Just had another long talk with the mom bitten 4 days ago by the rabid dog.
She is still breastfeeding, but *very* undecided about whether it is safe to
continue.  I relayed the gist of all the messages I had received.  She was
most reassured by the posts saying that the Texas Dept of Health had
researched this and found that the virus was not transmitted in breastmilk,
and by the opinions of most of the responders who said there was no risk to
the baby.  She was most concerned by advice from a doctor friend of the
family who phoned from London to say that a 4 1/2 month old baby had already
received the greatest benefit from breastfeeding (don't we hear this all the
time? Corrected this!) and suggesting that the virus might be multiplying
and that baby would be at increased risk of infection the longer he
continued to breastfeed.   She is also very worried that she breastfed the
baby between the time she received the bite and the time she received the
first dose of vaccine (a time lapse of 4 hours).  She wonders if the baby
should be receiving the vaccine too.  I have suggested that she talk about
this concern with her doctor as soon as possible.

This morning she and her husband decided that they should stop breastfeeding
the baby.  But it is not so easy and for today she is still carrying on. I
have said I will support whatever decision she makes, but this is an
agonizing dilemma for them all.  She also wonders about the risk to her
husband through kissing/sex and says she also kisses the baby ALL the time.
Today at the christening she refused to kiss anyone!  It turns out that her
husband was also bitten by a dog with rabies about two years ago, received
the shots, and is obviously fine.  Does he have life-long immunity we
wonder?  She feels like a leper.

I'll keep you posted.

Pamela Morrison IBCLC, Zimbabwe
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