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The following text is from an archived Red Book® edition and may not reflect current recommendations or information. To view the current edition, click here.
Section 2. Recommendations for Care of Children in Special Circumstances
HUMAN MILK
Breastfeeding provides numerous health benefits to infants, including protection against morbidity and mortality from infectious diseases of bacterial, viral, and parasitic origin. In addition to providing an ideal source of infant nutrition, largely uncontaminated by environmental pathogens, human milk contains protective factors, including cells, specific secretory antibodies, innate factors such as glycoconjugates, and anti-inflammatory components. Breastfed infants have high concentrations of protective bifidobacteria and lactobacillus in their gastrointestinal tracts, which increase resistance to pathogenic organisms. Evidence also indicates that human milk may modulate development of infants’ immune systems. Protection by human milk is established most clearly for pathogens causing gastrointestinal tract infection. In addition, human milk seems to provide protection against otitis media, invasive Haemophilus influenzae type b infection, respiratory syncytial virus infection, and other causes of upper and lower respiratory tract infections.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issues statements and publishes a manual on infant feeding that provides further information about the benefits of breastfeeding and recommended feeding practices. 1 In the Pediatric Nutrition Handbook and in the AAP policy statement on human milk, 2 issues regarding immunization of lactating mothers and breastfeeding infants, transmission of infectious agents via human milk, and potential effects on breastfeeding infants of antimicrobial agents administered to lactating mothers also are addressed.
Immunization of Mothers and InfantsTransmission of Infectious Agents via Human Milk
Antimicrobial Agents in Human Milk
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Immunization of Mothers and Infants
EFFECT OF MATERNAL IMMUNIZATION
Women who have not received recommended immunizations before or during pregnancy may be immunized during the postpartum period regardless of lactation status. No evidence exists to validate concern about the potential presence of live viruses from vaccines in maternal milk if the mother is immunized during lactation. Lactating women may be
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