Breastfeeding provides a protective hug and the benefits have outweighed the risks during the COVID‐19 pandemic

Abstract

AbstractMothers have been very hesitant about breastfeeding when they have COVID‐19 infection or vaccinations. Maternal milk protects neonates through its high biological value, immune factors and anti‐infectious molecules and this review shows that the virus that causes COVID‐19 is not transmitted through breast milk. COVID‐19 vaccines induce anti‐spike antibodies with neutralising capacity, and phagocytosis, and no vaccine particles or messenger ribonucleic acid have been detected in breast milk. Most drugs used for maternal COVID‐19 infections are safe for breastfed infants.ConclusionThe clear benefits of breastfeeding by far outweigh the very low risk of infant infections from COVID‐19.