For Maternity Care Patients:
Info About the Seasonal Flu & 2009 H1N1 Flu

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Mothers with Influenza Like Illness (ILI)

We want to keep you and your baby as healthy as possible while you are in our care. Our goal is to minimize the spread of flu causing viruses. These viruses are spread from person-to-person.

How can you protect yourself and infant?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that mothers who have flu like symptoms at the time of birth should avoid close contact with their infants. This will minimize the chance that their infant will become sick.

It is recommended you avoid close contact with your baby until:

You have received antiviral medications for 48 hours.
Your fever has fully resolved.
You can control your coughs and secretions.
If you are breastfeeding, our staff will help you start pumping and storing breast milk. Another person who is not sick can feed your baby.
If you are bottle feeding, another person who is not sick can feed your baby.

Once you have used the antivirals and no longer have a fever, we will ask you to wear a mask and clean gown when you are with your infant.

Practice good hygiene

Clean your hands often with soap and water or an alcohol based hand cleaner. Pay special attention to hand washing after using the bathroom, changing your pads or your baby's diaper.
Wash your hands before feeding your baby. If you are breastfeeding, wash your hands before touching your breasts. If you are bottle feeding, wash your hands before preparing infant formula and before offering your baby a bottle.
Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue every time you cough or sneeze; then throw the tissue into a waste basket. If you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your sleeve.
Do not cough or sneeze into your baby's face while feeding or any time you and your baby are close.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.

Limit visitors at the hospital and at home

Siblings or other visitors with flu-like symptoms may not visit.
Ask healthy visitors and siblings to wait. This limits their exposure to your illness as well as protecting you and your infant from germs they may spread.
Once at home, you and your baby should avoid close contact with people who are sick. Tell visitors and family members who are sick, or who have any symptoms of illness, to stay home.

Breastfeeding offers protection for baby

Breast milk contains antibodies, and other special properties, that help your baby fight infection.
Flu is spread in the droplets that come from coughs and sneezes, not through breast milk. Once you have the flu, the antibodies your body makes to help you fight the flu are also in your milk, so breastfeeding can help keep your baby from getting sick!

If you have questions

If you have questions or concerns, please talk with your doctor, midwife or nurse.

H1N1 & Seasonal Flu

For Maternity Care Patients: Info About the Seasonal Flu & 2009 H1N1 Flu