Breastfeeding mothers can also get sick. A common cold with breastfeeding often turns into big problem. Conventional medications are contraindicated. Is it possible to use folk remedies, unclear. And the worst thing is to infect a child. There are many questions, we will try to answer them.
A cold in everyday life is often called an acute respiratory viral infection (ARVI).
This disease affects the upper Airways: nose and throat, but also causes general intoxication of the body, the signs of which are headache, weakness, general malaise.
Infection occurs by airborne droplets. Viruses are spread by sick people when they sneeze, cough, or even just talk.
It is possible and necessary. Breastfeeding during a cold allows the baby to receive protective antibodies from the mother along with the milk.
Viral infection has some incubation period, usually 1-3 days. And if the mother has obvious signs disease, then she didn’t just become infected. And the viruses, given the constant close contact between mother and baby, managed to get to the child. But along with viruses, he also receives antibodies to them.
If breastfeeding is interrupted, the baby will no longer receive antibodies, and his body will be defenseless against infection. The child is more likely to get sick more severely, and it will take him longer to recover.
But in case of serious complications, the mother may need means that are not compatible with breastfeeding the child. At this time, you will need to transfer the baby to artificial feeding. And the woman will have to pump in order to preserve milk and continue to breastfeed the baby after recovery. It is ideal to have a supply of frozen breast milk. In case of serious illness of the mother, it will be very useful.
At the first signs of even mild illness and the appearance of cold symptoms, for example, a sore throat, the mother should put on a mask and not approach the child without it. The mask should be changed at least once every 2-3 hours.
If there is someone to care for the baby, then it is best to isolate the mother for a while. She can only come to the child to feed him. Thus, the child is less likely to get sick, and the mother will be able to recover faster, because proper rest promotes recovery.
The apartment must be constantly ventilated. In clean, cool and sufficiently humid air, viruses die. But the child must be dressed warmly enough.
For prevention you can use ultraviolet lamp, turning it on 4-5 times a day for 10 minutes.
Only mild colds can be treated on their own. In severe cases, colds while breastfeeding should be treated by a doctor. He will determine how to treat a nursing mother’s cold, and in what dosages to take the medications.
If the mother feels very bad, if her condition does not improve after 2-3 days, if the high temperature cannot be brought down, then a doctor’s examination is required. Viral infections are dangerous due to their complications. And the child needs a healthy mother. If necessary, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics compatible with hepatitis B.
When you have a cold, you need to constantly moisturize the nasal mucosa for both yourself and your child. The mucus that flows from the nose contains great amount antibodies that fight viruses. But if the mucus dries out, its effect wears off. And in the dry air of heated apartments without additional humidification, mucus dries out very quickly.
Be sure to drink enough liquid. It prevents the nasal passages from drying out, thins mucus and relieves general intoxication of the body.
The high temperature must be brought down. In this case, a temperature above 38-38.5 degrees is considered “high”. If it has not reached this point, then reducing it with medication will not be beneficial. Temperature is an indicator that the body is fighting infection and helps cope with the disease.
Antibiotics for uncomplicated viral infection are not effective because they do not act on viruses.
When taking any medications, do not exceed the recommended dosage. The drug is safe in small doses, but can have serious side effects if overdosed. It is best not to feed your baby milk at times when the concentration of drugs in the blood is maximum. The time when this happens can be found in the instructions.
We list the drugs that a mother can use without consulting a specialist:
Common medications that nursing mothers should not use:
- All medicines containing bromhexine.
- Arbidol and Remantadine. These medications are effective only for prevention or in the very first hours of the disease. But at the same time they disrupt the baby’s gastrointestinal tract and quite often cause allergies in children.
- Immunal and Aflubin are also quite allergenic, so they should not be used during breastfeeding.
- Fervex, Theraflu, Kodrex are not recommended for nursing mothers, they possible action on the child has not been studied enough.
Traditional medicine has accumulated many methods for the prevention and treatment of such a common disease as ARVI. After all, mothers have encountered colds while breastfeeding before. Part of traditional methods are correct and useful, others at least do no harm, but there are also downright harmful ones.
Useful procedures:
Onions and garlic, as Dr. Komarovsky writes and says, according to modern medicine have no effect on viruses. There is no use in eating them. But there will be no harm either.
Unfortunately, after childbirth and during lactation, women's immunity decreases. Therefore, for prevention it is advisable to:
- avoid crowds of people, especially during periods of epidemics;
- when visiting adult clinic be sure to wear a mask;
- go to the nursery only on Healthy Children's Day;
- dress according to the weather;
- maintain optimal temperature and humidity in the apartment;
- regularly ventilate rooms and carry out wet cleaning;
- rest and get enough sleep.
Compliance with these simple rules will help mom not get sick.
Few mothers manage to avoid colds during lactation. But most often this disease is cured successfully and without consequences. You just need to not start the process, rest more and try not to infect the baby. And, of course, feed the baby delicious and healthy mother’s milk.
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Breastfeeding mothers often develop colds and acute respiratory viral infections. This is due to the fact that the immunity in their body is weakened as a result of birth stress, hormonal changes, overwork and lack of sleep. This is where a lot of questions arise: whether to feed a child during illness or stop breastfeeding, what and how to treat, how to protect the baby from illness.
Previously, it was advised to definitely stop feeding the baby. Currently, this tactic is recognized as incorrect: along with milk, the baby will also receive ready-made antibodies to viruses or bacteria, and therefore, even if it is not possible to protect the child from the disease, the disease will occur in a milder form.
But you still need to try to carry out preventive measures to avoid infecting your baby:
- use a medical mask (covering the mother’s mouth and nose), which is changed every 2 hours, and the used one is washed and ironed with a hot iron;
- ventilate the apartment often;
- carry out wet cleaning at least 2 times a day (dad can do this, since it is better for a sick mother to lie down);
- hang several gauze bags with chopped garlic near the baby’s crib;
- moisten the child’s nasal mucosa with saline solution or Aquamaris in the form of drops (but not spray!) several times a day.
You can also consult with your pediatrician about preventing the disease in your child.
At the first sign of ARVI, a nursing mother should immediately consult a doctor.
- do not self-medicate, but consult a doctor;
- warn the doctor about current period lactation for the right choice medicines;
- carefully read the instructions for the drug before starting treatment;
- Do not exceed or reduce the dosage prescribed by your doctor.
The maximum concentration of the drug in breast milk is reached 2 hours after taking it. That is why, in order to minimize the intake of the drug through the baby’s milk, you can feed the baby and express milk for the next feeding, and then take the medicine.
Expressed milk does not need to be boiled so that it does not lose its quality. The baby should be fed with a spoon, and not with a bottle with a nipple, so that the child does not give up the more labor-intensive sucking of the breast.
If, during a severe infection, there is a need to use drugs that can have a negative effect on the child, then temporarily, on the advice of the pediatrician, the baby is spoon-fed with formula. But all this time, the mother expresses her milk every 4 hours in order to maintain lactation and return to breastfeeding after the end of treatment.
If a nursing woman has a cold, she can be treated with medications or traditional methods. Required medications should be selected by a doctor. Held symptomatic treatment to eliminate the main manifestations of the disease - fever, runny nose, cough, sore throat and headache.
For treatment, the following medications can be used during breastfeeding:
- With a cough, Gedelix, Ambroxol, Bronchicum, and breast elixir will help your mother. Prospan (syrup with plantain) and anise drops will also not have a negative effect on the child. But you should refrain from taking medications containing Bromhexine.
- If you have a runny nose, drops of Tizin, Nazivin, Protargol, Naphthyzin will relieve swelling of the mucous membrane. And nasal drops such as Vitaon and Pinosol not only reduce a runny nose, but also have an antimicrobial effect. The outflow of mucus from the nasal passages is well helped by irrigating the mucous membrane of the nasal passages several times a day with Aquamaris.
- To gargle for pain, you can use not only a solution of furatsilin or soda solution, but also Ingalipt, Hexoral, Iodinol, Miramistin.
- At high fever Paracetamol can be used to a limited extent in a nursing mother. If the baby has reached 3 months of age, then you can take Nurofen. These remedies will also relieve headaches. Analgesics (Sedalgin, Analgin, Pentalgin, Baralgin) are not recommended for this purpose due to their effect on the child’s central nervous system. Cannot be taken acetylsalicylic acid(Aspirin) – she violates metabolic processes both in the body of a woman and in a baby, it has an adverse effect on liver cells and increases the permeability of the vascular wall.
- Among the drugs with antiviral effects, Aflubin and Grippferon can be used. But, according to some scientists, their effectiveness has not been proven.
- The doctor may prescribe antibiotics. Nursing mothers can use drugs from the following groups:
- penicillins (Augmentin, Amoxiclav, etc.);
- macrolides (Erythromycin, Sumamed);
- cephalosporins (Cefazolin, Zinnat, etc.).
But drugs from the tetracycline group, Levomycetin, Ciprofloxacin, sulfonamide drugs (Biseptol, Bactrim, etc.) are strictly prohibited.
If you are prone to allergies, Suprastin and Tavegil can be prescribed.
Except drug treatment, you can use mustard plasters, rubbing chest warming ointments. Alkaline inhalations help to clear sputum well mineral water"Borjomi" using a nebulizer.
Together with the milk of a mother who has fallen ill with ARVI, the baby receives antibodies to the virus, which minimizes the risk of infection. In addition, many modern medications are compatible with breastfeeding, so in the vast majority of cases the child does not even need to be temporarily weaned.
Prescription treatment traditional medicine it should also be carried out with caution, since most recommendations suggest using decoctions from plant materials, which can cause allergies in the child (or mother).
Drinking plenty of fluids, necessary in the treatment of colds, can be achieved by drinking chamomile, plantain or birch leaves, linden color. Tea made from leaves or twigs of currants and raspberries will have a beneficial effect. A rosehip decoction will provide the body with vitamin C, which helps cope with infection.
- When coughing, breathe for 15-20 minutes over potatoes boiled “in their jackets” with the addition of baking soda. To do this, cover your head with a towel over a pan of hot broth and mash the potatoes a little.
- Inhalations can also be carried out over a decoction of eucalyptus or birch leaves.
- Onion juice with honey (1:1) helps with coughs, but honey can cause allergies.
- Wash the black radish thoroughly, carefully cut out the middle, that is, the pulp, pour honey into it and leave overnight. Take the resulting juice 1 tbsp. l. three times a day when coughing.
- For sore throat, use a decoction of calendula or chamomile flowers to gargle.
- Solution sea salt You can rinse your nasal passages and gargle.
- For a runny nose, you can instill aloe juice, beetroot or carrot juice. You can prepare garlic drops by steeping chopped garlic cloves in vegetable oil.
Means for safe treatment for colds and acute respiratory infections in women during breastfeeding. There are quite a lot of drugs that are harmless to the baby and effectively relieve the mother of the disease. But you can’t self-medicate or select medications. The doctor will take into account the need to prescribe each drug and select a safe dose.
There is no need to stop feeding your baby. With milk, the baby will receive antibodies against pathogens that will help him cope with the disease if it was not possible to protect the child and he became infected from his mother.
RifeyTV, video on the topic “A cold in a nursing mother”:
Your Health Colds in a nursing mother
Inter TV channel, pediatrician E. O. Komarovsky talks about how to treat a nursing mother with ARVI:
How to treat a nursing mother - Doctor Komarovsky - Inter
A cold is always an unpleasant event, especially when breastfeeding. In addition to high fever, runny nose, cough and weakness, there is also concern about the child. A nursing mother immediately wonders whether it is possible to continue breastfeeding during ARVI or flu, and whether the baby will get sick.
A few decades ago, doctors recommended isolating the child from the mother and stopping breastfeeding in case of such a disease. However, now doctors categorically reject this method. After all, weaning will reduce the baby’s immunity much more than a cold!
A nursing woman with a cold should continue to give her baby breast milk. You should refuse only if you are taking medications that are dangerous for your baby.
The earlier you detect the disease, the better. Main symptoms of a cold:
- Weakness in the body and lethargy;
- Temperature above 37 degrees;
- Stuffy nose and runny nose;
- Cough and sneezing;
- A sore throat;
- Sometimes tinnitus.
If treated correctly colds, then it will pass in 7-10 days. To easily overcome the disease and not harm your child, follow a number of rules.
Folk remedies
Folk remedies for colds while breastfeeding - safe and effective treatment. Inhalations that are used using boiled potatoes are considered the most harmless. But you can breathe not only over boiled potatoes. A good remedy will become essential oils.
Place a few drops of eucalyptus into a kettle of boiling water and place a funnel in the spout of the kettle. The funnel can be made from cardboard or thick paper. Inhalations will clear the airways, relieve a runny nose, alleviate sore throats and increase tone.
Tea with raspberries, honey or lemon will give you strength and help overcome the disease at an early stage. However, this option is only suitable if the baby is not allergic to these products. ABOUT proper nutrition for a nursing mother and introducing new foods into the diet, read here
Onions and garlic are useful for respiratory diseases. However, experts do not recommend consuming spicy foods when breastfeeding or at least postpone introducing it into the diet until the baby is six months old.
Another useful and harmless remedy– foot baths. Take baths with added mustard powder before bedtime. After the procedure, be sure to wear woolen socks and wrap your feet in a blanket.
Drinking plenty of fluids and wiping the body with a weak solution of vinegar will help lower your temperature and improve your well-being.
There are pills and other medications that you can start using without consulting a doctor.
You can safely take Grippferon for colds while breastfeeding. It is easily tolerated by the body and has no contraindications during lactation.
Excellent antipyretic and safe means will become Paracetamol. Studies have proven that the tablets are quickly absorbed and reduce fever. At the same time, they are also quickly eliminated from the body, which is so important during breastfeeding.
Remember that you should not abuse medications. And at a temperature above 38 degrees, be sure to consult a doctor.
IN in this case Local medications will help, including Hexoral and Strepsil. For severe coughs, use expectorants such as Lazolvan or Ambroxol. To relieve pain in the respiratory system, doctors recommend syrups with a herbal base (Chest Elixir or Doctor Mom)
When breastfeeding, medications containing Bromhexine are strictly prohibited! Such medicines are an excellent replacement for herbal preparations.
A runny nose is best treated with drops on plant based, like Pinosol. Sprays containing sea water(Salin). For severe congestion, use drops that constrict blood vessels (Navizin, Farmazolin, Tizin).
Do not overuse drops under any circumstances! These drugs are often addictive. In addition, they can cause arthophic rhinitis.
Correct dosing - main principle during the treatment of colds during lactation. If the listed remedies do not help within seven days and the temperature does not subside, be sure to consult a doctor!
Most often, and usually unexpectedly, a common cold awaits a nursing woman. It’s better not to be afraid of her, so as not to inadvertently attract her to your own peril. It is much preferable to treat it as a workout for your immune system. And certainty will help overcome fear: knowing the enemy by sight and timely use of the right “weapons.” Next, we will look step by step at how to treat a cold during breastfeeding, starting with the definition and symptoms of this seasonal nuisance.
acute respiratory infections.
A cold is a disease caused by hypothermia, which results in decreased immunity and worsening chronic infections, which were already in the body of a person who had a cold. These infections stem from opportunistic flora, capable of activation under certain conditions. The cold is not contagious, but against the background of a weakened immune system, a virus can easily attach itself, transferring the disease to the stage acute illness. Then we're talking about medical terms: ARVI, influenza, acute respiratory infections.
ARVI is the most common seasonal disease, the causative agents of which are a variety of viruses, causing inflammation upper respiratory tract. This disease is contagious and occurs in an acute form.
Influenza is a type of viral infection. In case of a complicated course of the disease, when tea with raspberry jam no longer helps, the infection can spread to the ears and eyes, leading to the appearance of otitis media or conjunctivitis varying degrees difficulties.
A viral infection can be joined by a bacterial one, or it can appear initially against the background of a cold. If it is not possible to accurately diagnose the disease, then doctors talk about acute respiratory infections.
Nursing mothers do not think about what kind of illness took them by surprise, calling it the understandable word “cold.” During breastfeeding, they only worry about the safety of their baby and a speedy recovery. Therefore, we will consider all the options for seasonal diseases.
The presence of certain symptoms that worsen general well-being makes it impossible to mistake: the body has caught a cold. These symptoms include:
- runny nose in the form of nasal discharge ranging from clear (the onset of the disease) to thick, hard-to-separate green discharge (the onset of bacterial infection);
- increased body temperature;
- a sore throat;
- cough, both dry and wet;
- sneezing.
The quality of life noticeably deteriorates even for an ordinary person, and what can we say about a young mother, from health and wellness which depends on the well-being of the baby and the whole family. Therefore, it is important to know how a nursing mother can treat a cold, protect her baby and quickly restore her ability to work.
Young mothers often have to walk with their baby in all weather conditions, and while the baby is sleeping in the stroller, wrapped up warmly, the mother has to cut circles. Clothing does not always match the weather, so it is very easy to freeze. To avoid having to wonder how to treat a cold during breastfeeding, it is better to take preventive measures. Immediately upon arriving home, change into warm clothes and wash your hands hot water, steam your feet at a water temperature of 40-50°C, drink hot tea with honey. Afterwards you will need to look at cold symptoms and treat the disease symptomatically.
- Drink plenty of fluids.
- Bed rest.
- Air humidification.
If a viral component is superimposed on ordinary hypothermia and the associated weakening of the immune system, then we can say that a “viral” cold has appeared in a nursing mother. In this case, Komarovsky advises to do without pharmacological intervention, adhering to a clear algorithm of actions:
- Eating food only according to appetite.
- Drink plenty of fluids.
- Bed rest.
- Frequent ventilation of the room.
- Air humidification.
- Irrigation of mucous membranes with saline or physiological solutions.
- To protect the child from direct contact with the virus, you should wear a mask when interacting with the baby.
It turns out that it is possible for breastfeeding people with a cold, and is also available to ordinary people. This algorithm is universal; it helps to cope with viruses without drugs. The body simply needs time to produce the appropriate antibodies.
Based on a number of signs, it can be judged that the cold is bacterial or complicated viral with the addition of a secondary bacterial infection. In this case, mandatory antibiotic intervention is required. Signs of a bacterial infection:
- the disease does not go away within a week, the patient’s condition worsens;
- high temperature over 38°C;
- abscesses of various locations;
- nasal discharge and sputum have a viscous consistency, ranging in color from yellow-green to reddish;
- inflammation of the lymph nodes and sharp pain in the area of bacterial localization.
How can a nursing mother treat a bacterial cold? This requires the mandatory intervention of antibiotics, so it is better to follow preventive measures such as frequent hand washing, careful preparation raw meat, avoiding contact with sick people, etc.
To the frequently asked question “how can a nursing mother treat a cold,” Komarovsky, as the most popular children’s doctor in the post-Soviet space, always answers ironically: magic pill does not exist. There are always side effects, and individual intolerance to the components has not been canceled.
The doctor’s advice is simple: be patient as long as you can, and when you can’t stand it any longer, go to a therapist. The point is that a common cold can hide various ailments that require appropriate treatment. For example, viral infections, in fact, cannot be treated; all therapy is aimed at activating the body’s immune cells and systematically washing out the virus through drinking plenty of fluids. But the addition of a bacterial infection will most likely require the use of an antibiotic, which in no case should be “prescribed” to yourself.
For information, we note what medications a nursing mother can take for a cold. But before using them, you should still consult your doctor:
- Antiviral drugs: Aflubin, Oscillococcinum.
- Antispasmodic agent: “No-spa”.
- Antipyretic (over 39°C, if folk remedies do not help): children's syrups "Nurofen", "Panadol".
- Vasoconstrictors and cold remedies: “Aquamaris” and analogues, “Quix”.
- For sore throat for resorption: “Lizobakt”.
- For gargling: “Chlorhexidine”, “Iodinol”, “Miramistin”.
- For cough: "Gedelix".
- curd compress;
- tea with raspberry jam;
The wisdom of the people will tell you how a nursing mother can treat a cold, how to activate the body’s strength and smooth out some symptomatic manifestations diseases, improving general state sick. Yes, take it off painful sensations in the throat is possible:
- curd compress;
- rinsing with fresh beet juice and vinegar;
- warm milk with butter and honey.
Reduce elevated temperature body will help:
- tea with raspberry jam;
- wiping the body with a solution of vinegar 9% (1 tbsp per half liter of water),
- a mixture of grated onions, apples and honey in equal proportions (before meals, 1 tablespoon 3 times a day);
- grapefruit, a couple of oranges or lemon as sources of vitamin C.
You can stop excessive nasal discharge with:
- instilling aloe juice into the nose, mixed with a dissolved mummy tablet and a drop of honey;
- or a mixture of onion and garlic juice with honey in a ratio of 1:3;
- lubricating the nasal passages with lemon juice;
- plates with freshly chopped onions.
The following recipes will help relieve cough:
- A hole is made in the radish, honey is placed in it, it is infused for half a day, then 1 tsp is consumed. up to three times a day;
- breathe over boiled potatoes.
Before active use, any folk remedy should first be checked for an allergic reaction for the mother and her baby.
Breastfeeding consultants unanimously call for feeding, despite bad feeling and mother's illness. An adult’s body quickly adapts to the disease and begins to produce antibodies, passing them on to the baby through breast milk. Thus, the mother is both the cause of the disease and its cure. It is known that the immunity received from the mother in a child completely disappears after six months, even if fed only with breast milk, and its own is developed only under the influence of diseases by the age of three. It turns out that a cold during breastfeeding is great way train immune system toddler.
However, if the mother’s seasonal illness does not go away within a week, develops complications and requires the intervention of antibiotics, then breastfeeding should be suspended. It is believed that the therapist can select the antibiotics allowed for breastfeeding and calculate the time between taking the medicine and breastfeeding, but getting the antibiotic into the milk is unlikely to be avoided.
Even approved drugs in small quantities can lead to a deterioration in the baby’s condition, causing:
- allergic reaction;
- digestive disorders;
- development of thrush;
- decreased child immunity;
- imbalance in the absorption of vitamins and microelements.
Therefore, breastfeeding should be suspended while taking antibiotics. In order to successfully resume this process later, the mother needs to express milk in a timely manner and feed the baby with a spoon or from a bottle with a small hole in the nipple.
Is it possible to effectively treat colds while breastfeeding? How to make it safe for the baby? What medications can a nursing mother take? How to protect a child from contracting a viral infection? Recommendations from pediatricians and lactation consultants.
Colds are a common name for acute respiratory viral infections. They manifest themselves in different ways, depending on which “area” of the mucous membranes the causative agent of the disease has settled in. Rhinovirus infects the nasal mucosa, causing copious discharge mucus. Adenovirus contributes to the development of sore throat. Other viruses infect the upper respiratory tract and bronchi, resulting in a cough.
Baby protection
The development of a cold in a nursing mother raises many questions. And the most important thing is how to protect your baby from infection? Unfortunately, there is no one true means of protection against the disease. You can reduce your risk of illness by following these guidelines.
- Keep feeding. Breastfeeding during mother's illness - main factor baby safety. With breast milk, he will receive your body's response to the viral attack. By continuing to feed, you transfer your immunity to the baby, which will protect him from the development of ARVI or greatly facilitate its course.
- Wear a protective mask. According to pediatricians, using a protective mask does not exclude the possibility of infecting others. The fact is that the virus begins to be active not from the moment a runny nose or cough develops, but two days before that. Therefore, if the mother gets sick, we can almost definitely say that the baby has already encountered the causative agent of the disease. However, the mother's use of a protective mask will reduce the concentration of viruses in his environment. The protective bandage must be changed every two hours.
- Wash your hands . Transmission of viral infection occurs through airborne droplets and contact. Its main source is mucus from the nose, which you wipe with a handkerchief or napkin. A huge number of viruses remain on your hands, so before approaching your baby, wash them with soap. This preventative measure is sufficient to prevent infection.
In the first days of ARVI, your health worsens, you may experience fever, headache, and weakness. A young mother cannot do without the help of loved ones. Ask your grandmother or other relatives to help you care for the child.
Course of the disease
The body of a nursing mother is especially susceptible to ARVI. This is due to the fact that she respiratory system works with increased load. At the same time, the disease itself is not dangerous and passes in a mild form.
- Virus infection. From the moment of infection until the development of the first symptoms, 1-3 days pass. Then a runny nose, nasal congestion, sore throat, and fever appear. The cough develops later due to the accumulation of sputum in the upper respiratory tract.
- Immune response. Forms on the third day from the development of the disease. The body begins to produce interferon, which alleviates the condition. On the fifth day, you can prepare for the beginning of recovery, as antibodies to the disease appear in the blood.
- Recovery. Comes on the sixth - tenth day. If by this time the condition has not improved, doctors note the development of complications.
Every person suffers from a cold several times a year and does not always seek help. medical care. But treatment of ARVI while breastfeeding is a special case. Due to decreased immunity, a nursing mother is susceptible to developing complications. Chronic foci of infection may appear. Therefore, it is very important to consult a doctor at the first symptoms of the disease and get advice on treatment.
Treatment tactics for colds during breastfeeding
The question of how to treat a cold in a nursing mother should be asked to the doctor as early as possible. Consultation with a specialist is required if the temperature persists for more than three days or the symptoms develop progressively, for example, the sore throat intensifies or a painful cough develops.
Treatment tactics for acute respiratory infections are to help the body cope with the infection. Additionally, you can recommend symptomatic remedies that alleviate the condition and help you overcome the disease more easily.
Antiviral agents
There is a huge list designed to combat acute respiratory infections. Most of them have only a psychological effect, and many are prohibited for use during breastfeeding. It is not allowed to use such drugs as Arbidol, Ribovirin, Remantadine and others.
Homeopathic medicines have unproven effectiveness. These include Aflubin, Anaferon, Oscillococcinum and others. At the same time, they can provoke the development allergic reactions in a child, and if they contain alcohol, reduce lactation.
Only drugs based on proven effectiveness and safety for nursing mothers. recombinant interferon alpha person. These are the products “Grippferon”, “Viferon”. But they should also be used correctly.
Only at the first symptoms of the disease do viruses concentrate on the mucous membranes. This causes sneezing, a small amount of mucus from the nose, or coughing. “After 24 hours, the virus penetrates the blood, and it is impossible to have any effect on it with the help of antiviral drugs is no longer possible,” the doctor comments. highest category Alexander Myasnikov. - Usage antiviral agents longer only creates unnecessary stress on the body.”
Antipyretic drugs
When the temperature rises above 38.5°, it is necessary to take. If the temperature is lower and the woman tolerates it well, there is no need to bring it down. During the period when the temperature rises to 38°, the body fights the pathogen especially effectively. By knocking it down, we increase the severity and duration of the disease.
A nursing mother can take antipyretics based on paracetamol and ibuprofen. It is advisable to use drugs in pure form. Combined products, for example, “TeraFlu”, “Flyukold”, “Pharmacitron” contain substances whose effect on the child’s body has not been studied.
It is necessary to take the medication in the dosage specified in the instructions. Paracetamol and ibuprofen have proven safety in newborns.
Against runny nose
Drugs that reduce swelling of the nasal mucosa make breathing easier and help a nursing mother treat colds more comfortably. Vasoconstrictor drops have a local effect, so they can be used without risk to the baby.
- Naphazolin (“Naphthyzin”, “Sanorin”). They have a minimal period of anti-edema action.
- Xylometazoline (“Galazolin”, “Ximilin”, “Otrivin”). The average period of action is 8-10 hours.
- Oxymetazoline (“Noxprey”, “Nazivin”, “Nazol”). The longest duration of action among all vasoconstrictor drugs is up to twelve hours.
Use of vasoconstrictors is allowed for up to five days. If symptoms persist, contact your doctor.
For sore throat
Local antiseptics will be a good solution to the question of how to treat a cold in a nursing mother. Rinsing with ready-made solutions or those prepared at home is completely safe. Use Hexoral, Iodinol, and Chlorgesidine solutions. Rinsing with a solution of sea salt with a couple of drops of iodine is useful.
Temporary pain relief is provided by lozenges, for example, Strepsils, Sebidin. Preparations in the form of sprays “Cameton”, “Chlorophyllipt”, “Camphomen” and others have a local effect and do not pass into breast milk.
Against cough
Must be carried out under the supervision of a physician. Depending on the stage of the disease, the doctor will recommend medications against dry or wet cough. Their task is to liquefy and remove mucus from the respiratory tract. Ambroxol-based medications are not contraindicated for nursing mothers.
You can use expectorants made from natural ingredients, such as thyme, ivy, licorice or marshmallow. They are sold in the form of syrups and tablets.
Inhalations with abroxol are the most effective for cough. The active substance enters exclusively the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract and does not participate in the systemic circulation. For procedures, you can use a household nebulizer.
When it comes to how to treat a nursing mother for a cold, it is important to carefully monitor your well-being. At proper treatment significant relief occurs already on the third day, but some symptoms may persist for up to a week to ten days. If you are concerned about a cough, a prolonged increase in temperature, or a change in the nature of the mucus secreted from the nose, you should consult a doctor to eliminate the risk of developing severe complications- pneumonia, tonsillitis, sinusitis.
The question of what a nursing mother can take for a cold has been asked by every woman who has given birth to a child. Indeed, during lactation, most medications are prohibited due to the potential harm that they can cause to the baby if they enter his body with mother's milk.
A nursing mother should not panic if she develops a cold during breastfeeding. Firstly, human body able to independently fight many viruses. Secondly, the baby’s immunity is strong enough to destroy pathogenic microorganisms in a few days.
During lactation, a cold manifests itself:
- runny nose;
- dryness and itching in the sinuses, which provoke regular sneezing;
- hoarseness of voice;
- irritation and sore throat;
- aches in muscle tissue and articular joints;
- severe weakness and fatigue;
- high body temperature.
Treatment
Modern pharmaceutical companies offer a lot effective means for the treatment of colds in women who are breastfeeding. But before taking tablets with syrups, mommy must consult with her doctor.
To treat acute respiratory viral infections while breastfeeding, it is important to use medications that do not contain harmful substances.
To remove coughing, it is advisable to use a medicine with an expectorant effect - Ambroxol or Lazolvan (preferably in the form of inhalations). To make breathing easier, you are allowed to drink syrups based on medicinal herbs- Doctor Mom.
Safest from heat. A nursing mother is also allowed to take Ibuprofen for colds if the temperature is higher every day. If these tablets do not help, only a doctor is allowed to determine which antibiotics you can take for breastfeeding. Most likely, it will be a drug from the penicillin group.
Enhance therapeutic effect nasal drops and throat sprays based on sea water help.
To relieve pain in the throat, use topical medications with an antimicrobial effect. These are Hexoral, Iodinol, Strepsils. To help the mucous membrane recover faster, treat it with Lugol.
Herbal oil drops in the nose have a good anti-inflammatory effect.
Treat viral acute respiratory infections with Grippferon. The instructions for the drug state that it has no contraindications, is absolutely safe for nursing mothers, and is well tolerated by the body.
In any case, only a therapist or ENT specialist has the right to decide what medications a woman can take during breastfeeding. Mothers are prohibited from self-medicating and taking any medications without a doctor’s prescription.
While breastfeeding, it is permissible to take certain medications if the risk to the mother from the disease exceeds possible harm from the drug. The basic principles for choosing medications should be:
- A single-component drug is better than a combined one. In compounded medications, it is more difficult to check each substance according to the instructions for its penetration into milk and assess the risk.
- If the condition is not serious, choose local remedies for colds, and not general ones: drops, sprays for the throat and nose, rubbing ointments are much less harmful to the child than tablets and syrups.
- A possible allergic reaction of an infant to cold remedies passed through mother's milk should be warned. Take (as agreed with your doctor) tablets or drops for allergies, and the child will receive part of the drug.
- Not all antibiotics are equally harmful during lactation. If the temperature is persistent and lasts more than five days, it means that the immune system is not doing its job well and needs help. Also for a nursing mother serious illnesses it's important to avoid possible complications. The choice of drug should always be up to the doctor.
- The dosage of the medicine is usually calculated for one person, regardless of the fact that part goes into the milk. Exceeding the dose is not recommended.
Dangerous treatments
When treating colds during lactation, you should not take bromhexine, aspirin, vasoconstrictor drops and sprays. Read the instructions carefully compound drugs for cough and fever.
Paracetamol is safer for fever. For a runny nose, use ready-made salt solutions for nasal irrigation, minimal impact on the child from influenza and interferon. Use antiviral medications only as directed by a doctor.
Homeopathic medicines are drugs with unproven effectiveness, but they are not believed to be harmful during breastfeeding.
Chamomile, sage, and St. John's wort are safe herbs if used for inhalation and rinsing. It is not recommended to drink the herb internally due to the risk of allergies in the child.
Is it possible to breastfeed with ARVI?
Breastfeeding during a cold is not only possible, but also necessary.
If during lactation the mother becomes infected respiratory infections, her mucous membranes in the upper respiratory tract sometimes become very inflamed and interfere with normal breathing. What to do in such a situation? Is it possible to combine breastfeeding and a cold?
Most experts believe that even if the mother’s respiratory system is infected with viruses, breastfeeding cannot be interrupted. With mother's milk, the baby receives not only microbes, but also antibodies to them. Therefore, if a child gets sick, it will not be because of breastfeeding. The main route of transmission of infection is airborne droplets.
Accordingly, the child catches a cold only because his mother is nearby. Moreover, the mother becomes infectious even during the incubation (hidden) period. When a runny nose and cough begin, the baby has most likely already received his share of viruses. And the antibodies in breast milk will help fight them.
Even if the mother’s condition is serious, she cannot care for the baby, feeding does not need to be interrupted. Let assistants look after the child and bring the child only for feeding.
Arguments for maintaining breastfeeding:
- The child receives specific protection: immune cells, formed in the mother’s body in response to the actions of a specific pathogen, penetrate through breast milk. The baby may not get sick, but will still receive immunity. Even a mother’s illnesses make the child stronger.
- The stress of weaning can take a greater toll on the baby, weakening his overall health.
- This may turn out to be useless: the child has already become infected during the incubation period, the disease has simply not yet manifested itself. And giving up breastfeeding will become an unnecessary additional burden.
- The baby himself regulates the drinking regime, which is very important for ARVI and colds. During lactation, it is important for a mother to drink plenty of fluids so that she has enough to fight pathogens and to produce milk in sufficient quantities. Breastfeeding during a cold should be done on demand.
- Simple convenience is an important plus. If mom is sick, she has no time to heat up formulas or sterilize bottles. During a cold and congestion in the breast from the end of the mother's lactation is completely inappropriate.
What to do to avoid infecting your child
A cold while breastfeeding is not a reason to end lactation; the baby needs milk, his mother nearby, psychological comfort, and immune defense which she shares. If the newborn becomes infected, acceptable drugs and the maternal immune cells that have penetrated into the milk will fight the cold.
Use these tips on how to avoid giving your baby a cold. It is transmitted through the air by sneezing, coughing, or touching; some microbes penetrate into milk.
- Breastfeeding is an intimate process and touching cannot be avoided. Therefore, it is very important to thoroughly wash your hands before each contact.
- A medical mask, which must be changed every 2-3 hours, will protect against contracting a cold through airborne droplets.
- Frequent wet cleaning of surfaces in the house will reduce the concentration of harmful microbes and, accordingly, the risk of infection.
Breastfeeding mothers can also get sick. A common cold during breastfeeding often turns into a big problem. Conventional medications are contraindicated. It is not clear whether folk remedies can be used. And the worst thing is to infect a child. There are many questions, we will try to answer them.
ARVI and colds
A cold in everyday life is often called an acute respiratory viral infection (ARVI).
This disease affects the upper respiratory tract: nose and throat, but also causes general intoxication of the body, the symptoms of which are headache, weakness, and general malaise.
Infection occurs by airborne droplets. Viruses are spread by sick people when they sneeze, cough, or even just talk.
Is it possible to breastfeed during a cold?
It is possible and necessary. Breastfeeding during a cold allows the baby to receive protective antibodies from the mother along with the milk.
A viral infection has a certain incubation period, usually 1-3 days. And if the mother showed obvious signs of the disease, then she did not just become infected. And the viruses, given the constant close contact between mother and baby, managed to get to the child. But along with viruses, he also receives antibodies to them.
If breastfeeding is interrupted, the baby will no longer receive antibodies, and his body will be defenseless against infection. The child is more likely to get sick more severely, and it will take him longer to recover.
But in case of serious complications, the mother may need means that are not compatible with breastfeeding the child. At this time, it will be necessary to transfer the baby to artificial feeding. And the woman will have to pump in order to preserve milk and continue to breastfeed the baby after recovery. It is ideal to have a supply of frozen breast milk. In case of serious illness of the mother, it will be very useful.
What to do to avoid infecting your child
At the first signs of even mild illness and the appearance of cold symptoms, for example, a sore throat, the mother should put on a mask and not approach the child without it. The mask should be changed at least once every 2-3 hours.
If there is someone to care for the baby, then it is best to isolate the mother for a while. She can only come to the child to feed him. Thus, the child is less likely to get sick, and the mother will be able to recover faster, because proper rest promotes recovery.
The apartment must be constantly ventilated. In clean, cool and sufficiently humid air, viruses die. But the child must be dressed warmly enough.
For prevention, you can use an ultraviolet lamp, turning it on 4-5 times a day for 10 minutes.
Cold treatment
Only mild colds can be treated on their own. In severe cases, colds while breastfeeding should be treated by a doctor. He will determine how to treat a nursing mother’s cold, and in what dosages to take the medications.
If the mother feels very bad, if her condition does not improve after 2-3 days, if the high temperature cannot be brought down, then a doctor’s examination is required. Viral infections are dangerous due to their complications. And the child needs a healthy mother. If necessary, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics compatible with hepatitis B.
When you have a cold, you need to constantly moisturize the nasal mucosa for both yourself and your child. The mucus that flows from the nose contains a huge amount of antibodies that fight viruses. But if the mucus dries out, its effect wears off. And in the dry air of heated apartments without additional humidification, mucus dries out very quickly.
Be sure to drink enough liquid. It prevents the nasal passages from drying out, thins mucus and relieves general intoxication of the body.
The high temperature must be brought down. In this case, a temperature above 38-38.5 degrees is considered “high”. If it has not reached this point, then reducing it with medication will not be beneficial. Temperature is an indicator that the body is fighting infection and helps cope with the disease.
Antibiotics are not effective for uncomplicated viral infections because they do not act on viruses.
When taking any medications, do not exceed the recommended dosage. The drug is safe in small doses, but can have serious side effects if overdosed. It is best not to feed your baby milk at times when the concentration of drugs in the blood is maximum. The time when this happens can be found in the instructions.
Cold remedies
We list the drugs that a mother can use without consulting a specialist:
Common medications that nursing mothers should not use:
- All medicines containing bromhexine.
- Arbidol and Remantadine. These medications are effective only for prevention or in the very first hours of the disease. But at the same time they disrupt the baby’s gastrointestinal tract and quite often cause allergies in children.
- Immunal and Aflubin are also quite allergenic, so they should not be used during breastfeeding.
- Fervex, Theraflu, Codrex are not recommended for nursing mothers; their possible effect on the child has not been sufficiently studied.
Traditional medicine has accumulated many methods for the prevention and treatment of such a common disease as ARVI. After all, mothers have encountered colds while breastfeeding before. Some of the folk methods are correct and useful, others at least do no harm, but there are also downright harmful ones.
Useful procedures:
What can be done, but it’s useless
Onions and garlic, as Dr. Komarovsky writes and says, according to modern medicine, do not affect viruses in any way. There is no use in eating them. But there will be no harm either.
It's impossible and dangerous!
- There is no need to boil breast milk. Heating destroys biologically active substances. Of course, it contains calories, but it ceases to be healing.
- You cannot drink any alcoholic beverages.
- Hunger. Here it is necessary to clarify that, although a nursing mother should not starve, she should not overeat either.
Cold prevention
Unfortunately, after childbirth and during lactation, women's immunity decreases. Therefore, for prevention it is advisable to:
- avoid crowds of people, especially during periods of epidemics;
- when visiting an adult clinic, be sure to wear a mask;
- go to the nursery only on Healthy Children's Day;
- dress according to the weather;
- maintain optimal temperature and humidity in the apartment;
- regularly ventilate rooms and carry out wet cleaning;
- rest and get enough sleep.
Following these simple rules will help your mother not get sick.
Few mothers manage to avoid colds during lactation. But most often this disease is cured successfully and without consequences. You just need to not start the process, rest more and try not to infect the baby. And, of course, feed the baby delicious and healthy mother’s milk.
Treatment of a nursing woman is always a very painstaking process, regardless of what pathology worries the patient. This is due to large limitations in the ability to use medical supplies. Only some of them can be used to alleviate the condition, including the development of ARVI. Drugs should be selected only under the supervision of a pediatrician and therapist. Such cooperation will minimize the risk of problems with the child and the health of the nursing mother.
Main active substance medicine is naphazoline, which has a direct effect on the mucous membrane. Due to this, after 1-2 uses, the swelling of the nasal cavity is reduced and the amount of sputum is reduced. Sanorin can be used during lactation in the form of a spray or drops; this will not have any significant effect on the therapeutic result. For treatment, you need to do one injection or instill up to 3 drops into each nostril. You can repeat such manipulations 2-3 times a day. Therapy should not be continued for more than 5 days, as after this addiction occurs.
A more powerful drug that comes in the form of a spray. To treat a nursing woman, it is better to use pediatric dosages, which include one injection into each nostril. The procedures are repeated 2 times a day, since the results from using Noxprey last for 8-12 hours. As is the case with any other vasoconstrictor drops, you should not use the spray for more than 5-7 days, as after this tolerance to treatment develops.
Attention! Do not exceed the doses of these drugs, as they have a depressing effect on circulatory system baby, entering his body through breast milk. If the active substances of these drops are poorly tolerated, problems with the baby's kidneys and liver may occur.
Antiviral agents for nursing mothers
The medicine is available in the form of drops and spray. They are buried directly in nasal cavity. During the feeding period there are no restrictions on the use of these drops, as they are well tolerated by patients. For treatment, you need to drip 3 drops of Grippferon into each nasal passage. The procedure can be repeated up to 6 times a day after the same amount of time. The maximum course of therapy using antiviral drops is one week, after which it is necessary to stop treatment with Grippferon.
Treatment is carried out in the form rectal suppositories. Thanks to this introduction, rapid and maximum absorption of the active substance is ensured. Typically, a nursing woman is recommended to take 1 Viferon suppository in the morning and evening. The duration of treatment can be 5-10 days, it all depends on the severity of the disease and accompanying symptoms.
Attention! These medications must be taken immediately after the first signs of ARVI appear. It is in the first 48 hours that the body is most amenable to treatment, which allows you to remove all signs of the disease in 3-5 days. You should not use antivirals if you have autoimmune diseases.
Remedies for sore throat due to ARVI during lactation
Treatment requires up to 3 injections of the drug into any of the nostrils. At the same time, the peculiarity of the product is its application pattern. After one injection, you should wait 1 minute, then make another injection and wait again for a pause. Similar manipulations are repeated up to three times using Kameton per session. This is necessary to inhale well all the active substances of the medication. It is allowed to spray the spray directly into oral cavity according to the same scheme. The duration of therapy is selected individually for each patient.
A rinse solution should be used during this period, as it is the safest. To carry out the procedure, take 15 ml of undiluted solution. If more treatments are not prescribed for the mucous membrane, you should gargle in the morning and evening. Therapy can last up to 7 days, but usually 5 days of treatment is sufficient. In some cases, the doctor may recommend using Hexoral also at lunchtime, especially in the first three days of treatment.
Attention! During lactation, experts recommend using rinse solutions. They also relieve painful discomfort well, but at the same time they do not actually penetrate into the mother’s body, and therefore into breast milk.
Medicines to reduce fever
The medicine is produced in the form of tablets for dissolution in water. Efferalgan is produced in a dose of 250-500 mg of the active substance. To reduce the temperature, you can use both doses, taking into account the intensity of the heat. A maximum of 2 g of Efferalgan is allowed per day during lactation. You should not take pills for more than 3 days without the supervision of your doctor, as the cause may be much more serious than a common ARVI.
A classic remedy that can be used to reduce fever at any age, including during breastfeeding. Paracetamol doses are also 0.25-0.5 g at a time. At temperatures above 38.5 degrees, you can immediately take 1 g of Paracetamol. But it cannot be exceeded daily dose tablets in 2 g.
Attention! These drugs are the safest, since their active substances can even be used to treat infants. But at the same time, you should not abuse them, since a number of them have a direct effect on the kidneys.
Video - How to treat a nursing mother?
To make treatment more successful, you must adhere to a number of mandatory recommendations:
- do not stop breastfeeding; if you use properly selected products, there will be no consequences for the baby;
- Be sure to eat well, filling your diet with vegetables, white meat and fruits;
- drink enough water because even slight fever may cause a decrease in breast milk production, and sufficient fluid will prevent this from happening;
- be sure to rest with your baby, as it is important to spend more time in bed during ARVI, which is not always possible to do with an infant;
- spend enough time on fresh air, ventilate the room and maintain optimal temperature and humidity.
Attention! It is especially important to consult a nursing woman for treatment if she has kidney problems. Since the exacerbation chronic disease This system will force the use of rather aggressive drugs that require cessation of lactation.
Cost of drugs against ARVI during lactation
| A drug | Image | Price in Russia in rubles | Price in Belarus in rubles | Price in Ukraine in hryvnia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 150-250 | 5-8 | 61-102 | ||
| 150 | 5 | 5 | ||
| 200 | 7 | 82 | ||
| 100 | 3,2 | 41 | ||
| 300 | 10 | 123 | ||
| 100 | 3,2 | 41 | ||
| 50 | 1,6 | 21 | ||
| 260 | 7 | 160 |
Attention! These prices are conditional and may differ by 5-20%, taking into account pricing policy pharmacy and remote settlement. The most high prices observed in pharmacy chains of large cities.
Folk remedies for the treatment of ARVI in nursing mothers
Tea with lemon and honey
This remedy has a general tonic effect, which increases immunity and speeds up the recovery period. You should drink this product no more than 2-3 times a day, since honey can provoke an allergic reaction in a child. For 200 ml of tea, it is better to take green, you need to add half a teaspoon of honey and a slice of lemon. If the child tolerates honey well, its amount can be increased to a whole spoon. You can be treated in this way up to full recovery health.
Against sore throat
Has a good effect saline solution with iodine. To prepare it, just take a teaspoon of salt and 2 drops of another substance per 200 ml of warm water. Before starting therapy, it is necessary to ensure complete tolerance to iodine. You can repeat the rinsing procedure up to 4 times a day. If a woman is afraid of iodine, you can do two procedures per day with only salt, and two with two components. You can gargle in this way for up to 7-10 days.
For quick relief of symptoms
The use of iodine as a warming mesh perfectly restores health. It should be done after the woman has steamed her legs. This can only be done if the nursing mother does not have a fever! As soon as your feet are well warmed up, you need to draw a mesh on your heels, put on warm socks, preferably woolen ones, and immediately go to bed. With a quick start of treatment, the mother will need no more than 3-4 procedures, in more difficult cases Therapy can be carried out for up to one week.
Mustard in socks
Such treatment can also be carried out only in the absence of fever. For treatment, you need to take 1 teaspoon of mustard in each sock. Pour the substance into the heel area. It is in this area that the best effect of the active substance will be ensured. You can also put on second socks over regular socks, this will significantly enhance the effect of mustard. In some cases, in recipes you can find such advice as adding a little sugar or vegetable oil. But you shouldn’t do this, since you won’t get anything other than burns in the end.
Attention! It is best to use these home remedies in combination with traditional ones. This allows for more fast recovery. If, when using any of them, discomfort, you should immediately stop treatment and, if necessary, consult a therapist.
Video - Taking medications during pregnancy and breastfeeding
You should not self-medicate during this period, as you can harm the child by causing developmental pathologies even after birth. Many active substances easily penetrate through breast milk into the baby's body. Also, due to the special sensitivity during lactation, even seemingly safe medications can cause side effects in the form of allergic reactions and kidney problems, which is especially dangerous for a young mother. Only with the correct selection of medications can the patient quickly get back on her feet without harming the unborn baby.
