Varicella, Influenza: Not Necessary to Separate Mother and Infant

We read with interest the updated policy statement “Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk” that was published recently in Pediatrics .1 It is an important, comprehensive, and timely publication. However, we were surprised at some recommendations that were made, which could detract from the overall perceived goals of the publication, namely establishment of early breastfeeding, which will lead to successful lactation throughout the first year of age. Specifically, regarding “Contraindications to Breastfeeding,” varicella and H1N1 influenza were both included. We believe that the authors’ assertion that “mothers who develop varicella 5 days before through 2 days after delivery should …