As many of you are aware, I have two daughters and at dinner we were discussing the importance of October as breast cancer awareness month. (Their grandmother had breast cancer.) To my surprise they brought up #FreetheNip…Well, how could it be that I take care of many women, most of whom have nipples and didn’t know about this movement? But my daughters did…I had to hash it out.
Approximately 75% of healthcare workers are women, and the CDC estimates that over 300,000 healthcare workers are pregnant, will be pregnant, or will have recently given birth as the Covid-19 vaccine becomes more widely available to them. Thus, this first round of vaccinations will include many lactating or soon-to-be lactating women. Later, it will be other higher exposure-risk jobs like teachers and other essential workers. Questions are pouring in from our pregnant and recently delivered moms about the safety of these new vaccines while breastfeeding.
