Yes, she can nurse her baby.  As they are out of the neonate stage,
this is no different than any other infectious disease they might be
exposed to.  Both mom and baby were exposed, so mom is already making
antibodies (has she had chickenpox before or been vaccinated?)
Continued nursing and of course close mothering contact :-) is
exactly what they should have.  Separation would accomplish nothing
-- baby is likely to develop CP in any case.

Personal note:  I had a remarkably similar experience.  I nursed my
exclusively breastfed 3-month-old through the chickenpox, which he
got from his big brother who was 3.5 yrs at the time.  I had had CP
as a child and wondered if my antibodies via breastmilk would limit
my infant's symptoms.  No such luck -- my baby son had a much worse
case than my older son.  Nursing seemed to be a great comfort to him,
and of course expressed breastmilk was helpful for healing the poxes.
I also joked that the experience was a great motivator for my little
one to practice his hand-eye coordination as he tried very hard to
scratch what itched!  (poor thing)  My older child, who had a mild
case, ended up with a couple of small scars, while my younger child,
who was *covered* with pox, including inside his mouth and nose, has
no scars.

Margaret
mom of 2, LLLL
Longmont, Colorado

>A mother and her 3.5-month-old baby were both exposed to chickenpox
>by a 3-year-old son/sibling.  The 3-year-old has already broken out.
>Can she nurse her baby?  She says she can't be isolated from the
>baby.  Her doctor in Russia can't say anything helpful other than
>how to relieve rash discomfort should the baby get it.  Nobody in
>the family ever had chickenpox.
>
>Thank you,
>Natalie Wilson

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