I saw a little discussion of these reccommendations back in July http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/infantfeeding.htm 
 
Is there any effort ongoing to have them changed, by USBC, or USLCA or AAP even?

How are you responding to people who have already seen them and are giving them to moms?

Thanks,

Angela Burton, IBCLC



This is what I sent to CDC:


Re:  http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/infantfeeding.htm

As yet there seems to have been no change to the advice for breastfeeding moms who have flu symptoms to express their milk and have someone else feed the baby.

On the surface, I suppose this might seem in keeping with the "cautious" approach CDC takes, but with just a little thought, surely it's obvious that this approach would put both the mother and baby at greater risk of more serious illness? 

The mother from mastitis caused by the sudden cessation of bf, after all, if she's ill, would she really feel like pumping or hand expressing sufficiently thoroughly or often enough to make up for the absence of the baby? 

The baby from the greater likelihood of needing formula supplementation because mom is likely  to be unable to provide enough expressed milk, resulting in the loss of protection afforded by maternal antibodies. Not to mention possible colonization with the unfamiliar germs of the substitute caregiver.

If a mother is showing symptoms, she will already have exposed her baby, as well as other household members.  http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/qa.htm    If the H1N1 flu outbreak becomes as widespread as is currently being predicted, the likelihood of finding an unexposed alternate caregiver in close enough proximity to mother and baby to allow the contued use of expressed milk, if available, is rather remote.

I understand that these are considered preliminary guidelines, subject to change, but unfortunately, they are being referenced already. The negative effects of this advice might not become noticeable until we're well into a full scale outbreak. 

I implore you to remove all references to expressing milk and instead replace them with the reminder, found elsewhwere on your website, http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/guidance/pregnant.htm  that the best protection for babies against H1N1  as with any other flu is limiting exposure to infected persons, other than mom, and exclusive breastfeeding from birth.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter,

Angela Burton, IBCLC











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