The BRC is as concerned as you are with all the information regarding COVID-19, not only here in Montgomery County, but in Pennsylvania, the country and the world around us. Our decisions are subject to change based on guidance and directives from the CDC and appropriate federal, state, and local health officials. Please check this page often for updates.
Your health, wellness and safety is our primary concern. We understand that the simple act of breastfeeding your baby is not that simple!
We are here to help you. There are several opportunities for you to get the breastfeeding help you need.
I NEED AN IBCLC
- Experienced, trained IBCLCs available
- In-person consultation at our Abington or King of Prussia location
- Telehealth consultation
- Your visit may be covered by your insurance
- Call for your appointment: 215-886-2433
I WANT A COMMUNITY COUNSELOR
- Trained, peer- counselors
- Contact via telephone, text and/or email
- Get a Counselor here: I Want a Community Counselor
I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION
- The BRC Helpline is available daily
- Facilitated by Community Counselors
- Call for help: 215-572-8044
I AM CURRENTLY PREGNANT
- Enroll in our $10 Prenatal Class
- Enroll in our $20 Bringing Baby Home Class
Once you have taken advantage of ANY of our services, you then have unlimited access to:
- Our closed, private Facebook Group
- Our LIMITED in-person Support Groups (Registration REQUIRED)
- WEDNESDAYS in Abington – Register
- Our Monthly Newsletter
- Our Monthly Women of Color Support Group (1st Tuesday of the Month at 6pm)
- Other Great Classes
If any of our employees are showing any signs of illness, they will not be coming to work! If you or someone in your household is showing any signs of illness, we encourage you to call us and cancel your appointment.
If you have concerns and are not comfortable with coming to the office, we are providing virtual consultations.
To those of you who have made donations, we cannot express how much that means to us. We are doing everything in our power to continue our high level of expert support to get you and your family through this time. Please know that everyone at the BRC is dedicated to fulfilling our mission and supporting our breastfeeding village.
What about COVID-19 and breastfeeding?
We recommend going to the CDC for all the most accurate information. Or, we’ve copied and pasted it below.
New guidelines are here for pregnant and breastfeeding families.
Interim Guidance on Breastfeeding for a Mother Confirmed or Under Investigation For COVID-19
This interim guidance is intended for women who are confirmed to have COVID-19 or are persons-under-investigation (PUI) for COVID-19 and are currently breastfeeding. This interim guidance is based on what is currently known about COVID-19 and the transmission of other viral respiratory infections. CDC will update this interim guidance as needed as additional information becomes available. For breastfeeding guidance in the immediate postpartum setting, refer to Interim Considerations for Infection Prevention and Control of 2019 Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Inpatient Obstetric Healthcare Settings.
Transmission of COVID-19 through breast milk
Much is unknown about how COVID-19 is spread. Person-to-person spread is thought to occur mainly via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, similar to how influenza (flu) and other respiratory pathogens spread. In limited studies on women with COVID-19 and another coronavirus infection, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV), the virus has not been detected in breast milk; however we do not know whether mothers with COVID-19 can transmit the virus via breast milk.
CDC breastfeeding guidance for other infectious illnesses
Breast milk provides protection against many illnesses. There are rare exceptions when breastfeeding or feeding expressed breast milk is not recommended. CDC has no specific guidance for breastfeeding during infection with similar viruses like SARS-CoV or Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV).
Outside of the immediate postpartum setting, CDC recommends that a mother with flu continue breastfeeding or feeding expressed breast milk to her infant while taking precautions to avoid spreading the virus to her infant.
Guidance on breastfeeding for mothers with confirmed COVID-19 or under investigation for COVID-19
Breast milk is the best source of nutrition for most infants. However, much is unknown about COVID-19. Whether and how to start or continue breastfeeding should be determined by the mother in coordination with her family and healthcare providers. A mother with confirmed COVID-19 or who is a symptomatic PUI should take all possible precautions to avoid spreading the virus to her infant, including washing her hands before touching the infant and wearing a face mask, if possible, while feeding at the breast. If expressing breast milk with a manual or electric breast pump, the mother should wash her hands before touching any pump or bottle parts and follow recommendations for proper pump cleaning after each use. If possible, consider having someone who is well feed the expressed breast milk to the infant.Page last reviewed: February 19, 2020. Content source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD), Division of Viral Diseases