Can I breastfeed while having a fever?

In general, if a breastfeeding mother develops a fever exceeding 38°C, she should temporarily suspend breastfeeding. Additionally, she should promptly seek medical evaluation to identify the underlying cause of the fever and receive appropriate treatment. However, if her temperature remains below 38°C, she has not taken any medications, and her symptoms are mild, there is no need to discontinue breastfeeding—she may continue nursing as usual. Newborns possess a certain degree of innate immunity, so mothers need not overly worry about transmitting a cold to their babies and thus avoid breastfeeding.

Moreover, by the time a mother develops cold symptoms, she has likely already transmitted the pathogen to her baby through close contact—even immediate cessation of breastfeeding will not prevent infection. In fact, continuing to breastfeed during this period allows the infant to receive disease-specific antibodies via breast milk, thereby enhancing the baby’s immune defenses. If the mother’s illness is severe, she should consult a physician and avoid self-medicating; all medications must be taken strictly as prescribed to prevent potentially harmful drugs from entering the breast milk. During episodes of high fever associated with the common cold, breastfeeding may be paused for 1–2 days. During this temporary interruption, the mother should regularly express her milk to maintain lactation and ensure continued milk production.