tested positive for COVID-19. We do not know if these problems were related to the virus.

CDC recognizes that the ideal setting for the care of a healthy, full-term newborn during the birth hospitalization is within the mother’s room. Temporary separation of the newborn from a mother with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 should be considered to reduce the risk of spreading the virus to the newborn. The risks and benefits of temporary separation of the mother from her newborn should be discussed with the mother by her healthcare team. Decisions about temporary separation should be made with respect to the mother’s wishes. If the mother chooses a temporary separation to reduce risk of spreading the virus and would like to breastfeed, she should express breast milk and have a healthy caregiver who is not at high-risk for severe illness from COVID-19 bottle feed the newborn the expressed breast milk if possible.

If the mother with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 does not choose temporary separation in the hospital, she should take precautions to avoid spreading the virus to the newborn, including washing her hands and wearing a cloth face covering when within 6 feet of her newborn. The newborn should be kept ≥6 feet away from the mother, as much as possible, including the use of physical barriers (e.g., placing the newborn in an incubator).

Mothers who are discharged from the hospital but have not met criteria to discontinue isolation may choose to continue to separate from the newborn at home to reduce the risk of spreading the virus, if a healthy caregiver is available. If a healthy caregiver is not available, a mother with COVID-19 can still care for her infant if she is well enough while using precautions (for example, hand washing, wearing a cloth face covering).

Separation from the newborn may make it harder for some new mothers to start or continue breastfeeding. Frequent hand expression or pumping, ideally with a hospital-grade pump, is necessary to establish and build milk supply during temporary separation. Pumping every 2-3 hours (at least 8-10 times in 24 hours, including at night), especially in the first few days, signals the breasts to produce milk and prevents blocked milk ducts and breast infections. Mothers who are unable to establish milk production in the hospital after birth, or who have to temporarily stop breastfeeding, can relactate with skilled assistance from a lactation support provider. Additional information on relactation is available.

https://4ursurvival.com/mini-clean-desk-kit/

CDC.org