Care for Breastfeeding Women: Interim Guidance on Breastfeeding and Breast Milk Feeds in the Context of COVID-19.

The guidance, released Nov. 16, includes the following changes:

• Updates considerations for breastfeeding for people with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 or who have been in close contact with someone with COVID-19.
• Reflects new evidence suggesting that breast milk is not a likely source of SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
• Reflects new evidence that SARS-CoV-2 experimentally added to breast milk is inactivated via pasteurization.
• Adds considerations for infection prevention and control measures for lactation services.

These guidelines more accurately represent the obligation of providers to balance the benefits of breastfeeding to the mother-baby dyad and the risk of coronavirus infection.

By including considerations for well-child visits and lactation services, the CDC is clearly communicating the importance of ensuring infant feeding success and prioritizing interventions when challenges arise. The guidance also includes recommendations for lactating individuals working in high-risk environments, such as health care, and emphasizes the importance of donor human milk.