Can You Breastfeed with Herpes?

Breastfeeding is almost always the healthiest, safest choice for feeding a baby. However, many women with chronic illnesses are worried-- often unnecessarily-- about passing a viral infection on to their babies. This is a particularly common concern among women with herpes viral infections, such as herpes simplex 2 (genital herpes) and herpes simplex 1 (cold sores).

Here's what you need to know if you have herpes and want to breastfeed your baby.

1. Herpes doesn't pass into breast milk. A herpes viral infection will not cross through your breast milk. You will not transmit herpes to your baby through breast milk, so the vast majority of moms with herpes can nurse their babies without any harm whatsoever to the child. No baby has ever contracted herpes through breast milk.

2. Breast is still best. Whether you have herpes or not, you and your baby wll benefit from breastfeeding. Nursing strengthens a baby's immunity, supports brain development, and fosters a lifelong bond between you and your child. Because there is no risk of your baby getting herpes through your breast milk, it's still ideal that you breast feed.

3. Other forms of transmission are possible. Both cold sores and genital herpes are spread through skin-to-skin contact. If you have a genital herpes outbreak, it may pass to the baby during labor. If you have HSV-1, or cold sores, you may pass it to your baby by kissing her when you have an open sore. In the very, very rare circumstance that you develop a herpes sore on your breast, it is possible to transmit it through breastfeeding.

4. Herpes infections in babies are very serious. Although it's rare for a baby to contract herpes, it is a very serious situation when it does occur. A baby's weak immune system can't fight the herpes virus effectively, so cold sores may spread into the baby's eyes, nose, throat and windpipe. This can be life-threatening and the baby may need to be hospitalized.

5. You can prevent infection. As long as you avoid nursing when you have a herpes sore on your breast, you don't need to worry about transmitting herpes by breastfeeding. If you have oral cold sores caused by HSV-1, you can easily prevent this infection from passing to your baby if you avoid kissing the baby on the mouth, nose or eyes until the infection passes. Breastfeeding is still the best choice for the baby, even if you have herpes.