6 Common Germ Questions, Answered

If I'm Sick, Can I Still Breastfeed?

Unless your doctor has put you on medicines he says can harm your baby, it's fine to breastfeed. In fact, it might prevent her from catching your illness at all -- or reduce the severity of her symptoms if she does get ill. The antibodies your immune system produces to fight bacteria and viruses get passed to your baby through breast milk.

As for antibiotics, most are safe. "If it's an antibiotic we'd give the baby anyway, we don't worry about her getting it through breast milk," says Ruth Lawrence, MD, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics' section on breastfeeding. Most over-the-counter cold medications are also safe; if you're unsure about the safety of a particular medicine, check with your doctor.