With the COVID-19 vaccine becoming more available to the general population, many families have reached out with questions.  Is it safe to receive it while breastfeeding?  If so, does it offer any protection to the baby?

The bottom line is we don’t know yet.  Studies are ongoing but, based on the science behind them, mRNA vaccines (like the Pfizer and Moderna shots) are not believed to be a risk to the breastfeeding infant.  Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) agree that the COVID-19 vaccine should be offered to lactating women.  There is even the likely possibility that antibodies your body makes against COVID-19 will pass to your infant through your breastmilk and offer protection.

Data is being constantly collected and information is being updated daily.  Follow up with the links above to get the most current recommendations and always discuss your questions or concerns with your physician.

This blog post originally appeared on The Scout Guide Washington, DC

Daylight Savings fills me with trepidation during a normal year, so Daylight Savings 2020 has me in a near panic.  I know I am not alone in dreading what this seemingly harmless “fall back” in our clocks does to my children’s mood and sleep schedule.  Planning ahead and preparing yourself mentally and physically for the turning of the clocks is important.  Below are some tips to get you and your family through the days before and after Daylight Savings to make the transition as smooth as possible.  While we all adjust, please excuse my kids still wearing their pajamas in their morning Zoom classes – we are doing the best we can!

Be Proactive.  Instead of shocking your kid’s system with a sudden time change, gently ease her into it.  Change up her bedtime routine by 10-15 minutes every few nights the week prior to D-Day so that she can slowly adjust. Daylight savings is on November 1^st this year so start preparing the week of October 25^th.

Practice Good Sleep Hygiene Every Day.  Putting down screens at least a half hour before bedtime, dimming lights to get everyone in a sleepy state, and having a relaxing bedtime routine will help make everything go smoother.  While these are things we should practice every evening, be particularly mindful of them when trying to change your child’s internal clock.

Sleep now!  This might seem like silly advice but if you go into Daylight Savings already tired, things are going to be apocalyptic (it is 2020 after all).  Do everything you can to guarantee your toddler naps, install black-out shades to ensure a dark room ideal for snoozing, and avoid staying up late watching Netflix so that the whole family is well rested in the days proceeding the clock change.  This goes for parents, too, as we all know a well-rested parent has superhero powers compared to an exhausted one.

Be Patient.  I try to remind myself that if I, an actual adult, am in a terrible mood because I’m tired, then my kids must be on the verge of turning into rabid raccoons.  Children handle sleep deprivation even worse than we do, so forgive the meltdowns as much as possible and remember that within a week or so everything should return to normal.

Best of luck and make sure to reward yourself on November 1^st with some left over Halloween candy!

Navigating camps during a pandemic is not an easy task.  Thankfully Dr. Ashley Moss has laid out some important points to think about before sending your child out the door.

COVID restrictions have forced a healthy reprieve from our overscheduled, hectic lives but now that some summer activities and camps are reopening, a little bit of structure, exercise, and time with friends sounds appealing.  So are “socially distanced” summer camps something that would work for your family?  Just like child care, each family is different in terms of the risk that they are able, due to underlying medical conditions, or willing to accept.  Here are a few important things to consider when deciding if summer camp this summer is right for your family.

• Will the camp be regularly following and implementing the CDC’s guidelines for summer camps? The CDC outlines measures to promote behaviors that decrease the risk of infection spread, guidelines for safe operations, and protocol for what to do when someone becomes sick at camp.
• How will camps monitor campers and staff daily for COVID-19 symptoms?If a child develops symptoms while at camp, how will the camp manage sick children and facilitate their safe departure?  Will the camp notify other families if a child tests positive for COVID and what will the policy be?  Will the camp close and if so for how long?
• How will the camp encourage social distancing?
• How much time will campers spend outside and how much time, if any, inside?
• Who will be required to wear face coverings at camp?When at camp will face coverings be required?
• How will infection control strategies (social distancing, hand washing, proper use of face coverings) be implemented?
• Does the camp have adequate supply of tissues, hand soap, hand sanitizer, and cleaning products?How will the camp be effectively cleaning and disinfecting surfaces?
• What will be the maximum number of campers per group?Will the same staff be assigned to the same group everyday?
• How and how often will shared areas (bathrooms, lunch tables and craft rooms) be cleaned?

It is important for each family to weigh the benefit of summer camp against the risk of exposure to the virus.  If your child has an underlying medication condition such as chronic lung disease, asthma, heart problems, severe obesity, diabetes, kidney or liver disease, or are immunocompromised, or if your children are exposed to elderly grandparents or someone who is immunocompromised, you consider alternative activities to summer camps where even small groups of people will increase your child’s risk of exposure to the virus.

We at Spring Valley Pediatrics are more than happy to discuss any questions that you may have and help you make the best decision for your family.

Every parent is exhausted right now – working from home, helping with remote learning, serving three meals a day to their family – plus the normal worry that comes with a public health crisis like we are dealing with.  Thankfully Dr. Ashley Moss has some great ideas for keeping ourselves sane (and therefore, our kids happy) during these unusual times.

This is a stressful time for parents! We are worried about the health of our children, families, and communities, we miss socializing with friends and grocery shopping without masks, gloves and the fear of infecting ourselves or others. Combine this overall anxiety with the daily stressors of our new reality – working from home, managing difficult financial decisions, supporting distance learning for older children at different grade levels, and balancing child care for younger children. There are silver linings of course, a slower pace of life often reveals what is genuinely important like spending more time with our family, caring for our community and making sacrifices for the greater public good. I have heard many parents report new milestones like teaching a daughter to ride a bike or to a son to read. Families are cooking meals together, spending more time at the dinner table and staying up late watching movies or playing board games with their kids.

We don’t know how long this will last but we do know that as parents, we can control the way we respond to these challenges that can positively impact our children. Our children need our leadership to teach them how to cope when life is really hard. I recently read a blog from Columbia University’s Department of Psychiatry that had excellent tips for parents dealing with COVID-19. You may read the entire blog here. I found the most important points to be the following: take care of yourself and model coping for your children; limit access to news; normalize and validate anxiety; be active; and shift perspective so that you focus on the positive aspects of this new, but temporary life. There are also great suggestions for non digital and digital games to play with others; coping skills for managing anxiety; ways to visit museums, take field trips, and experience Broadway shows virtually!

Let us know if you have questions. We are still seeing patients every day and it is our priority to do our part to help our families through this difficult time. Researchers and clinicians are engaged in a tremendous amount of COVID related research on testing, vaccines, and treatments. All of us here at Spring Valley Pediatrics are confident that we will get through this together.