Im sick for the 1st time :( 5 month old ... How do I prevent him from getting what I have

[Hymanroth]

I don't know where to post this!

Im a first time mom and my son is 5 months old now. I came down with something yesterday that started as drainage and today I feel like a truck hit me.  II'm so weak that when I went to stand up with baby in my arms I almost couldn't .. And I feel so dizzy. 

I know I can still breastfeed (he ebf and on demand) .. But should I really stay away from him? My mil just said to stay away from him. :( I'm so sad. I don't know what I do and I feel really weak. 

Also, I haven't taken anything medicine wise besides mucco coccinum and vit c - should I give my son this ascorbic acid powder to prevent him from getting sick? I already give him probiotics. 

[wendizbaby]

Well...in my experience with my first, I found that he never got what I had and I assumed because he was getting all the antibodies my body was creating to fight it.  Besides, your son is going to get your germs anyway because you are probably with him all day.  Also, when my son DID get sick, breastfeeding was a lifesaver...it was the only thing he could keep down.  

ETA:  I just did a quick google search and found this link: http://www.breastfeeding-problems.com/breastfeeding-while-sick.html

[Kindermama]

what she said plus...take some homeopathy. Gelsemium sounds like it might be helpful if you think you might have the flu virus. 

[lilikoi]

I have been sick 3 times since my baby was born. She never caught anything I had. She actually has never gotten sick. I had her with me the whole time. Her pedi is super pro breastfeeding and told me that's the best thing for my DD. She is getting all my antibodies through milk. I would not give your baby anything other than your breast milk. You are already giving her the best medicine there is. 

[rinap]

Just as a counterpoint, my girls get sick frequently (from little colds to their current bronchitis). I take extra care to wash hands when I'm sick, and to cover sneezes and wash toys,  but I do feel like short of sending them out of the house for the duration of the illness there's not much to be done to keep them from getting sick.

I hear people all the time saying that breastfeeding prevents all illness, and just wanted to say that if it doesn't, it doesn't mean you're doing something wrong.

[Katie8681]

Yeah, you definitely want to keep breastfeeding right now!! Your baby will be exposed to whatever you have either way- already has, most likely- and she'll get the antibodies specific to that sickness through your breastmilk. Increase your fluids like crazy and hopefully you can have some help around the house so you can rest.

[MrsGregory]

I caught a nasty nasty nasty cold when my little critter was even littler, and I was braced for misery all around when she caught it...  except she never did.  I even managed to give it to hubs, who is notorious for never catching anything, but she sailed right through without so much as a booger.  I chalked it up to my breastmilk giving her the antibodies to the germ my body was fighting.