Lifestyle / Know whether or not a breastfeeding mother should take the Covid-19 vaccine

Lifestyle | The Indian government has recently given its official approval to give Covid-19 vaccine to lactating mothers. This comes as a relief to the numerous mothers who are currently breastfeeding their infants. Most of them probably spent their entire pregnancy journey in self-isolation to protect themselves and unborn children from the virus.

The vaccine approval has been approved by organizations such as the Federation of Obstetric and Gynecological Society of India (FOGSI) and The National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 (NEGVAC).

How will vaccination of lactating mothers be helpful?

It is said that the third wave of the much awaited future can affect infants and children to a great extent. Lactating mothers are believed to help provide relative immunity to lactating babies. Antibodies that go into them from breast milk can help build their immunity against the virus.

Lactating mothers will help reduce the likelihood of Kovid-19 becoming a mother carrier for infection and transmitting it to their babies.

What are some of the common concerns of breastfeeding mothers regarding vaccines?

A common concern among many lactating women is whether they should breastfeed their babies before taking the jab. However, it should be kept in mind that until 6 months of age, breast milk is the primary source of nutrition for infants. There is currently no data to suggest that the vaccine would have a negative impact on breast milk or breast health in infants.

For lactating mothers, make sure to eat healthy food after taking the Kovid-19 vaccine. It should be kept in mind that the production of breast milk depends mainly on the principle of demand and supply.

So the more the baby holds the breasts and breastfeeds - the better the milk supply. Additionally, the vaccine also has no hormonal effects.