This is a new virus and the World Health Organisation does not know enough yet about how it affects babies or pregnant women. What they do know is that it’s possible for people of any age to be infected with the virus, but so far there have been relatively few cases of the Coronavirus reported among children and none in babies. The virus is fatal in rare cases, so far mainly among older people with pre-existing medical conditions. If you have any further questions, contact your doctor.

Seek medical attention as early as you can.

All mothers who have symptoms of fever, cough or difficulty breathing, should seek medical care early, and follow instructions from a health care provider. Considering the benefits of breastfeeding and the insignificant role of breastmilk in the transmission of other respiratory viruses, the mother can continue breastfeeding, while applying all the necessary precautions, subject to medical advice. For symptomatic mothers well enough to breastfeed, this includes wearing a mask when near a child (including during feeding), washing hands before and after contact with the child (including feeding), and cleaning/disinfecting contaminated surfaces – as should be done in all cases where anyone with confirmed or suspected the Coronavirus interacts with others, including children. If a mother is too ill, she should be encouraged to express milk and give it to the child via a clean cup and/or spoon – all while following the same infection prevention methods, subject to medical advice. If you have any further questions, contact your doctor.

At this time, there is not enough evidence to determine whether the virus is transmitted from a mother to her baby during pregnancy, or the potential impact this may have on the baby. This is currently being investigated. Pregnant women should continue to follow appropriate precautions to protect themselves from exposure to the virus, and seek medical care early, if experiencing symptoms, such as fever, cough or difficulty breathing. Please consult your healthcare professional in case of any questions or concerns.

The bottles, nipples, scoops and bowls used by the baby must be disinfected; please clean them with clean water firstly, and then the appliances resistant to high temperature should be immersed in the pot and boiled for more than 30 minutes. The appliances not resistant to high temperature can be disinfected by wiping the surface with alcohol cotton. If you have any further questions, contact your doctor.

Seek medical attention as early as you can.

As masks have certain airtightness, they may be uncomfortable for your little one under 1 year old. Therefore, to limit risks, you can follow the different recommendations from the World Health Organisation to help protect you and your baby from the Coronavirus. And to be really safe, you should limit exposure of your child as much as possible to crowds. If you have any further questions, contact your doctor.