Many of us have been very concerned about @CDC guidance for mothers and infants in the hospital setting. Brand new update (while still not WHO) provides a much more nuanced approach, with greater consideration of #breastfeeding & #shareddecisionmaking. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/inpatient-obstetric-healthcare-guidance.html?fbclid=IwAR2_YMLVMbAMHNrt2jYP_7bYY16T1_q0lN9HLF7Z4AHK5nCAry-kVVRV_tM

Key updates at the top of the page. Greater clarity on essential persons; prioritization of testing for pregnant women, testing of infants, and discussion of considerations for mother-infant contact. 2/n

On mother-infant contact: "The many benefits of mother/infant skin-to-skin contact are well understood for mother-infant bonding, increased likelihood of breastfeeding, stabilization of glucose levels, and maintaining infant body temperature...3/n

...and though transmission of SARS-CoV-2 after birth via contact with infectious respiratory secretions is a concern, the risk of transmission and the clinical severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection in infants are not clear." 4/n

"The determination of whether or not to separate a mother with known or suspected COVID-19 and her infant should be made on a case-by-case basis using shared decision-making between the mother and the clinical team." 5/n

@WHO guidance is most thoughtful w/ emphasis on role of #breastfeeding protection against infectious disease but this is significant shift to recognizing importance of #breastfeeding & importance of shared decision making. 6/n

Nice to see our concerns recognized cc @JHUNursing @whoccnm