When Mom has the Flu?

You do not want to give up snuggle time but you also do not want to be Typhoid Mama either. So what is a dedicated mom to do…

You want to generously dole out affection but not germs.

#1 Wash your hands.  Everyone wash your hands with soap and water.  There would be far less infection in the world if everyone washed their hands more frequently.

#2 Keep your distance.  Maintain at least a 3 foot bubble from all loved ones unless you have recently washed your hands and have not sneezed all over yourself.

#3 Wear a mask.  Not just any disposable mask, but a N95 mask that blocks 95% of  particles that are 0.3 microns.

#4 Continue to nurse. New mommies may consider maintaining space from infants, but should continue expressing breastmilk because nothing is as nutritious and helpful to a baby’s immune system as breastmilk.  Mommy should wash her hands and wear a mask when expressing milk while a healthy family member handles feedings if possible.

#5 Disposable tissues. This will help reduce the spread of germs often associated with sneezing and coughing into the air, clothes, or hands.  Flu germs can stay airborne for about 3 minutes, so anyone who walks into the that once empty space you sneezed in may get sick.

Remember illness usually has a lower severity when the virus enters a healthier terrain. Eat well, sleep well, exercise well, hydrate well, relationship well – daily.