Hi Jane! Mono (as I learned when my oldest daughter had the case from Hell) is a herpes virus. Adults and teens can get very or only mildly sick with it. It is not a serious illness in small children from what I understand. Baby has already been exposed, and if we use the model for other herpes infections after the immed. neonatal period, can be nursed. Mom may feel rotten. The doctor told my daughter she had "among the 5% worst cases of lesions in the throat" that he had ever seen. She was not given steroids -- he only mentioned the use of steroids if her throat closed up and she couldn't breathe. If this mom is worse than Emily was (hard to visualize)she is VERY sick and will be doing a lot of mothering from her bed. Emily was in terrible pain and needed pain killers and slept constantly for 2 months. I hope this mother has help. Barbara Barbara Wilson-Clay, BS, IBCLC Private Practice, Austin, Texas Owner, Lactnews On-Line Conference Page http://moontower.com/bwc/lactnews.html