AURORA, Ohio — Kayla Wells is a mother of three boys all under the age of five. Her youngest son, Ben, was born right as the coronavirus pandemic lockdown was going into effect across the country.
“I had him at the beginning of April, which is so scary because it was so foreign I guess you could say. We just didn’t know what it was,” Wells says.
Wells says life has changed pretty dramatically for her and her boys. She’s decided not to send her oldest son, Parker, to preschool this year in order to keep their family safe and healthy.
“Having a new baby during this time has definitely been different than the other two, just because you are already scared when you have a new baby, who is around it. Who is sick? Now you’re thinking who is sick with this horrible flu, where you didn’t think of that before.”
Wells is breast-feeding her youngest son Ben, just like she did for her other sons.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says breast milk is the best source of nutrition for most infants, and it provides protection against many illnesses. The CDC is unsure if mothers with COVID-19 can transmit the virus through breast milk, but the limited data available says it is not likely to be a source of transmission.
“I’ve been fearful of not being able to breastfeed, because in my personal opinion, I felt like it was the best for me and him. And I feel like it’s the best way I can keep him safe we were to catch it,” Wells said.
The COVID-19 outbreak is a stressful time for many and this may be especially true for new moms. So, this mother of three has simple advice: “I would just say take your precautions to stay as safe as possible; I get everyone has to live but this is still new, and it shall pass.”
