Advice for pregnant and breastfeeding women

The best way to protect you and your baby is to be vaccinated against COVID. Getting a vaccine is safer than getting COVID.

Unvaccinated pregnant women are recommended to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccinated pregnant women may consider a further dose during pregnancy and discuss with their healthcare provider. Learn more about these recommendations from the Australian Immunisation Handbook.

As well as reducing the risk of severe illness and premature birth, vaccination may also provide indirect protection to babies by transferring antibodies through the placenta (during pregnancy) or through breastmilk (during breastfeeding).

You do not need to stop breastfeeding before or after receiving a COVID vaccination.

In addition to getting vaccinated, make sure that you:

• Have a COVID test if you have any symptoms, however mild
• Practise good hygiene – wash your hands and cough and sneeze into a tissue or your elbow
• Keep your distance – stay 1.5 metres away from people where you can
• Wear a face mask when required
• Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces regularly (for example phones, keyboards, door handles, light switches, bench tops).

If you are pregnant and positive for COVID, but have very mild or no symptoms, you will need to isolate at home. Make sure you follow the checklist for COVID cases, read about managing COVID-19 at home, drink plenty of fluids and rest.

As with any illness, even if you’re feeling well or only slightly unwell, it’s important to watch your symptoms and understand when you might need to get help. Read about symptoms to watch out for and when to get help.

No matter what your COVID status, if you think your baby's movements have decreased or you have other concerns about your pregnancy, don’t wait – contact your maternity care team or go to your maternity hospital immediately.

If you live with someone who is COVID positive or you have spent more than four hours inside a house with a COVID positive person, you are considered a COVID contact and will need to isolate at home for seven days.

If living in the same house, try to separate yourself from the COVID positive person, make sure you follow the checklist for COVID contacts, drink plenty of fluids, rest and monitor yourself for symptoms.

If you are COVID positive or a COVID contact and due to come to the Women’s for a clinic appointment, please call us during business hours 8345 2000. In some cases, we may reschedule your appointment, offer you a telehealth appointment, or make arrangements for your arrival.

If you are COVID positive or a COVID contact and you are due to give birth at our hospital within 7 days, please call us during business hours on 8345 2000 to let us know.

The Women’s has all the facilities necessary to look after you, your birth partner and your baby in the event your baby needs to be born while you are still in your quarantine period.

If you are close to term, we will provide you with additional information about how and when to contact us, and the details of how and where you will be looked after in the hospital.

There is no evidence that COVID can be passed on to your baby in breast milk, and the benefits of breastfeeding and the protection it offers outweigh any possible risks.

Even if you are COVID positive or a COVID contact, you’re encouraged to continue breastfeeding with some precautions in place, including:

• Handwashing prior to touching the baby, breast pump or bottles
• Wearing a mask whilst feeding and holding the baby
• Following guidelines for cleaning/sterilisation of bottles and breast pump if you are using.

If you are too unwell to breastfeed, another option is to express regularly so that your baby keeps receiving your breastmilk.

If you are using infant formula, it should be a formula suitable for babies from birth to 12 months and careful attention should be paid to the directions to prepare. Cleaning and sterilising all equipment is very important when expressing or using formula.