It is a scary time right now for people here in Washington state. We have more people with COVID-19 than any other state. Thankfully, COVID-19 appears to be sparing children. Currently, the CDC has very little information on the effects of COVID-19 on pregnant women.
Wash Your Hands Frequently
Everyone from the CDC to the health department, to doctors are saying to avoid coronavirus, wash your hands. Hot, soapy water should be adequate. Make sure you are scrubbing for 30 seconds to remove any germs. In fact, washing your hands with hot soapy water is more effective than alcohol-based sanitizer and should always be your first line of defense.
Use 3% Hydrogen Peroxide for Cleaning: It Kills Covid-19
No need to go crazy buying every disinfectant in your local stores. You likely have a few products around the house right now that are effective against COVID-19. I started using 3% hydrogen peroxide for cleaning a few years back when our family had a particularly nasty bout with norovirus. I did hours of research and learned 3% hydrogen peroxide kills cold germs, norovirus germs, and yes, COVID-19. The trick is to spray the peroxide on a surface and leave for 5-10 minutes to let it do its work.
This article from Consumer Reports also has some great tips for killing Covid-19.
Stay Home if You Can: Avoid the Spread of Covid-19
Stick close to home as much as you can. This is what the CDC calls social distancing. Now is not the time to go visiting hospitals or singing in a retirement home. Click-list is readily available and Amazon is still delivering. Now is the time to snuggle in and enjoy a stack of books, baking with your kids, or enjoying a family movie.
If you do need to go out, keep your baby tucked in a sling or baby carrier. This reduces the chances of people being close enough to touch or expose your baby.
Should I Breastfeed During the Covid-19 Outbreak?
From the CDC:
“Much is unknown about how COVID-19 is spread. Person-to-person spread is thought to occur mainly via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, similar to how influenza (flu) and other respiratory pathogens spread. In limited studies on women with COVID-19 and another coronavirus infection, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV), the virus has not been detected in breast milk; however we do not know whether mothers with COVID-19 can transmit the virus via breast milk.”
Since we all know that breastfeeding offers protection against a vast array of illnesses, the prudent course seems to be to continue to breastfeeding unless your doctor gives you different advice.
“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.
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 COVID-19 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.”
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Here is a list of the cleaning product we use in our house to stay healthy. You will find links to hydrogen peroxide, spray bottles, gloves, and more.