On Instagram and Tik Tok, a lot of people have asked me to discuss the COVID vaccine and breastfeeding.
The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, CDC, and WHO all say that breastfeeding people can be offered the vaccine. They mention that these people should consider their exposure to COVID when making this decision. It is not believed that there should be any concerns about the mRNA particles reaching the breast milk and even if it did, they don’t have concerns that it would be harmful to the breastfed baby. This info is about the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines specifically.
The updates to what we know about the COVID vaccine and breastfeeding are:
Antibodies created after receiving the vaccine can be found in breastmilk
These antibodies will likely get killed in your baby’s gut though when she/he drinks the breastmilk (More data are needed to determine what protection these antibodies may provide to the baby)
Vaccine particles from the mRNA vaccines are unlikely to get into breastmilk (because the vaccine particles largely stay in your arm)
The way in which the vaccine (Pfizer & Moderna) work is unlikely to cause any safety concerns in a breastfed baby⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
In full transparency, clinical trials for the COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized for use under an Emergency Use Authorization in the United States did not include people who are breastfeeding. But like I said earlier, based on how these vaccines work in the body and what we know about them, COVID-19 vaccines are thought not to be a risk to lactating people or their breastfeeding babies.
Be on the lookout for my breakdown of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine coming soon, and always remember that you always have a choice in whether you want to get the vaccine or not!
For more detailed information, you can refer to the CDC website here. Always speak to your doctor and pediatrician about any concerns you may have regarding breastfeeding.
Please never hesitate to contact me – I am here for you.