HSE issues Information and medical advice about influenza A(H1N1) for pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding

HSE
Information and medical advice about influenza A(H1N1) for pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding
Version 1.0 : 26.5.09
What is influenza A(H1N1)?
Influenza A(H1N1) is different from the ordinary or seasonal flu that occurs every winter.
• It has spread rapidly in the Americas.
• It could be highly infectious
• It may affect large numbers of people
• It may cause more severe illness than ordinary flu
• It may cause more deaths than ordinary flu
• It may occur in two or more waves several months apart – with each wave possibly lasting weeks or months
Are there people at higher risk of complications?
Some people are at higher risk of complications from flu. They may require
additional treatment or monitoring.
This group includes people with chronic heart or lung disease, diabetes, liver and kidney disease, people receiving cancer treatment and whose immune system is impaired due to disease or treatment (immunocompromised). It also includes children under 3 years and pregnant women.
What can people do to protect themselves from influenza A(H1N1)?
Preventing the spread of germs is the single most effective way to slow the spread of influenza.
1. Wash your hands often with soap and water, and especially after coughing and sneezing and before eating. Alcohol-based hand cleaners (minimum 60% alcohol) are also effective
2.Avoid unnecessary close contact with people who have influenza
3.Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with your hands – germs spread this way
4.Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and put your used tissue in a wastebasket.

How will I know if I have got influenza A(H1N1)?
You will have the same symptoms as if you had ordinary flu but they will probably be sudden, and may be severe. They may include:
• Temperature over 38ºC/100.4ºF and some of the following:
• Dry cough • Sore throat
• Headache • Runny nose
• Severe weakness and fatigue • Vomiting / diarrhoea
• Aching muscles and joints
These can lead to complications some of which may be severe.
What should a pregnant woman do if she thinks she may have influenza A(H1N1)?
Anyone who is pregnant needs to have an urgent assessment by their doctor.
•Contact your GP by phone and follow his or her instructions.
•Discourage any visitors
•Take medicines such as paracetamol to reduce the symptoms
•Drink plenty of fluids
•Most people with flu will recover within a few days.
•Stay at home for up to 7 days or until you fully recover (whichever is the longer)
•If you need to go to a doctor’s office or to an emergency room, please telephone before you go and tell them that you think you might have influenza A(H1N1). When you are there cover your mouth and nose with a facemask or a cloth; make yourself known to staff. Do not sit in the waiting area with other patients.
When should a pregnant woman get emergency medical care?
If you have any of these signs, contact your doctor right away:
•Shortness of breath at rest or while doing very little
•Painful or difficult breathing
•Coughing up bloody sputum
•Drowsiness, disorientation or confusion
•Sudden dizziness
•Severe or persistent vomiting
•Decreased or no movement of your baby
•Fever for 4-5 days and not starting to get better (or getting worse)
•Starting to feel better then developing high fever and feeling unwell again
Is there a vaccine against influenza A(H1N1)?
No. There is currently no vaccine for influenza A(H1N1). The vaccine given for seasonal flu does not protect against influenza A(H1N1).
Is there treatment against influenza A(H1N1)?
Yes. The influenza A(H1N1) virus is sensitive to antiviral drugs. These medicines may reduce the severity of the illness. Treatment is most effective if started within 48 hours of symptom onset, but may also be given to very sick or high risk people (like pregnant women) even after 48 hours.
How else should pregnant women prepare for the possibility of spread of the influenza A(H1N1) virus?
Certain pregnant women are at higher risk of complications from flu – these include women with chronic heart disease, chronic lung disease, diabetes, liver and kidney disease, receiving cancer treatment and whose immune system is impaired due to disease or treatment (immunocompromised).
If you are one of these women you should consult your doctor and make sure all your vaccinations are up-to-date. Seasonal influenza vaccine should be used as advised and when available.The seasonal influenza vaccine is considered very safe in pregnancy.
What if I get this new virus and I am pregnant?
We do know that pregnant women are more likely to get sick than others and have more serious problems with seasonal flu. These problems may include early labour or severe pneumonia. We don’t know if this virus will do the same, but it should be taken very seriously.
Can I take antivirals if I am pregnant?
Your doctor will decide if you need antiviral drugs. There is little information about the effect of antiviral drugs in pregnant women or their babies, but no serious side effects have been reported.

Is it ok to breastfeed my baby if I am sick with this virus?
•A mother’s milk is made to fight diseases in her baby. This is really important in young babies when their immune system is still growing.
•Do not stop breastfeeding if you are ill. Breastfeed early and often. This will help protect your baby from infection.
•Be careful not to cough or sneeze in the baby’s face.
•Wash your hands often with soap and water.
•Your doctor might ask you to wear a mask to keep from spreading this new virus to your baby.
•If you are too sick to breastfeed, pump if possible and have someone give the expressed milk to your baby.
Is it OK to take antivirals while breastfeeding?
There is little information about the effect of antiviral drugs on breastfed babies, but no serious side effects have been reported. Your doctor will decide whether antivirals are right for you.

Telephone
Further Information is available from the HSE Flu Information Line.
The Flu Information Line is available 24 hours a day and is your primary source of information on influenza A(H1N1).
Freephone 1800 94 11 00
Websites
The HSE’s Website will be kept updated every day with latest information and advice. Check it often.
Health Service Executive
www.hse.ie
Department of Health and Children
www.dohc.ie
Information for Health Professionals will be on
www.hpsc.ie

to print this pdf follow this link:http://www.hpsc.ie/hpsc/A-Z/EmergencyPlanning/AvianPandemicInfluenza/SwineInfluenza/AdvicefortheGeneralPublic/File,3732,en.pdf

Fearful of breastfeeding in public

Heres an article that caught our attention subsequent to our previous post on the issue of feeding in public!

Two mothers in three 'fear stares if they breastfeed'

Parliament to debate change in the law to support nursing mothers

Susie Mesure and Brian Brady

Sunday, 5 July 2009

It is as near to the elixir of life as a liquid can get, especially for a newborn baby. But children are still being denied breastmilk by new mums who are too self-conscious to nurse on the go for fear of attracting the opprobrium of a "bottle-fed" nation, according to a new survey that deals a fresh blow to Britain's attempts to improve its pitiful track record on breastfeeding.

Despite decades of initiatives to persuade mothers that "breast is best", most still prefer using infant formula milk because they believe society at large is anti-breastfeeding, a poll for Mother & Baby magazine has found. The survey comes on the eve of World Breastfeeding Week as the Government debates whether to introduce legislation protecting a mother's right to breastfeed.

Nearly two in three mothers believe the UK is "not breastfeeding-friendly", prompting concerns from nursing mums that they would struggle to breastfeed while out and about. Miranda Levy, Mother & Baby's editor, said: "Every mum we questioned understood the health benefits of breastfeeding, but a huge percentage were put off even trying because of the fear of people staring."

She added that many of the 1,200 readers surveyed cited stressful breastfeeding experiences, with one commenting that she was even asked to be more discreet at a "mums and tots" group because the lady running the group had her husband there.

Although the World Health Organisation recommends mothers exclusively breastfeed their babies until they are six months old, barely a third of British babies are still exclusively breastfed at one week and just one-fifth still are by six weeks. By the time babies are four months old, that figure has plunged to 7 per cent, giving Britain one of the worst breastfeeding records in the developed world.

In a first for a mainstream UK publication, Mother & Baby's August cover will feature a nursing mum. In the US, the style tome W showed Angelina Jolie nursing her twins last autumn.

Rosie Dodds, of the National Childbirth Trust (NCT), which helped to conduct the poll, said: "Most women stop breastfeeding because they lack support." The NCT is launching a national drive to promote nursing-friendly venues, although campaigners believes women should feel comfortable breastfeeding anywhere.

Michelle Atkin, who set up Little Angels to promote breastfeeding, thinks that "we see breasts primarily as sexual, and to use them for anything else confuses people".

Ilana King, a counsellor for the Association of Breastfeeding Mothers, said: "If we saw more women out and about breastfeeding then more mums would start but we live in a bottle-feeding culture." A mother of three, including 11-month-old Saul, she said it tended to be the older generation who cast disapproving looks.

The issue of breastfeeding opened up a split during discussions of the Government's controversial Equality Bill, which is going through Parliament. The proposals would enshrine mothers' rights to breastfeed babies aged six months and under in public places, including shops and cafes, granting them legal protection against overzealous staff who fear they would embarrass other customers.

No-one is imposing anything on you if they breastfeed in public. What exactly are they imposing? Their very presence? If a woman is breastfeeding in your vicinity, all she is doing is tending to a child. It does not impose on others in any way. As we have on our quote this week - "anyone offended by a baby breastfeeding is staring too hard"! If you do look, perhaps it makes you blush, but that's ok. Hopefully she'll be far too busy to notice you gawking!
Here's an interesting comment subsequent to the letter -

"Without babies there would be no "life" and babies are meant to consume human milk from a breast. Sorry but even milk from a bottle is inferior.
Further if breastfeeding is a "lifestyle" then so is "formula feeding" which many find offensive, so no more bottle fed babies or animals in public or on TV if you please. Oh and while we're at it Jews and Muslims find your "lifestyle" choice of uncovered hair, or any skin, offensive -so please stop. FYI even Muslims that wear the full covering that only shows their eyes -breastfeed in public; not breastfeeding is considered religiously offensive to them, so again -no more bottle feeding for you. Also no more eating bottom feeding fish, sea food, pigs, or cows, or any meat as you might offend vegetarians, vegans, Jews, Muslims, and Hindu peoples."

I don't think its even remotely a 'look at me' kind of thing. Its a 'feeding a baby' kind of thing. It does mums good to get out the house and meet friends at a cafe after having a baby, and chances are, when they do, the baby will get hungry and cry. If its bottle fed, well, that's quite a common sight, a baby in a cafe being fed a bottle . Why should a breastfed baby be viewed any differently? Why should that mum and her baby be struggling lonely and isolated indoors because someone might blush, or find this a bit uncomfortable.

Its very rarely noticable anyway. I hope todays new mums are not distressed by the very silly comments being posted by some people today. Its healthy, good for everyone for mums to get out the house and feed their baby wherever they need to, and if they do have to nurse while out, 90% of the public won't realise 90% of the time.

I've yet to see a breastfeeding woman show any more skin than is seen on the average teenager or women at the Academy Awards. Let alone the average bikini!

Actually I've seen more nipples accidentally fall out of ridiculously low cut tops than I've seen mom's miss it when a baby suddenly unlatches. I'm not going to say it doesn't happen, it does, its happened to me -but usually I'm not right in the middle of a store picking something up nor at the cash when it happens.

You almost never see any nipple, rarely see much more than the top inch of breast when a woman is nursing. Actually mostly you see their side more than anything. And while a bit of pudgy abs with stretch marks isn't the top of "hot things people want to see" its not exactly offensive either. And why the heck are men allowed to go around topless and not women!? Hmmm ok so the population of working men would grind to a halt I fear, and land us in even further recession!

Mums need to be brave and inspired about feeding in publice, but so does the general public, to view with awe and admiration the act of breastfeeding. The more mums that feed in public, the more it becomes acceptable, the norm, and inspires the mums with bumps all over our country to think about breastfeeding as the normal "done thing". Society repeats itself and mimics what it sees. If the women who are currently breastfeeding are not seen to do it, nothing changes, and the only feeding babies are seen to do in public is from latex.

I dont think that encouraging mums not to cover up in public is the answer - feeding in public is the answer, bring out your babies, wear just a string vest if you feel up to it (fantastic!!), but if wearing 3 pashminas is what allows you to feed in public, then you go girl, and bring all the cashmere you need. The main thing is, youre doing it, and you'll inspire others around you. The only people that can change our culture is you!

This breastfeeding season's fashion must have - the super, long, stretchy string top !

Attention all you beautiful Mamas !!
What can I not live without while feeding my little princess ? Why the super, long, stretchy string top of course !
I wear them under everything. I don't have any special nursing tops so I just wear my "normal" tops over them. They are fab. I especially love the maternity ones from H&M. They are perfect for feeding ... and they are cheap! I think all of us babes should save money where possible and treat ourselves to pedicures, facials, SHOES or something equally as fabulous! So all you have to do to discreetly feed your little angel is lift up your normal top and pull the top of the super string top down under the boob from which you are going to feed from and hey presto! - Quick and oh so easy and convenient. No fussing or faffing. Then happily feed away, feel fabulous with not a bit of boob in sight! Your regular top keeps you modest from boob up while the super long stretchy string top hides your tummy and covers the top of your jeans, if like me you are still wearing them kind of ... open!!
If you find that you are too hot a mama in this heat to wear two tops then wear the super long, stretchy string top and drape a pashmina/shawl over your shoulders. When you need to feed simply let the side of the pashmina thats on the side you are going to feed from hang loosely over that shoulder and that will cover you lightly - leaving you to feed comfortably while staying cool, adding a splash of colour to your outfit and looking stylish !

Happy breastfeeding all you beautiful, wonderful babes !

Glittergirlie xx