How to treat colds during lactation. Treatment of colds 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.).

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 to overcome 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 (more details in the article:).
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 (we recommend reading:). 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.

Dr. Komarovsky argues that the most important thing in treatment is to enable the body to turn on its resources and begin to fight the infection. For a more effective recovery process, it can be recommended to use additional medications that will help defeat the disease in a matter of days.

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 immunomodulatory drugs are effective, but only at the very beginning of the disease, when symptoms have just begun to appear. Then their reception becomes meaningless

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.

For colds during lactation, medications based on ibuprofen and paracetamol are not contraindicated. The most preferable drugs are in their pure form, because drugs with many functions, such as Flukold or TeraFlu, contain a number of substances that can negatively affect the body, and their effect has not yet been fully studied.

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 a nursing mother's cough, 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 circulation 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.

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

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 of colds with the chest prescribed immediate isolation and interruption (read: actually complete cessation). Fortunately, the WHO Bulletin “Feeding of the first year of life: physiological basis”, published in 1989, refuted this prevailing stereotype.

Rules of conduct during colds while breastfeeding

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 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 has one main principle: safety for the child. There are two treatment options: with the help of medicines and folk recipes.

Medicines for the treatment of colds in a nursing mother

If she does not tolerate it well, then the increased 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. To treat 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.
Local antimicrobial agents such as Hexoral, Iodinol, Chlorhexidine will help cure a sore throat.

You can lubricate the mucous membrane of the pharynx with Lugol's solution Will help get rid of viral infections antivirals

. For example, Grippferon. It is compatible with lactation and has no side effects.

You should never:
take medications thoughtlessly

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 from linden, raspberry and other plants. Sweeten with honey. Add lemon

Any cold can always be overcome!

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.

The question of how to treat during lactation was asked by every nursing mother who has either already fallen ill with this acute respiratory disease or is afraid of its occurrence. After all, many medications are contraindicated during this period due to the harm they can cause to the baby through milk.

A nursing mother should not panic when she gets pregnant. After all, our body has evolved over many millions of years and has become resistant to various viruses. As for kids, there is no need to worry about them either, because usually such an infection is defeated by the protective forces of the immune system in a matter of days.

The disease begins to develop according to the following principle: first it enters a healthy body and begins its active reproduction, and as a result, the cells of the mucous membrane are damaged.An inflammatory process appears, which manifests itself in skin hyperemia, increased blood circulation and swelling. Development begins, and... In response to acute respiratory infections, the body's defenses are immediately activated.

The immune system produces specific antibodies that destroy this infection. There is no need to be afraid of complications from a cold if a nursing woman has good body resistance.You should not panic and take the appearance of such a disease calmly.

You need to make every effort to support your body in the fight against the emerging viral infection.

A cold during lactation has the following symptoms:

Dryness and itching appear in the sinuses, which causes frequent sneezing.
The voice becomes hoarse, irritated and sore.
It begins.
Aches joints and muscles.
A nursing mother experiences severe weakness and fatigue, accompanied by drowsiness.
begins to increase from very insignificant numbers on the thermometer to very large ones.
There is discharge from the nasal sinuses with a transparent tint and a thick liquid structure, which can thicken and turn into crusts.
There is severe discomfort in the throat, which is associated with pain when swallowing.
Profuse lacrimation begins, accompanied by a fear of light and pain in the eyes.

May present with varying combinations of symptoms. They can be either pronounced or completely insignificant. But all these signs bring severe discomfort to a nursing woman.

Breastfeeding when you have a cold

Some people mistakenly believe that breastfeeding during ARVI is dangerous. But this is absolutely not true. On the contrary, it can help the child. As mentioned earlier, along with mother’s milk, the baby receives a number of antibodies that resist such a virus. With a high degree of probability, it can be said that an infant will not get a cold while breastfeeding.

It is best not to deprive the baby of mother's milk when such a viral infection occurs, trying to protect him from the disease.

But there are situations when feeding a child is contraindicated.

These are cases when the mother has a very serious condition, and her state of health does not allow her to properly care for the baby.This disease can lead to complications such as pneumonia and acute bronchitis. If they occur, then it is better for the woman to stop breastfeeding and transfer the child to formula feeding.

Most medications are contraindicated during lactation. This is due to the fact that medications can harm the baby’s health if they enter his body through mother’s milk. It is for this reason that a nursing mother needs to choose only safe drugs that will not harm her newborn baby.

Drug treatment

Colds during lactation should be treated with medications that do not contain any harmful components:

To eliminate strong symptoms, you should take medications with an expectorant effect. During lactation, a good choice would be to take medications or Ambroxol. To make breathing easier, products such as Chest Elixir or, that is, those syrups that contain medicinal herbs are recommended.
Severe congestion in the nasal sinuses is eliminated using the type Tizin, Farmazolin or. Abuse of such drugs can lead to complications in the form of atrophic rhinitis, so you should not get carried away with these drugs. They can be used for no more than seven days.
During this time, you should use products that have a local effect and are antimicrobial in nature. These include Hexoral and Strepsils. As for the mucous membrane, it can be spread.
Herbal oil drops have an excellent anti-inflammatory effect on the sinus area.
Acute respiratory infections caused by infections of viral origin can be eliminated with the help of Grippferon. This drug has no contraindications to treatment during lactation. In addition, the body tolerates it well.
During a cold, the nasal mucosa must be additionally moisturized. This can be achieved using sea salt drops and sprays.

It should be remembered that during lactation it is strictly forbidden to use drugs containing bromhexine.

Traditional methods of treatment

Since ancient times, treatment of acute respiratory infections using traditional medicine recipes has been not only safe, but also had a fairly good effect:

Application is as safe as possible for the mother’s body. They can be made using herbs (for example, steaming eucalyptus leaves). Using steam from boiled potatoes gives excellent results. To facilitate the process, you can purchase a special drug -. It will also be useful to the mother when the child grows up for treatment. Inhalations with its help are done using Borjomi, Ambrobene (solution) or saline. The doctor must decide which remedy will be most effective for acute respiratory infections. By doing inhalations three to four times a day, after just two days you can see how your health has improved.
With the help of raspberry tea, you can easily soften the general condition during such a disease.
To help a sore throat, use a solution that contains water (1 glass) and apple cider vinegar (1 tablespoon). Procedures with its help should be carried out at least once every hour.
To make breathing through the nose easier, use the following recipe: heat a quarter cup of sunflower oil in a water bath and mix with garlic and onion, previously crushed into fine crumbs. This mixture is infused for an hour to two, and the resulting composition is lubricated inside the nasal sinuses.
Linden tea with the addition of honey has an excellent effect. The concentration of such a drink should not be too strong; it should be slightly darker than water. You should not be overzealous with the use of linden; its excessive use is fraught with the appearance of pain in the heart area.
For acute respiratory infections, the use of onions and garlic is very useful. They can be pre-chopped and mixed with honey. To get rid of colds, one or two teaspoons of this composition are eaten after each meal. However, we should not forget that these odorous products can provoke diarrhea in an infant. Therefore, before using such a drug, you should consult your doctor.

Useful video - Colds during lactation.

Is the cold contagious and how to treat it correctly

Many nursing mothers are concerned about the question: is it possible to steam their feet if they have a cold during lactation? Yes, such procedures are indicated during acute respiratory infections. It is very important to follow one rule: the water temperature should not be more than 40 degrees, and the process itself should last approximately 8-12 minutes. This method is quite effective. And to make its effect even better, you can add a small amount of mustard to the water. Immediately after the procedure, you must put on cotton socks.

Actions at temperature

If the temperature during lactation rises to 38.5 degrees, the nursing mother can take paracetamol (one tablet) or drugs based on it. This medicine is the safest for reducing high fever. This drug perfectly eliminates pain in the head and muscles that accompany acute respiratory infections.

But before this, you need to consult your doctor to avoid unwanted effects. As for drugs like Theraflu, Fervex or Coldrex, it is better not to take them on your own, since it has not yet been established how they can affect the baby’s body.

At temperatures below 38 degrees, you can use a wipe based on a weak vinegar solution. Vodka in equal proportions with water is also suitable for this purpose. After the whole body has been rubbed, you need to cover yourself with a light sheet.These steps should be repeated every 15-25 minutes. If the thermometer shows a temperature of 37.5, then there is no need to bring it down.

But when the temperature is very high (more than 38 - 38.5 degrees), the milk may well “burn out” and lactation will stop.

One important rule during acute respiratory infections is that if a prolonged increase in body temperature occurs, you should never self-medicate. You should immediately seek the help of a general practitioner, and do not forget to mention breastfeeding at your appointment. A specialist can prescribe antibiotics and other drugs against this viral infection that will not harm the baby’s health.

There are situations when it is not possible to cure this type of infectious disease without simultaneously interrupting lactation. This can occur in diseases that are bacterial in nature. There are also cases when surgical treatment is required for a nursing mother. If such a situation occurs, the woman needs to consult a doctor and warn him that she is breastfeeding.

If there are acute respiratory infections that are in no way compatible with breastfeeding the baby, the doctor will prescribe a switch to artificial feeding. In this situation, the child may need additional therapy if he has already become infected. This is a necessity, since having lost his mother’s milk, the baby needs a natural increase in the immune forces of his body.

If doctors’ forecasts are not so disappointing, and complications from acute respiratory infections in the mother can be combined with breastfeeding, then there is no need to stop it. To do this, a woman must express her milk so that the lactation function remains normal. This needs to be done several times a day.

Before you begin to treat a cold and its complications with medications, you should carefully read the instructions included with them in advance.

These actions are necessary because any, even the safest drug, may contain chemical components that can harm the health of a nursing mother and her baby. It is strictly forbidden to exceed the amount of the specified dose prescribed in the instructions for the medicinal product.By following all the above rules, you can easily survive the unpleasant period of a cold during lactation and not be afraid that the child will be left without breastfeeding.

The common cold is not as dangerous as acute respiratory infections. In order not to harm the body of a young mother and her child, you need to know how to treat ARVI while breastfeeding.

Treatment of ARVI during breastfeeding must be correct so as not to harm the mother and child

Every year, or even several times a year, almost all of us fall ill with respiratory diseases. The nose runs, coughing, sneezing occurs. But there is a misconception that colds and acute respiratory viral infections are one and the same disease. An incorrect comparison entails an inadequate approach to treating the disease with the ensuing complications. This is especially true for risk groups, which include young children, the elderly, and pregnant women. ARVI in a nursing mother also requires special attention, since the condition of the newborn baby depends on this. Therefore, it makes sense to find out the differences between various conditions, their nature of occurrence and the main symptoms, and at the same time, remember what is possible for a nursing mother with ARVI.

Causes of ARVI and colds

ARVI is a number of respiratory diseases, which include influenza. Infection occurs through airborne droplets, and those who have not been immunized or have weak immunity are especially susceptible. The body's defenses, in turn, weaken due to many factors, which include chronic diseases, previous surgeries, bad habits, poor diet, etc. The most optimal air temperature for the spread of infection is from -5 to 5 degrees. It is in such an atmosphere that viruses quickly multiply and penetrate the nursing mucosa, to eliminate which requires adequate treatment of ARVI during lactation.

Colds manifest themselves due to hypothermia and low immunity. But at the same time, pathogenic microorganisms do not penetrate the body, but internal ones are activated, which are necessarily present in the body of every person. There is a cough, sore throat, etc. The disease does not pose a threat of powerful intoxication, the culprit of which is the acquired virus. As a treatment, you can use folk remedies, a course of multivitamins.

Pathogenesis of ARVI

After pathogenic microorganisms penetrate the mucous membrane through the respiratory tract, in rare cases through the conjunctiva, the viruses settle firmly in the larynx, nose, etc. They penetrate deep into the epithelium, then into the bloodstream and gain access to the internal organs. The main symptoms appear:

myalgia - aches in muscles, joints;
fever;
sore throat.

A respiratory infection is often not detected immediately, since the viruses multiply first; after 2-3 days, a person develops the following symptoms:

heat;
sore throat;
runny nose, sneezing;
headache;
dry, painful cough.

Decay products from parts of healthy cells and viruses, entering the blood, cause additional unpleasant symptoms:

nausea;
vomiting

In rare cases, pathogenic microorganisms penetrate the intestinal cavity, causing severe inflammation. The patient is accompanied by diarrhea, stomach cramps, and complete loss of appetite.

The body of a nursing mother is subject to stress even without illness

ARVI in a nursing woman

A young mother who is breastfeeding is already subject to stress, including the respiratory system. When producing milk, the body introduces specific enzymes into it that protect the baby from diseases and promote its development. A woman is very susceptible to infection, but with adequate treatment, the disease does not pose a particular danger. But for a baby who receives everything vital from the mother’s body, breastfeeding during ARVI without following the recommendations can cause serious harm.

In a young mother, the disease occurs in three stages:

The virus enters the body. The first signs appear after 2-3 days: fever, high temperature, sore throat, lacrimation, runny nose.
Approximately 2-3 days after the first signs of the disease, the immune system produces a response - interferon, which destroys bacterial colonies.
After 7-10 days, the recovery period begins. The sense of smell returns, a surge of energy is felt, pain goes away, and the temperature returns to normal. If there are no such symptoms, complications have arisen in the body due to a viral infection.

Important: as for babies, they have not yet developed immunity. Children under 6 months receive valuable components that strengthen protective mechanisms through mother's milk, which cannot be said about bottle-fed babies. Therefore, it is important not to wean the baby from the mother’s breast for as long as possible.

Treatment of ARVI during breastfeeding

Treatment for a nursing mother should be individualized. But there is an ironclad rule: at the first signs of the disease, you should immediately consult a doctor. So, how to treat ARVI for a nursing mother at home, what measures to take:

Drink at least 2 liters of warm drink - milk, water, herbal teas, fruit drinks, juices. When intoxicated and attacked by viruses, the body loses a large amount of fluid, so it is important to normalize the water balance. Fever, high temperature causes dryness of the mucous membranes; due to the consumption of fluid, the respiratory tract is moistened and the mucus is thinned. Toxins are eliminated from the body in various ways, including through sweat.
Treatment of influenza and ARVI during breastfeeding involves rest and bed rest. Do not neglect the recommendations of doctors; you should limit your activity. During an acute respiratory infection, the human body loses strength, and in order to continue the fight against viruses, it must be accumulated. Peace, silence, and being in a warm bed will save and accumulate energy.
At high temperatures, intoxication, loss of appetite occurs. You cannot force a patient to eat, especially since a sore throat interferes with swallowing, and the sense of smell and taste are lost. Food is replaced by warm drinks of compotes, fruit drinks, juices, which contain no less useful substances. Warm chicken broth, which contains components valuable for recovery, is suitable as a complete nutrition. Liquid porridges and purees will not be superfluous.
Clean room. The room in which the sick person is located must be periodically ventilated and moistened. In dry, stagnant air, viruses thrive and multiply, and the infected person again inhales pathogenic microorganisms.

A nursing mother needs to drink at least 2 liters of warm liquid per day

Treatment of a nursing mother with ARVI

The above measures are provided as part of complex therapy. When treating ARVI with hepatitis B, antiviral drugs are indicated. The prescription of medicines provides a list that contains only those items that will not harm the health of the mother and her baby.

Important: it is a big mistake to use antibiotics to treat a viral infection. The components of such products are not able to influence the aggressive and powerful forces of pathogenic microorganisms. Antibiotics for nursing mothers with ARVI are prescribed by the attending physician individually to eliminate complications - pneumonia, bronchitis, tracheitis, etc.

An important point is to protect the child’s body from viral attacks. If the baby's mother falls ill with ARVI, a number of precautions must be taken:

Is it possible to breastfeed during ARVI - yes, this is a mandatory task; the beneficial components of milk will help keep the baby’s immunity at the proper level.
Wash your hands constantly, as the infection spreads not only through the air, but also through dirty hands and face. During ARVI, everyone uses handkerchiefs, which they touch with their hands in any case.
Wear a cotton-gauze bandage or mask to eliminate the risk of infection of the baby when breathing, coughing, or sneezing. Wear the item not only when in contact with the baby, but also at other times, thus the concentration of viruses in the air will be minimized.

Important: if a woman’s condition deteriorates significantly, a feeling of heaviness, weakness, high temperature, fever, it is difficult to care for the child. In such cases, the help of loved ones is important, who must take care of the baby.

Treatment of ARVI during breastfeeding: drugs

Following doctors' recommendations is just part of the therapy, which strengthens the body and improves immunity. In addition, it is necessary to consume medications for ARVI during breastfeeding of a certain type, aimed at eliminating symptoms and destroying viruses.

Treatment of ARVI in a nursing mother should be prescribed by a qualified doctor

ARVI in a nursing mother: treatment with antiviral drugs

There are a lot of drugs on the shelves of pharmacies, in the variety of which it is easy to get lost and confused. A young mother should be especially picky; treatment of acute respiratory viral infections when feeding a child requires certain types of drugs; the wrong selection can harm the child.

Prohibited drugs include Remantadine, Ribovirin, Arbidol. Homeopathic medicines such as Aflubin and Anaferon are not highly effective and can cause allergic reactions in the body. Among the best drugs are those that contain recombinant human interferon alpha. Treatment of ARVI during breastfeeding with the indicated names is prescribed only by the attending physician, since the schedule and doses provide for an individual approach.

Treatment of ARVI during lactation: fighting a runny nose

When intoxicated, swelling of the mucous membrane occurs, which causes a runny nose, sore throat, and difficulty breathing. To clear the airways, vasoconstrictor drugs are prescribed - sprays, drops.

There are a lot of names that can be safely used by both nursing mothers and small children:

based on Naphazoline: Naphthyzin, Sanorin - short period of action;
based on xylometazoline: Ximilan, Otrivin - medium-term period of action.
based on oxymetazoline: Noxprey, Nazol, effective for 12 hours.

How to treat ARVI in a nursing mother: lowering the temperature

Any respiratory disease causes an increase in temperature. If the mark does not rise, it means that the immune forces are so weak that they are unable to fight viruses. There is no point in reducing the indicators to 38.5. Thus, the body attacks pathogenic microorganisms with its immunity and concentrates its forces on fighting the symptoms. In cases where the readings are above 38.5, it is necessary to take antipyretic drugs. For a nursing mother, medications are prescribed to reduce the temperature: ibuprofen, paracetamol. But the medicines must be in their pure form. Diluted, that is, a combination of antipyretics with other components: Theraflu, Flukold can cause an allergic reaction and dangerous side effects in the body of an infant.

How to treat ARVI during lactation: relieving sore throat

To minimize the risk of taking heavy drugs for an infant’s body, it is better to use local means. The safest medications for ARVI during lactation are liquids containing antiseptic components: Iodinol, Lugol, Hexoral.

Hexoral is considered a safe and at the same time effective drug for the treatment of ARVI during lactation

Rinsing at home produces an excellent effect. Add 3 drops of iodine into a glass of almost hot water, add 1 teaspoon of salt and baking soda. Rinse 5 times a day.

To get rid of a sore throat, use lollipops that contain antiseptic and analgesic components: Strepsils, Falimint, in the form of sprays: Kameton, Chlorophyllipt.

Important: before starting treatment for ARVI while breastfeeding, you must clearly understand: take any drug only as prescribed by a doctor, having previously agreed on the dose and schedule.

Prevention of ARVI in a nursing mother

Despite the fact that a young mother does not have a lot of free time, she still needs to take care of preventive measures. You should follow the basic rules included in the complex for the prevention of ARVI during breastfeeding, which strengthen the immune system and minimize the chances of infection with acute respiratory diseases.

No one forbids nursing mothers from leading a healthy lifestyle and playing sports. You can choose half an hour, an hour a day to do jogging, swimming, yoga, or gymnastics.
Drink plenty of fluids. Not only does water have a direct relationship with the formation of milk in the glands, it also strengthens the body by cleansing it. With liquid, be it juice, fruit drink, compote, herbal tea, toxins and toxins are removed, metabolism and metabolic processes are improved. Scientists have long established that the immune system is formed in the gastrointestinal tract, and the fluid regulates the optimal microflora, which means that the defenses will be in perfect order.
Fresh air. Nature itself prescribes for a young woman to walk with a stroller in the open air, which is beneficial for both her and her baby. Firstly, this movement, activity, which already has a beneficial effect on the mother’s body, strengthens her tone. Secondly, light walks bring positivity, invigorate, and give energy.
Healthy eating. Yes, when breastfeeding you have to choose foods so that the baby does not have colic, allergies, or diathesis. But you shouldn’t give up steamed vegetables, healthy purees and cereals.
Prevention of influenza and ARVI during breastfeeding involves hardening. You need to start strengthening your immune system in warm seasons, preferably in summer. Start hardening with a contrast shower, then douse yourself with cold water every morning. Increased energy, vigor, increased tone, increased blood circulation.
To refuse from bad habits. Everyone understands perfectly well that a smoking, drinking mother has no right to breastfeed her baby. But there are still cases when a woman does not behave quite correctly. Nicotine and alcohol directly impair the functioning of internal organs, the liver, kidneys, and lungs, which are directly involved in cleansing and hematopoiesis, suffer. Toxins enter the mother's milk and then into the baby's body.

A nursing mother needs to take special care of her health and that of her baby.

It is important to protect and care for a young mother, not to mention her baby. After childbirth, a woman undergoes hormonal changes, she is tormented by depression, confusion, and fear, especially if she is a first-time mother. Relatives should monitor her psychological state, help in everything, and surround her with love. The slightest trouble or breakdown can cause loss of milk, stress, and the mother’s condition immediately affects the health of her child.

A nursing mother has a cold, how to avoid infecting her child, what is the best treatment, and is it necessary to consult a doctor about prescribing medications? As during pregnancy, during lactation the woman remains connected to the child. The well-being of the baby largely depends on her health. And when a nursing mother has a cold, you need to be especially responsible and attentive when taking medications.

The ideal is to use only local treatments, that is, those that do not have a systemic effect on the mother’s body. They enter the blood and breast milk to a minimum, which means they do not have any effect on the baby. Folk remedies for the treatment of colds in nursing mothers are especially recommended for use. But not those that are taken orally. The fact is that even seemingly harmless herbs can cause severe allergies in a child. It's another matter when the treatment is local.

But before we describe possible therapy, we need to find out whether it is possible to feed breast milk during a cold, and if not, then in what cases? Modern doctors recommend not interrupting lactation during illness, unless it is too severe, that is, the mother is able to feed her child. Breastfeeding during a cold is possible, unless the woman is sick with tuberculosis, she does not have HIV, hepatitis B and C virus, or syphilis. Everything else, any acute respiratory viral infections and acute respiratory infections - this is all acceptable. A mother will definitely not infect her child with them through milk. Direct infection by airborne droplets is possible. Therefore, prevention of colds during breastfeeding is necessary in terms of the mandatory use of medical masks or gauze when communicating with the child, frequent ventilation of the room, and thorough wet cleaning.

Many women do not know what nursing mothers can and cannot do when they have a cold. And there is no way to go to the doctor because of the small child. And they decide to limit physical contact as much as possible. They simply express milk, and then one of the relatives feeds this milk from a bottle. This method has a right to exist if, for example, the mother was admitted to the hospital. If not, then this can cause more harm, since during bottle feeding the baby loses the habit of sucking the breast. And then returning to natural feeding will be problematic.

Progressive mothers are trying to use antiviral drugs for nursing mothers to prevent the development of the disease. There are a lot of drugs of this type on the Russian pharmaceutical market. Another thing is that they are not very effective. In Europe and the USA, this kind of drugs are not on sale at all. But if you believe in their effectiveness, then in order to start taking the pills, in principle, it is enough to read the instructions and make sure that they are approved for lactation.

What medications can a nursing mother take for a cold with its typical symptoms such as fever, sore throat, runny nose and cough? There are many of those that are allowed to everyone else. A nursing woman's temperature is easily reduced with medications containing paracetamol or ibuprofen in standard dosages. And if it is not so high that you need to take medication, you can practice wiping the body with a damp cloth (not soaked in vinegar or alcohol!) and frequently ventilating the room. The purpose of the latter is not only to get rid of viruses from the air, but also to reduce the temperature in the room, due to which the body temperature should also decrease.

If a nursing mother has a cold and has a sore throat, then it is better to use any other lozenges rather than drugs sold in pharmacies to reduce this pain. Yes, at least regular caramel. All this will help moisturize your throat and improve your well-being. It is also recommended to frequently gargle with any herbal or antiseptic solutions, and if there are none, then at least with plain water. Nursing mothers need to seriously think about how to treat a cold if a woman has a sore throat and the microorganism streptococcus is detected. In this case, antibacterial therapy is necessary - taking antibiotics. True, even then it is not necessary to wean the child from the breast.

And if a nursing mother has a cold, what can she drink for a runny nose and cough? Recently, drugs for the common cold, taken orally, have become very popular... They contain a number of herbs and supposedly help clear the nose as quickly as possible. However, in reality, it is much more effective to simply rinse your nose with a saline solution or even drink or eat something hot. But the herbs contained in the tablets may not be very safe for the child and may cause allergies. By the way, you can also use vasoconstrictor drops for a runny nose during lactation.

As for the last unpleasant symptom - cough, sputum-thinning drugs can be used for treatment when the cough has already become wet. And if they help little or even worsen your health, you can get by with warm drinks and inhalation of humidified air, possibly inhalations. Naturally, you need to do everything to avoid infecting the child, do not cough in his presence, or, even better, wear a thick medical mask.

And remember that breastfeeding is always a blessing. And when sick, a woman passes on antibodies against a viral infection to her child through her milk, which has a very positive effect on the baby’s immunity.