What can nursing mothers take for a cold?

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How to treat a cold for a nursing mother: drugs and folk remedies

Is it possible to effectively treat colds while breastfeeding? How to make it safe for the baby? What medications can a nursing mother take?

Table of contents:

How to protect a child from contracting a viral infection? Recommendations from pediatricians and lactation consultants.

A cold is 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 affects the nasal mucosa, causing excessive mucus production. 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 a mother’s illness is the main factor for the baby’s 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.

Course of the disease

The body of a nursing mother is especially susceptible to ARVI. This is due to the fact that her respiratory system is working under 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.

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.

It is necessary to adhere to general recommendations for the treatment of acute respiratory infections during breastfeeding, and use medicines and folk remedies at home.

  • Bed rest. Mandatory, even if the disease is easily tolerated and does not manifest itself in anything other than a runny nose. It is important to give your body a rest during this period while it fights infection. Lack of bed rest usually prolongs the recovery period and increases the risk of complications, particularly bacterial infections.
  • Drink plenty of fluids. It is necessary not only for elevated body temperature, but also to alleviate the condition. During the development of viruses, their waste products - toxins - enter the body. They cause headaches and weakness. Drinking plenty of fluid removes toxins from the body and reduces their negative effects. Drink warm liquids: weak tea, fruit drinks, compotes. Add raspberries, honey, lemon to them if the child does not have allergies.
  • Folk remedies . The effectiveness of some folk remedies for treating colds has been proven by studies by European specialists. If you have a runny nose, take blackcurrant juice for colds while breastfeeding; it is not contraindicated, even if the child has allergies. According to reviews, it relieves nasal congestion and saturates the body with vitamin C. Sore throat is relieved by tea with honey and lemon. An excellent way to support the depleted strength of the body is low-fat chicken broth. It reduces the intensity of the formation of mast cells, which cause the most unpleasant symptoms of the disease - nasal congestion, swelling of the mucous membrane.
  • Food according to appetite. If you have no appetite, do not eat forcefully. Limit yourself to light chicken broth and drink plenty of fluids. This will not affect the quality of breast milk in any way.

Antiviral agents

There is a huge list of antiviral drugs 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 of allergic reactions in the child, and if they contain alcohol, they can reduce lactation.

Only drugs based on recombinant human interferon alpha have proven effectiveness and safety for nursing mothers. 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 a day, the virus penetrates the blood, and it is no longer possible to have any effect on it with the help of antiviral drugs,” comments doctor of the highest category Alexander Myasnikov. “Using antivirals for longer only creates unnecessary stress on the body.”

Antipyretic drugs

When the temperature rises above 38.5°, it is necessary to take antipyretic drugs. 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 the drugs in their 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.

Medicines for the common cold contain three active ingredients.

  • Naphazoline (“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 problem of how to treat a cold for a nursing mother with a sore throat. 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

Treatment of cough should 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. With proper treatment, significant relief occurs already on the third day, but some symptoms can persist for up to a week or ten days. If you are concerned about a cough, a prolonged increase in temperature, or a change in the nature of mucus discharged from the nose, you should consult a doctor to eliminate the risk of developing severe complications - pneumonia, sore throat, sinusitis.

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Treatment of colds during breastfeeding

Breastfeeding mothers are especially susceptible to colds

No one is immune from colds and, unfortunately, nursing mothers included. Along with feeling unwell, weakness, headache, and fever, she begins to be overcome by painful doubts and thoughts: should she or should she not breastfeed her baby? How to feed correctly so that the child does not get infected? What is the likelihood of a baby becoming infected through mother's milk?

Detection and course of a cold in a nursing mother

A person catches a cold through the upper respiratory tract. A nursing mother is especially susceptible to acute respiratory infections, since her respiratory organs work under constant load, because milk production requires a lot of oxygen.

From the entry of the virus into the body to the development of the disease, it takes approximately one to three days. Therefore, even before the visual detection of a cold, the child has already received along with the milk the causative agent of the disease, antibodies to it, special enzymes of this pathogen for the production of its antibodies, as well as complete immune protection against possible complications. By the time the disease is detected in the mother, the child is either already sick or actively immunized.

Signs of a cold in a nursing mother:

  • Weakness
  • Fever
  • Runny or stuffy nose
  • Sore throat
  • Sneezing, coughing
  • Sometimes fullness or tinnitus

Breast milk helps immunize the baby

Usually a cold lasts no more than 10 days. But it cannot be neglected, since there is a possibility of complications and exacerbations of chronic diseases.

Just two decades ago, treatment for colds while breastfeeding prescribed immediate isolation of the mother from the baby and interruption (read: actually complete cessation) of breastfeeding. Fortunately, the WHO Bulletin “Feeding of children in the first year of life: physiological basis”, published in 1989, refuted this prevailing stereotype.

Rules of conduct during colds while breastfeeding

Currently, doctors recommend adhering to the following rules when detecting a cold in a nursing mother:

  • Do not try to wean either a healthy or already sick child. This will instantly affect the decrease in his immunity. And the disease will become severe and will linger much longer
  • Feed naturally, no need to pump
  • Breast milk does not need to be boiled at all. This will deprive it of many nutritional and, in this case, medicinal properties.
  • He will receive all the medicines the baby needs during his mother’s illness through her milk.

This is important to know! As a rule, infection of a baby with microorganisms transmitted to him with milk from a sick mother plays a big role in the formation of his immunity. Each next time the child will cope with the illness much easier or not get sick at all.

Treatments for colds while breastfeeding

Treatment of colds while breastfeeding has one main principle: safety for the baby. There are two treatment options: with the help of medicines and folk recipes.

Medicines for the treatment of colds in a nursing mother

If a nursing mother has a high temperature, which she does not tolerate well, then the elevated degrees need to be reduced. Doctors consider Paracetamol to be the safest medicine. If you don’t find anything like this in your home medicine cabinet, then you are allowed to take any suitable remedy once.

Don't stop breastfeeding if you have a cold!

To treat a runny nose, cough and sore throat, take symptomatic remedies, the action of which is aimed at reducing intoxication and activating the body's defenses. Do not forget to drink as much as possible during treatment. This will prevent the mucous membranes of the nose and throat from drying out and promote the thinning of mucus and sweating.

  • An expectorant such as Ambroxol (aka Lazolvan) will help reduce coughing.
  • Herbal preparations based on anise, licorice root, plantain, thyme, etc. are also very effective. For example, Bronchicum, Breast Elixir, Hedelix, Doctor IOM
  • Medicines that contain bromhexine are absolutely contraindicated for nursing mothers.
  • Breathing will be made easier by Naphazolin (aka Naphthyzin), Oxymetazoline (Nazivin), Tetrizolin (Tizin). Each of them can be used for no more than 3-5 days!
  • Pinosol oil drops will have an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effect. They contain substances of plant origin
  • Sprays Aquamaris and Solin, made from sea water, will moisturize the nasal mucosa, thin the mucus and improve its discharge during a runny nose.
  • A sore throat can be treated with topical antimicrobial agents such as Hexoral, Iodinol, and Chlorhexidine.
  • You can lubricate the mucous membrane of the pharynx with Lugol's solution

Antiviral drugs will help get rid of viral infections. For example, Grippferon. It is compatible with lactation and has no side effects.

  • take medications thoughtlessly
  • exceed the recommended dose

When choosing chemicals, carefully read the instructions for each of them. It must indicate whether it is allowed or prohibited to take them during lactation.

It would also be a good idea to consult with your doctor.

Folk remedies for treating colds in a nursing mother

Many mothers are afraid to take medications, even if they are allowed, and try to use exclusively traditional methods during treatment. Some of them are as effective as industrial products.

Here are the most popular:

  • If you suspect a cold, heat 0.5 liters of milk, add 1 fresh chicken egg, 1 tsp. honey and 1 tsp. butter. Mix everything thoroughly. Have a drink at night
  • Mix 5 drops of iodine in half a glass of boiled water. Take this mixture. Then chew the garlic clove
  • Pour mustard powder into your socks
  • Bake onions in the oven and eat them without restriction until the cold is over
  • Cut the black radish into small slices, sprinkle with sugar and bake in the oven for 2 hours. Strain. Drink 1 tbsp. up to 5 times a day and always before bedtime
  • Before going to bed, take a mixture of finely chopped garlic and honey (1:1 ratio). Drink with clean warm water
  • Do garlic-honey inhalation for 15 minutes. After it, it is advisable to go to bed and drink tea with raspberries and honey.
  • Breathe over the steam of boiled potatoes in their jackets. Don't forget to wrap yourself up thoroughly
  • Breathe over brewed birch or eucalyptus leaves
  • Make an inhalation based on an infusion of chamomile flowers (15 g), calendula (10 g) and a glass of boiling water
  • Gargle several times a day with thyme infusion (1 tablespoon herb per glass of boiling water, leave for 1 hour)
  • Once an hour you can gargle with a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water (1 tbsp per glass)
  • Heat 0.5 cups of vegetable oil in a water bath, add 4 finely chopped cloves of garlic and 1 onion. Let the mixture sit for the next 2 hours, then strain and apply to your nose. This method is also effective as a prevention against colds.
  • Drink tea made from linden, raspberry and other plants. Sweeten with honey. Add lemon

A cold while breastfeeding is an extremely unpleasant episode. However, it will certainly pass without consequences if you start treatment on time and do not stop breastfeeding your baby without very serious reasons.

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Colds in nursing mothers: how to treat them?

It would seem that acute respiratory infections are not such a terrible diagnosis, because almost every person “catch” this infection at least once a year. But a cold in a nursing mother is a special case. What can be done to keep the baby as safe as possible?

Svetla Babylonskaya

gynecologist, employee of the Department of Clinical Pharmacology of the Moscow State Medical Dental University, Ph.D.

Acute respiratory diseases (ARI), or, as they are called in everyday life, colds, are a group of diseases caused by various viruses, mainly affecting the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract and causing general intoxication of the body. Feeling its signs (headache, muscle pain, lethargy, weakness), the nursing mother is horrified, because she must be near the baby all the time and the worst thing is to infect the baby.

Acute respiratory infections during breastfeeding: course of the disease

The duration of a cold ranges from several days to several weeks. Infection with acute respiratory infections occurs by inhaling droplets of sputum containing viruses that enter the air from sick people when coughing, sneezing and talking.

In the human body, viruses multiply rapidly in the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract. Each type of acute respiratory infection virus has a “predilection” for a specific part of the upper respiratory tract. For example, the parainfluenza virus - to the mucous membrane of the nasal passages and larynx, rhinoviruses - mainly to the mucous membrane of the nasal passages.

As a result, patients develop swelling and inflammation of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract affected by the infection. From there, viruses enter the blood and spread to various organs. Susceptibility to acute respiratory infections in nursing mothers is very high: their respiratory organs constantly work under high load, since milk production requires high energy consumption and a large amount of oxygen.

From the penetration of the virus into the upper respiratory tract to the development of the disease, an average of 1 to 3 days passes. The main signs of all types of colds are fever, runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, sore throat, and cough. As a rule, the course of acute respiratory infections is not severe and short-lived (from 3 to 10 days).

However, these diseases (especially influenza) are dangerous due to their complications. They aggravate chronic diseases, including “silent” foci of infection. Therefore, treatment should not be neglected when acute respiratory infections occur, even if the disease is easily tolerated.

How to treat a cold for a nursing mother?

Treatment of acute respiratory infections during breastfeeding should begin as early as possible. At the first signs of the disease, you should consult a doctor who can recommend appropriate therapy. At home, a nursing mother should wear a disposable mask, which must be changed every 2 hours.

There is no need to stop breastfeeding if acute respiratory infections occur, except in cases of prescribing medications that are incompatible with breastfeeding. To date, no effective drug has been created against viral infections of the upper respiratory tract. Drugs such as REMANTADINE , RIBOVIRIN , ARBIDOL , which suppress the reproduction of almost all viruses, are effective only as a preventive measure or in the first hours of the disease.

But they have side effects that can also appear in a child: they disrupt the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, causing abdominal pain and loose stools; increase nervous excitability; An allergic rash may occur on the skin. And when using IMMUNAL , the complex homeopathic drug AFLUBIN, allergic reactions in the baby are possible.

Doctors do not recommend that nursing mothers use these medications. However, in case of acute respiratory infections, for the purpose of prevention or treatment, GRIPPFERON (this is interferon; a protein substance produced in the human body and having antiviral, immunomodulatory and antitumor activity). GRIPPFERON has no contraindications and does not cause side effects.

In addition, when treating nursing women, VIFERON , which are a complex of recombinant alpha-2b human interferon in combination with tocopherol acetate (vitamin E) and ascorbic acid.

It should be remembered that in case of a viral infection, the use of antibiotics is not justified. Antibacterial drugs do not act on viruses, so symptomatic therapy is carried out aimed at reducing intoxication and increasing the body's defenses.

Of course, in some cases, the doctor may suspect the presence of a bacterial complication, such as a sore throat or pneumonia, and prescribe an antibiotic combined with breastfeeding (you need to check this information with your doctor).

If you need to prescribe a specific antibacterial agent that is not compatible with breastfeeding, then breastfeeding should be stopped for the duration of treatment, and the milk should be expressed by hand or with a breast pump and discarded.

Symptomatic therapy includes prescribing plenty of warm drinks. This is an important measure that prevents drying of the mucous membranes of the nose and throat and helps to thin sputum, sweating and reduce the level of intoxication.

It must be remembered that an increase in temperature during a cold is an important protective mechanism. It is by the temperature reaction that the doctor will be able to timely diagnose the development of a bacterial complication of acute respiratory infections, and the uncontrolled use of antipyretic drugs can distort the picture.

The safest way to reduce high fever (above 38.5 degrees C) in nursing mothers is PARACETAMOL , which should be prescribed by a specialist. Such popular cold remedies as TERAFLU , COLDREX , FERVEX , etc. are not recommended for nursing women, because Their effect on this group of people has not been fully studied.

To reduce cough, expectorants are prescribed that dilute sputum, for example AMBROXOL ( LAZOLVAN ), which allows you to cleanse the bronchi and restore their functions. Drugs whose main active ingredient is bromhexine are contraindicated for lactating and pregnant women.

When coughing, nursing women will be helped by herbal preparations based on licorice root, anise, ivy, thyme, thyme, plantain and other herbal components that promote the discharge of mucus from the bronchi, for example BREAST ELIXIR (take a drop several times a day), GEDELIX , TUSSAMAG , BRONCHICUM , DOCTOR MOM . For a runny nose , vasoconstrictor drops that facilitate nasal breathing may be useful: NAFAZOLINE ( NAPHTHYZIN ), XYLOMETAZOLINE ( GALAZOLIN ), TETRIZOLINE ( TIZIN ), OXYMETAZOLINE ( NAZIVIN) . They can be used no longer than 3-5 days.

A herbal preparation - PINOSOL , which has an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effect, will be useful. When you have a runny nose, you can use sprays AQUAMARIS , SALIN , prepared on the basis of sea water, to moisturize the nasal mucosa.

These drugs thin out mucus, improving its discharge, and help normalize the functioning of the nasal mucosa. For a sore throat, it is possible to use local antiseptic (antimicrobial) drugs HEXORAL (solution, spray), CHLORHEXIDINE , IODINOL (gargling solution), lozenges SEBIDIN , STREPSILS . To lubricate the mucous membrane of the pharynx, use LUGOL'S SOLUTION (an aqueous solution of potassium iodine).

Photo source: Shutterstock

Comments

Whatever one may say, nature heals us, but chemistry cripples us

March 1:07

Interesting article, I discovered a lot of new things. In general, I rarely get sick from viral infections, because I constantly monitor my health, take vitamins, and exercise.

March 20:15

I don’t give any absorbable tablets, it’s all chemicals. We treat ourselves with everything natural, and resort to pills as a last resort. We gargle, do inhalations, and rinse our nose. I give plenty of warm drinks, milk with honey at night, and that’s it. The treatment is effective and without unnecessary chemical load.

February 6:57

The dermatologist assures. that this is because the immune system is weakening, some kind of madhouse. Not only is there a cold, but also these acne. I already bought a barrier reef so as not to get infected with any viruses, but I still can’t get rid of acne.

December 12:07

The article is terrible! Poor child of that mother who is treated with strepsils and naphthyzine! The author did not approach the topic correctly and recommended many of the drugs that were not destroyed!

November 3:15

And I dissolve Lyzobakt for the throat, the treatment is natural, because the antiseptic is natural. Just according to the scheme 2 tab. Take 3-4 times a day for a week. It copes with all bacteria and fungi in the throat, even strengthening local immunity.

September 20:06

Maybe, of course, medication treatment is good, but you shouldn’t overuse it, they also have side effects, and then there’s pregnancy. I always try to treat myself naturally and not let the disease reach an advanced stage. Gargling with chamomile decoction, soda helps the throat, I drink fruit drinks, compotes, rosehip decoction - they are full of vitamins! Warm tea is a must, and plenty of it, and warm milk at night with honey. Of course, keep your feet warm, and of course wash your nose.

August 26:11

Informative article, a lot of useful information. I would object only on one point: you should not rely on the harmlessness and effectiveness of arbidol. I started taking it almost immediately as soon as I felt that I was getting sick, but nevertheless the illness became completely worse, it didn’t help me in any way, but the baby developed a rash all over his body and was upset. I would generally remove it from the acceptable list of medications; it is an unsafe drug.

April 22:32

Just a big thank you. There is really nothing specific and nothing superfluous. I wish there were more articles like this.

January 9:01

Naphthyzin and Galazolin are addictive, despite the fact that it also causes a burn to the nasal cavity, for nursing and pregnant women, well, no, it’s better to buy at a more expensive price and be calm about your health.

So I DO NOT recommend either NAPHTHYZIN or GALAZOLIN.

And don’t forget, no matter how sick you get, you must go to the doctor, the point is not in your treatment, but in ensuring that you do not harm the child with this treatment, since now on all medicines it is written that no tests (studies) were carried out, or The risk to the fetus/child is unknown.

BE CAREFUL about your health and the health of your children.

June 5:17

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How to treat a nursing mother with a cold: methods and remedies

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.

Cold remedies

We list the drugs that a mother can use without consulting a specialist:

  1. Paracetamol. Compatible with breastfeeding. Take tablets at high temperatures. Additionally, they will help relieve headaches and muscle pain.
  2. Sprays and drops based on sea salt.
  3. Ambroxol, Lazolvan, Doctor Mom, Chest Elixir are used as expectorants and for sore throats.
  4. Farmazolin, Tizin, Nazolin are used for severe nasal congestion. To avoid complications, they should absolutely not be used for more than one week.
  5. Herbal oil drops, such as Pinosol, have an anti-inflammatory effect on the nasal mucosa.
  6. Grippferon and Viferon contain interferon, which has immunomodulatory and antiviral activity. They do not give side effects and have no contraindications.
  7. For sore throat, the use of local gargles is effective: Chlorhexidine, Hexoral. You can lubricate your throat with Lugol's solution.

Common medications that nursing mothers should not use:

  1. All medicines containing bromhexine.
  2. 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.
  3. Immunal and Aflubin are also quite allergenic, so they should not be used during breastfeeding.
  4. Fervex, Theraflu, Codrex are not recommended for nursing mothers; their possible effect on the child has not been sufficiently studied.

Grandma's advice

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.

  • Foot baths. There are many receptors on the feet that are connected to all organs and, in particular, to the nose. If you have a cold, your feet should be kept warm. You can warm your feet in the bath. Or you can just wear warm socks and slippers.
  • Rest and get enough sleep. Sick mothers simply need to take help from relatives in order to recover faster and avoid complications.
  • Tea with raspberries, lemon, cranberry juice will help mom get enough liquid and warm her throat. But you need to remember about possible allergies.

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!

  1. There is no need to boil breast milk. Heating destroys biologically active substances. Of course, it contains calories, but it ceases to be healing.
  2. You cannot drink any alcoholic beverages.
  3. 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.

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Source: http://amymama.ru/medicina/lechenie-prostudy-pri-grudnom-vskarmlivanii.html

What can nursing mothers take for a cold?

The birth of a child changes a woman’s life and her usual way of life. Pregnancy and childbirth require her to exert extreme physical and mental strength. The whole first year is no less difficult for a young mother, especially if she chose natural feeding - physical fatigue is superimposed on the constant worry about his well-being.

The female body, despite the joys of motherhood, experiences stress and is susceptible to infections, so colds in nursing mothers are not uncommon.

How to treat if you have a sore throat, headache, or nasal congestion, because now the mother’s health directly affects the well-being of the newborn?

Most of the drugs that helped cope with the ailment before have a contraindication in the instructions for use - lactation period. It is extremely difficult for a mother to choose on her own how to treat a cold while breastfeeding.

Where to begin

If symptoms of the disease appear, you should consult a therapist and get advice on how to treat a cold for a nursing mother without harming the baby. The attending physician will determine the nature of the infection based on a blood test. If poor health is the result of a viral infection, then he will recommend gentle ways to relieve symptoms, but if the malaise is caused by a bacterial infection, then a course of antibiotics will be required for recovery.

Doctors who are not sure of the safety of tablets or mixtures, when prescribing them to mothers, advise not to breastfeed during the illness. This caution is due to the lack of research and clinical experience with the use of drugs sold over the counter during lactation. And since any substances taken by the mother penetrate into the milk, their caution is fully justified.

Should I continue breastfeeding during illness?

There is no point in giving up breastfeeding when a painful condition appears, since any virus remains in the mother’s body for 1 to 3 days before manifesting itself as fever and runny nose. During this period, the newborn manages to receive from the mother a microdose of the pathogen, as during vaccination, as well as a dose of enzymes to form antibodies that fight infection.

Moreover, you should not interrupt feeding if the baby is sick. If the newborn stops receiving from the mother the antibodies necessary to fight the viral infection, the disease will be acute and recovery will take longer.

Feeding will still have to be stopped for a while if, during illness, the mother’s temperature rises above 38 degrees. In this case, artificial formula will help, and after the temperature drops, you can breastfeed the baby again.

How to protect your baby and get better

If you have a cold, before you immediately swallow a pill out of habit, think about the possibility of achieving results in other ways: take inhalations, warm your feet, drink more fluids.

Let your doctor know that you are a nursing mother and do not want to give up breastfeeding, then the doctor will be able to select medications for you that are quickly eliminated from the body.

Drugs taken 3-4 times a day are eliminated from the body faster than drugs with a long-term effect, which require a single dose per day, and they are considered less dangerous for treatment in lactating women.

Find out from your doctor when the active substance has a high concentration in the blood; this usually happens 1-2 hours after taking it and practically disappears after 6 hours.

It is possible to reduce the negative impact of the medicine on the baby if several conditions are met:

  • before starting the course, express and store the milk for several feedings;
  • give the baby the breast, and after he eats, immediately take a pill or mixture;
  • take the drug at night during the baby’s longest period of sleep;
  • if the child becomes hungry when 6 hours have not passed since taking the medicine, give him expressed milk;
  • Be sure to express the milk to avoid stagnation and traces of chemical compounds that may remain in it.

The attending physician, depending on the disease, will help develop the optimal treatment regimen and combine it with the baby’s feeding schedule.

Safe medications

1. Grippferon is prescribed for the treatment of ARVI and influenza, including during lactation. Drops are administered through the nose and act on viruses at the site of their reproduction, so its concentration in the blood is minimal. Within a couple of hours after administering the drops, the main symptoms of a cold are relieved: breathing becomes easier, the temperature drops, the headache subsides, and the sore throat decreases. Just two days after the start of treatment, as research has established, the sick person is not a source of infection, which is especially important when there is close contact between the mother and the baby. Grippferon drops are used for 5 days.

2.Acetaminophen, which is better known as paracetamol, can be taken by nursing mothers to reduce fever and relieve headaches. It has an anti-inflammatory effect, so it is used for feverish conditions accompanying inflammation and infectious diseases.

Paracetamol begins to act in thirty minutes, after four hours there are no traces of it left in the blood. Only 0.1-0.2% of the dose passed into breast milk.

To reduce temperature without consulting a therapist, take it for no more than 3 days, and to relieve pain - no more than five.

3.Lazolvan (ambroxol) is taken for severe coughing attacks. Long-term clinical experience and preclinical trials have not revealed a negative effect of taking lazolvan in therapeutic doses on infants during breastfeeding.

The therapeutic effect develops within half an hour and lasts from 6 to 12 hours.

Mucolytic preparations of plant origin such as marshmallow syrup and licorice root have no contraindications for use during lactation, but the instructions note that they should be used with caution.

It is better to take any antitussives immediately after the child has eaten, so that the active substances have time to disappear before the next feeding.

4. Aquamaris will help ease breathing with nasal congestion. This drug is sea water enriched with natural microelements. The product is available in the form of drops and spray. You can use it for 2 weeks, injecting 2-3 drops into each nostril 4-8 times a day. It has no restrictions on use, with the exception of allergies to components.

When starting treatment, you need to monitor the baby’s well-being. At the first sign of an allergic reaction, anxiety, or any distress in the baby, you should stop taking it and look for an alternative treatment.

Breastfeeding lays the foundation for the health of a little person and forms his immunity, therefore, the reasonable and justified use of medications by the mother in the first year of life becomes especially important.

Source: http://prostudych.ru/prostuda/chem-lechit-pri-grudnom-vskarmlivanii-kormyashhej-mame.html

A mother’s cold while breastfeeding: how to treat it and what antiviral drugs can be taken during lactation?

A viral infection or simply a cold can be different - everything will depend on the location of the causative agent of the disease. A nursing mother, like no one else, should be afraid of contracting ARVI, because her body, the respiratory system in particular, works at maximum speed. Let's talk about how to fight viruses and avoid adverse reactions.

Baby protection

Colds that occur during breastfeeding raise a lot of questions. When you are sick, it is always scary to infect your baby, so the main question for moms and dads is how to protect the baby from infection? You can create the most reliable protective barrier by using the following recommendations in practice:

  • Don't stop feeding. The most important thing you can do to keep your baby safe is to continue breastfeeding. Mother's milk is a strong barrier that protects the baby from harmful bacteria. Breastfeeding strengthens children's immunity, helping to protect themselves from viruses or alleviate the course of the disease.

Even if the mother is sick, breastfeeding should be continued - it is the complex of nutrients contained in milk that can protect the baby from infection

  • Use a medical mask. Unfortunately, doctors claim that wearing a mask does not prevent infection of other people - the whole point is that the virus enters the body 2-3 days before its active manifestations (when the first cough and snot appear). If you still use a mask, the concentration of harmful organisms in the air will be significantly lower than without it. Please note that the gauze bandage needs to be changed every two hours.
  • Wash your hands thoroughly. The virus is transmitted in two main ways - airborne droplets and touch. The main enemy is snot flowing from the nose. Napkins and handkerchiefs are the main carrier of infection, and there are also a lot of germs on the hands. We recommend regularly washing your hands before contacting your baby - this will protect him from possible infection.

The course of ARVI is such that the critical period with headaches, weakness and fever occurs in the first days of the disease. A sick mother who is breastfeeding her newborn should be treated with extreme caution. A cold during breastfeeding weakens the already low immunity, so a woman is at high risk of developing complications. In advanced forms, chronic diseases may develop. As soon as the mother notices the first signs of a cold, she should immediately consult a doctor.

How should a cold be treated during breastfeeding?

Do not delay visiting the doctor if you have a cold - the sooner the doctor prescribes effective treatment for you, the lower the risk of complications. The specialist will tell you what to do, how to treat a cold for a nursing mother, and what medications you can take. It is extremely necessary to consult an experienced doctor if the temperature persists for more than three days, and if there are signs of deterioration (increasing cough, etc.).

General recommendations

Follow generally accepted recommendations for treating viruses, including medications and traditional medicine:

  • Maintaining bed rest. It is absolutely necessary to comply with this condition, even if all you have is a runny nose. The body receives a lot of stress, and rest is an important medicine that helps beat a cold. Bed rest will shorten the duration of illness and eliminate the risk of complications, such as bacterial infections.
  • Drink plenty of fluids. Fulfilling this condition will help ease your overall well-being and also reduce your temperature. Viruses multiply toxins in the body, which cause headaches and weakness. You can “wash” them out of the body by consuming plenty of water. Their effect is weakened by warm liquid. Drink more fruit drinks and compotes. Honey, lemon and raspberries should be added to tea, but only if the baby has no allergies.
  • Traditional medicine. Many folk remedies are recognized as effective by specialists from European countries. When breastfeeding, it is possible to use blackcurrant juice, which perfectly relieves unpleasant symptoms (nasal congestion), and also has a beneficial effect on the entire body, saturating it with vitamin C. Drinking tea with lemon and honey can relieve even severe sore throat. To maintain the vitality of the body, use chicken broth, which will help reduce the formation of cells responsible for cold symptoms - swelling and congestion of the nasal mucosa.
  • Eating as desired. If you have no appetite, you shouldn't eat. To maintain strength, it is advised to drink chicken broth or simply drink more fluids. The quality of breast milk will not be affected.

Antiviral agents

Many existing antiviral drugs do not cope with their task at all, because they affect a person only psychologically. Some medications cannot be used during breastfeeding - these include Remantadine, Arbidol, Ribovirin and others.

Homeopathic medicines have not yet earned their trust and have questionable therapeutic effects. Among others, we will name “Anaferon”, “Ocillococinum”, “Aflubin” and others. Sometimes they contain alcohol, which can negatively affect a woman’s milk supply. Also, some medications can cause allergies in a child.

The most effective and safe medicines that contain human recombinant alpha interferon, for example, Viferon and Grippferon, have earned trust. Use them only as directed.

Antiviral drugs are effective only at the very beginning of the disease, when the disease is concentrated on the mucous membranes. This period is characterized by sneezing, coughing and runny nose. Within a day, the acute respiratory infection virus reaches the blood and antiviral drugs become ineffective, even interfere with recovery, creating unnecessary stress on the body.

Antipyretic drugs

When the reading on the thermometer exceeds 38.5 °C, you should start taking antipyretic medications. If tolerance is good, lower temperatures are not recommended. The body, by raising the temperature, begins the most effective fight against viruses, so knocking it down only weakens the body and prolongs the recovery period.

Against runny nose

To relieve unpleasant symptoms in the nasal area during lactation, use medications to relieve swelling of the mucous membrane, which will help restore normal breathing and continue treatment “comfortably.” The use of vasoconstrictor drops will not be harmful to the child, so mothers can safely use them in their treatment.

The main active ingredients in cold remedies include:

  • Naphazoline. Their “action” period is the shortest - these are “Naphthyzin”, “Sanorin”.
  • Xylometazoline. The average duration of “work” of the funds is 8-10 hours. Among others, there are “Galazolin”, “Ximilin”, “Otrivin”.
  • Oxymetazoline. Among all vasoconstrictor drugs, these are the most effective. Their effect lasts up to 12 hours. Choose between “Noxprey”, “Nasivin”, “Nazol”.

For sore throat

For a mother who is breastfeeding, the ideal option for a sore throat would be topical antiseptics. For rinsing, you can use store-bought solutions or homemade ones. Hexoral, Iodinol, and Chlorhexidine help well. Rinsing with water with sea salt and a couple of drops of iodine will have a good effect.

Lozenges such as Strepsils and Sebidin can relieve a sore throat for a short time. Also, nursing mothers can seek help from the sprays “Kameton”, “Chlorophyllipt”, “Camphomen”, which have only a local effect and do not pass into breast milk.

Chlorophyllipt spray will help cure a sore throat, but will not pass into breast milk. It is one of the optimal drugs for treating the throat of a nursing mother.

Against cough

To combat the cough of a nursing mother, you can resort to natural-based remedies - for example, thyme, licorice, marshmallow, ivy, etc. In pharmacies they are offered in the form of syrups or tablets.

During lactation, it is not prohibited to take medications based on ambroxol. Inhalations with this substance will be most effective. It is convenient to carry out the procedures using a nebulizer. "Ambroxol" affects only the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract and does not enter the systemic bloodstream or breast milk.

It is very important to treat a cold and not forget about your well-being. Relief comes already on the third day, provided the correct therapy is chosen, however, some symptoms tend to persist for up to 7-10 days. If you have any doubts about changes in cough or the quality of mucus from the nose, you should consult a doctor for advice, so you can avoid complications - sore throat, sinusitis and pneumonia.

Attention! All information on the site is provided for informational purposes only and is for informational purposes only. For all questions regarding the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, you must consult a doctor for an in-person consultation.

Source: http://vseprorebenka.ru/laktaciya/samochuvstvie-mamy/chem-lechit-prostudu-kormyashchej-mame.html