Coronavirus: What you need to know if you’re a new mother or pregnant

ATLANTA — Pregnant women are one group that's finding itself with many questions over how the coronavirus could not only affect them, but their babies, too.

Channel 2’s Wendy Corona spoke with Lyndsey Malone, known as the Mama Coach, who is a registered nurse and said new mothers and mothers-to-be have to understand how diligent they need to be in their personal care.

“Social isolation is what is going to flatten the curve and give you the most protection,” Malone said.

Research so far shows no evidence of a pregnant woman transmitting the coronavirus in utero or at birth.

The risk is in caring for the newborn.

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“When you’re caring for a baby, you are in very close quarters with that baby. The concern is that it will transmitted or can be transmitted through respiratory droplets after baby is born,” Malone said. “(A mother) needs to take precautionary measures like washing her hands very well before she handles that baby, coughing into her sleeve or Kleenex, wearing a mask if possible.”

Changing clothes often will help keep any possibly infected material away from a newborn.

Malone said also to keep breastfeeding. Even if you pump and someone else feeds the baby, the breastmilk benefit is there. She also said now is a perfect opportunity to lay ground rules for other children in the home.

“Teach them the importance of keeping their hands clean, keeping their coughs to themselves, not touching the baby's face and eyes and nose,” Malone said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that pregnant women are more prone to respiratory illnesses and for this reason need to take precautions.

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