Can a baby still breastfeed if the mother has a fever during lactation?
Dec 05, 2022
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Ma Yan
Introduction
Fever refers to elevated body temperature. If a breastfeeding mother has a fever, whether she can continue nursing depends on the specific condition. Since the mother is in the lactation period, she should go to the hospital for examination to determine the cause of the fever and receive treatment under medical guidance. Self-medication should be avoided, as it may lead to serious consequences. During treatment, adequate rest and sufficient sleep should also be ensured.
Fever refers to elevated body temperature. Whether a breastfeeding mother can continue nursing when she has a fever depends on her specific condition.
If the mother has a common cold or a simple fever accompanied by symptoms such as runny nose, nasal congestion, and sneezing, with only a mild increase in body temperature and without taking antibiotics or other medications that could be harmful to the infant, breastfeeding can continue. Before taking any medication, it is important to read the drug instructions carefully and check whether it is contraindicated for breastfeeding women. If the medication is potentially harmful to the baby, breastfeeding should be avoided or resumed only after the drug has been fully metabolized and cleared from the body.
If the fever is caused by other inflammatory infections—for example, acute suppurative mastitis during lactation—breastfeeding may still continue if the infection is unilateral and not particularly severe. However, if the infection is severe, breastfeeding should not be continued.
Because the mother is in the lactation period, she should seek medical evaluation promptly if experiencing fever, to determine the underlying cause and receive appropriate treatment under a doctor's guidance. Self-medication should be avoided, as it may lead to serious consequences. During treatment, adequate rest, sufficient sleep, and a well-balanced diet are also essential.
