The World Health Organization (WHO) has advised that vaccinated mothers can breastfeed their infants for the first six months of life, followed by continued breastfeeding with appropriate foods for up to 2 years.
Breastfeeding has many advantages for mother and child and does not need to be discontinued during COVID-19 infection nor following vaccination of the mother. The virus that causes COVID-19 has not been detected in breastmilk, according to a limited number of studies to date, indicating that it is safe to carry on breastfeeding while taking recommended precautions, even if a mother develops COVID-19.
Furthermore, based on the evidence available so far and knowledge of how COVID-19 vaccines work, vaccinating a breastfeeding mother to protect her from COVID-19 poses no risk to her infant. According to WHO, breastfeeding mothers who have received the COVID-19 vaccine have antibodies in their milk, which could even help to protect their babies from infection with the virus.
Read more: WHO calls for halting COVID-19 vaccine boosters
Rates of exclusive breastfeeding in the WHO European Region (comprising 53 countries) are the lowest of all WHO regions, with just 13% of infants exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months. Meanwhile, only a third of the adult population in the Region has completed their full COVID-19 vaccination dose, as the Delta variant becomes dominant in the Region and COVID-19 cases exceed 60 million.
To mark World Breastfeeding Week, WHO/Europe is urging breastfeeding women to get vaccinated against COVID-19 when it is their turn, in line with national vaccination plans. WHO does not recommend discontinuing breastfeeding because of the COVID-19 vaccination. Breastfeeding is one of the most effective ways to ensure child health and survival, including providing antibodies and protection.
