4m/o exposed to covid-need breastmilk help

[edmerch1984]

My in laws exposed my 4 month old to covid today without telling me anyone was sick. I had a very low breastmilk supply and stopped pumping at 3 months PP. Bc breastmilk has more nutrients and antibodies, I saved some of my milk before I stopped. I have a few bags frozen in the freezer but not a lot. I am very limited on how much I have to give him for times like this. Do I give him some now or save it for if/when he actually gets covid? Please help!
*disclaimer: not asking for medical advice regarding covid or etc, just needing help with how to best use what little milk stash I have.

 

[justifiablerebel]

@edmerch1984 I honestly don’t know if old breastmilk would help him in this particular case unless you think you had covid antibodies in your old breastmilk. The antibodies that baby drinks get mostly broken down by stomach acid so it would be protective by what coats his mouth, and if you didn’t have covid antibodies in the old milk I highly doubt there would be much benefit (but because of this I guess giving it to him prior to him actually getting it would be the best bet).

 

[daytek]

@justifiablerebel This is correct. BM provides limited prophylactic passive immunity - the only benefit at this stage would be maintaining hydration

 

[rzh729]

@justifiablerebel This. The composition of breastmilk changes as needed, so it's doubtful that old breastmilk will make a difference to combat covid specifically.
If it's any consolation, I (anecdotally) haven't heard of any severe covid cases in infants. RS virus would likely be much worse.

 

[retade]

@justifiablerebel It's this...the milk coating the mouth & throat helps fight off some of what's encountered because once it gets to the stomach it just gets destroyed by the acid. You could try pumping (if you felt like trying) to see if you can get a couple ounces a day or something, because if you were exposed & are generating antibodies at the moment, your current milk would contain them.

 

[gizmorazaar]

@justifiablerebel It may not help much but it certainly won’t hurt. She has some stored away, so if there’s even a chance of a marginal benefit (possibly some effect on virus actively replicating in mucosal tissue? There’s no evidence for that but it isn’t implausible) there’s probably no better time to use it.

And there is some benefit to mom in knowing that she’s doing everything she can.

 

[angelbelle]

@edmerch1984 I’d try to make him latch. The antibody feedback loop between saliva and breastmilk is amazing so trying to get a little milk from the tap would be best if he’s been exposed.

 

[edmerch1984]

@angelbelle Yes I will do this. I still haven’t dried up so I will try it. Thank you

 

[duck2ling]

@edmerch1984 You can always also express some milk out onto a spoon and feed it to your baby as an extra measure. I used to call it medicine milk

I'm so sorry about the exposure... That is seriously crummy.

 

[edmerch1984]

@duck2ling Thank you. It’s nice to hear I’m not alone in being upset.

 

[anna_a]

@edmerch1984 Did you get a covid vaccine while pregnant or breastfeeding? It’s possible there are some antibodies due to that…however usually breastmilk helps with an active infection in a nursing child. I exclusively pumped so I understand that nursing isn’t always an option, and please don’t feel bad.

If it were me, I’d just put a small amount in the formula each day. Then you get some antibodies! I’m not sure it’s worth saving personally. But I know that’s super personal. Good luck, I’d be pisssssed about the exposure.

 

[edmerch1984]

@anna_a Yes! I got my covid booster a few weeks before I stopped pumping. I also haven’t completely dried up so I may take the other suggestions of latching

 

[asiyreh]

@edmerch1984 I would look up stuff about relactating. I don’t know enough about it to give any solid advice, but it has come up in my research on bumping up my supply. I’m noticing a dip 2 1/2 months in

 

[anna_a]

@edmerch1984 Yes if you want to try to nurse, go for it! That would be great. Since you got the booster while producing, I think there’s a really good chance you actually do have antibodies in there.

 

[sabresong]

@edmerch1984 Frozen breast milk from before isn’t going to do anything special unless maybe you have some from after a vax, and that’s still unlikely.

 

[notworthconsideration]

@edmerch1984 Do what you can.

My supply never came in so my guy was formula fed since 10 days.

Out house caught jt the first time when he was 4 months. He had a bit of congestion that was easily managed with saline spray and bulb sucker. My husband and I were down for the count but it didn't seem to phase him at all.

 

[edmerch1984]

@notworthconsideration Thank you this gives me some hope. I’m very nervous about it.

 

[asiyreh]

@edmerch1984 Yeah, my cousin and her husband had it when her daughter was just a month old. Their baby never seems to get it, but they were down for the count too. My mother-in-law was supposed to help us when our baby was born, but literally as we drove home from the hospital, she called to tell us she didn’t feel good. We had her use an at home test and lo and behold, she had Covid. I was freaking out about exposure within the house but our pediatrician said that many babies won’t get it even if their parents get it.

 

[neuroclusterbrain]

@edmerch1984 This was exactly the case for our family as well. My daughter has been EFF and it barely phased her. An ear infection has been 10x worse than COVID was on her.

 

[jonatec]

@edmerch1984 I’d personally thaw bags and split them over 2 days (a couple oz one morning, and then the next, to keep close to the 24 hr thawed guideline). I’ve heard babies get immune benefits from even 2-3 oz a day. I don’t know if that’s true, or if the milk would even have huge benefits in this case, but couldn’t hurt.

I’m sorry. That’s so shitty…I’d be livid!