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Cold and flu season hits a little differently when you're breastfeeding or pumping.
You're not only wondering how quickly you can get yourself feeling better. You're also wondering:
Can I still breastfeed my baby?
Is my breast milk safe if I'm sick?
Will being sick affect my milk supply?
What cold medicine can I take?
And how exactly am I supposed to keep pumping when I barely want to get out of bed?
First, the good news: getting sick doesn't automatically mean you need to stop breastfeeding, pumping, or giving your baby your breast milk.
In many cases, you can continue (plus, there can be benefits to giving your baby breastmilk while you're sick!)
Here's what I want breastfeeding and pumping moms to know before the first cold inevitably makes its way through the house.
Can You Breastfeed When You're Sick?
For common respiratory illnesses like the flu, yes, you can generally continue breastfeeding.
The CDC specifically states that influenza is not transmitted through breast milk and recommends that moms with suspected or confirmed flu continue providing breast milk while taking precautions to avoid spreading the virus to their baby.
That means having the flu doesn't automatically mean you need to stop breastfeeding.
Having a cold doesn't mean you need to dump your milk.
And milk you pumped while you were sick doesn't suddenly become "bad" milk simply because you aren't feeling well.
Of course, there are illnesses and individual medical circumstances that may require different recommendations. If you've been diagnosed with something beyond a typical cold or flu, or you're unsure whether it's safe to continue breastfeeding with a specific illness or treatment, talk with your healthcare provider.
But being sick by itself isn't a reason to assume breastfeeding has to stop.
What Happens to Your Breast Milk When You're Sick?
Your body doesn't suddenly start producing poor-quality milk because you have a cold.
Breast milk contains antibodies and other immune factors that help protect babies from illness. The CDC specifically notes that breast milk contains antibodies and immune-boosting factors that can help protect infants from influenza and other infections.
There's a lot more happening immunologically in breast milk than we can cover in one section—and there's also a lot of oversimplified information floating around online about exactly how breast milk "changes" whenever mom or baby gets sick.
We'll get deeper into that separately.
For now, the important thing to know is:
Your breast milk is still valuable when you're sick.
You don't need to throw away your milk simply because you pumped with a stuffy nose, cough, fever, or flu. In fact, there are many moms who will label and save some of their milk when they're sick to help support their babies when they're not feeling well either.
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Can Being Sick Affect Your Milk Supply?
It can.
The CDC notes that some moms may experience a decrease in milk supply while they're sick.
But if you notice you're suddenly pumping less or your breasts feel different, I don't want you to immediately jump to:
"I'm sick, so I'm losing my supply."
Instead, think about what else has changed over the last few days.
Maybe you've been so exhausted that you slept through a pumping session.
Maybe you're pumping later or less frequently than usual.
Maybe your baby is sick too and isn't nursing the way they normally do.
Maybe you're eating and drinking differently because you feel terrible.
Maybe you've started taking a cold medication.
Or maybe you're having trouble getting a letdown because you're uncomfortable, stressed, exhausted, or trying to pump while coughing every 30 seconds.
All of those things give us more information.
A temporary change in pump output doesn't automatically mean your supply is disappearing.
If you notice a significant change that isn't resolving, though, that's when I want you to get help instead of guessing.
Milk supply can be affected by a lot of different factors, and blindly adding pumping sessions, buying supplements, or ordering a new breast pump doesn't tell us why your output changed in the first place.
GET PUMPING SUPPORT FROM ONE WITH THE PUMP
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What If Your Baby Is the One Who's Sick?
Sometimes you're fine and your baby is the one who brings home the first cold of the season.
If your baby is congested, uncomfortable, sleeping differently, or simply doesn't feel well, their normal feeding pattern may change.
They may nurse for shorter periods.
They may want to nurse more frequently.
Or they may struggle to feed as effectively as usual.
The CDC recommends continuing breastfeeding or providing expressed breast milk when an infant has influenza. Breast milk provides nutrition and fluids, which are particularly important when a baby is sick.
From a milk-supply perspective, though, I want you to pay attention to something else:
milk removal.
If your baby suddenly isn't removing milk as frequently or effectively as usual, your breasts don't know the reason is "my baby has a terrible cold."
They know that milk removal has changed.
Depending on your situation, pumping may temporarily become useful even if you normally primarily nurse.
And if your baby is having trouble feeding, you're concerned about hydration or breathing, or something simply doesn't seem right, call your pediatrician.
Do You Need to Pump Differently When You're Sick?
Usually, getting sick doesn't mean you suddenly need an entirely new pumping schedule.
If you're exclusively pumping, the goal is generally to maintain the milk-removal routine that was working for you before you got sick as much as reasonably possible.
But I also live in the real world.
If you have a fever, body aches, haven't slept, and feel absolutely miserable, I'm not going to pretend pumping suddenly becomes the easiest thing on your to-do list.
Make it easier wherever you can.
Set up your pump next to the bed or couch.
Have someone bring you water and food.
Let somebody else wash bottles and pump parts.
If another caregiver can take over a feeding while you pump or sleep, let them.
And if your pumping schedule gets messy for a day?
Don't panic.
One late or missed pumping session does not automatically mean you've ruined your milk supply.
What we don't want is for one rough day to quietly turn into several days of consistently removing significantly less milk without realizing it.
Be Extra Mindful of Hygiene When You're Sick
The flu isn't transmitted through breast milk, but it is contagious through respiratory spread. That means your focus should be on reducing the chance of spreading germs while continuing to provide breast milk when appropriate.
Wash your hands well before touching your baby, pumping, or handling breast milk.
CDC also recommends cleaning the breast pump parts that come into contact with your breast or breast milk after every use.
For additional protection, CDC recommends sanitizing pump parts at least daily when your baby is younger than 2 months, was born prematurely, or has a weakened immune system. For older, healthy babies, daily sanitizing may not be necessary when parts are carefully cleaned after each use.
And if someone else in the house can correctly wash and dry your pump parts for you while you're sick?
Please delegate that job.
You do not get bonus points for washing duckbills with a fever.
What Cold and Flu Medicine Can You Take While Breastfeeding?
This is one place where I don't want you grabbing a box from the cold-and-flu aisle without looking at what's actually in it.
Read the active ingredients.
Two boxes marketed for "cold + flu" can contain completely different combinations of medications.
And while we're looking at whether a medication is compatible with breastfeeding, we also want to consider whether an ingredient could affect milk production.
One example is pseudoephedrine, an oral decongestant found in some cold medications.
LactMed reports a small study in which a single 60 mg dose of pseudoephedrine was associated with an average 24% decrease in milk production over the following 24 hours. That was a small study of eight breastfeeding women, so it shouldn't be interpreted as a guarantee that every person will experience the exact same decrease—but it is a reason to pay attention to the ingredient, particularly if you're already concerned about milk supply.
That does not mean breastfeeding moms can't take cold medicine.
It means "cold medicine" is a huge category, and the ingredients matter.
Before taking a medication, check the active ingredients and talk with your physician or pharmacist about what's appropriate for you, particularly if your milk supply is still being established or you're already experiencing supply concerns. Opt for natural remedies when you're able, such as using saline, having honey or hot tea for a sore throat, and using a neti pot to clear mucus and snot.
What If You're Too Sick to Nurse?
Sometimes you're technically able to continue breastfeeding, but you feel absolutely terrible.
If you're too sick to feed your baby directly at the breast, expressed breast milk can still be an option.
CDC guidance specifically recommends supporting moms with flu in regularly expressing milk when they're too sick to nurse directly so that their baby can continue receiving breast milk. If possible, a healthy caregiver can give the expressed milk to your baby while you rest.
And this is one of those moments when knowing how to use your breast pump before you desperately need it can make a huge difference.
You don't want to be learning how to assemble your pump for the first time while you have a 102-degree fever.
If you're primarily nursing, make sure you know where your pump is, that you have the parts you need, and how to use it before cold and flu season hits your house.
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Your Milk Supply Doesn't Need a Perfect Sick Day
If there's one thing I want you to take away from this, it's that getting sick doesn't automatically mean your breastfeeding or pumping journey is about to fall apart.
Continue breastfeeding or providing expressed milk when it's appropriate for your situation.
Pay attention to milk removal if you or your baby aren't following your normal feeding routine.
Check the ingredients in medications instead of assuming every "cold + flu" product is the same.
Keep your hands and pumping equipment clean.
And give yourself some room to be a sick human being.
You don't need to execute the world's most perfect pumping schedule while you're lying in bed with tissues stuffed up your nose.
But if your output changes significantly, doesn't recover, or you're worried about maintaining your milk supply, don't wait until you're panicking to get support.
There may be a very fixable reason things changed—and figuring out why is much more useful than blindly trying everything the internet says increases milk supply.
GET PUMPING SUPPORT FROM ONE WITH THE PUMP
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Influenza (Flu) and Breastfeeding. Updated September 23, 2025.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How to Clean and Sanitize Breast Pumps. Updated September 12, 2024.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Breastfeeding Benefits Both Baby and Mom. Updated July 30, 2026.
National Library of Medicine. Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed): Pseudoephedrine.
Aljazaf K, Hale TW, Ilett KF, et al. Pseudoephedrine: effects on milk production in women and estimation of infant exposure via breastmilk. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.
