The birth of a baby is a huge stress for the female body. The immune system is weakened, with the result that the risk of getting sick increases significantly. Sore throat is a fairly common problem that breastfeeding moms face. They can be provoked by many diseases - from colds to sore throats. But how to treat a throat while breastfeeding and is it necessary to stop feeding?
Very rarely, a cold can be a reason to stop feeding. At the same time, the selection of what to treat the throat of a nursing mother should be approached carefully. The active substances of the drugs pass into breast milk, and therefore into the baby's body. The consequences of this can be completely unpredictable. So, let's consider how to treat a throat with HB.
Recommendations for nursing
Regardless of what exactly provoked the disease, throat treatment during the lactation period should be comprehensive. That is, in addition to taking acceptable drugs, you must follow several important recommendations. Let's list them.
- Don't stop feeding. Fever and sore throat are not at all a reason to wean your baby. These symptoms have no effect on milk quality. It is much more dangerous to stop feeding for a while. This increases the risk of lactostasis (milk stagnation in the breast). Approximately from the third day of the disease, interferon, a natural antiviral agent, begins to be produced in the body. And from the fifth day, antibodies to the viruses that attack the body appear. Thus, by continuing to breastfeed the child, the woman transfers her immunity to him.
- Practice good hygiene. In case of close contact with the baby, it is imperative to wear a gauze bandage. This, to some extent, will protect him from infection (the process of transmission of almost every cold disease is airborne). In addition, you should wash your hands as often as possible. After all, traces of mucous secretions that are teeming with bacteria or viruses can remain on them. Replace handkerchiefs with disposable tissues and discard after use. Never put them next to your child.
- Increase the amount of fluid you drink. This recommendation for nursing is one of the most important. It is necessary to start drinking more as soon as the first symptoms of a cold or bacterial infection appear. Increasing the amount of fluids consumed throughout the day prevents dehydration at elevated temperatures. In addition, in this way, toxic waste products left by harmful bacteria and viruses can be removed from it.
- Bed rest. To comply with this recommendation, a nursing mother will have to ask someone from her relatives or friends for help. After all, while she is lying down, someone must take care of the current household chores. Bed rest is a necessary measure to speed up recovery.
- Take antipyretic medications (if needed). Safe medicines that can be taken during lactation are only "Ibuprofen" and "Paracetamol". The very first pill will help bring down the temperature and at the same time reduce the severity of the pain syndrome. Note that Ibuprofen is also characterized by an anti-inflammatory effect.
What medications are safe
Often, moms use aerosols, sucking lozenges (lozenges) to treat throat while breastfeeding. However, many of them should not be taken during lactation. We list the topical preparations that relieve sore throat, which are allowed by nursing.
- Ingalipt. This aerosol is intended for irrigation of the pharyngeal mucosa. The drug effectively fights bacteria, fungi and other pathogenic microorganisms. To get the best effect, you should rinse your throat with clean warm water before irrigation.
- "Hexoral". This aerosol is characterized by antimicrobial and antiseptic effects. According to the instructions, lactation is not a contraindication.
- "Lizobakt". Antiseptic in the form of sucking tablets approved for breastfeeding. In the process of application, it is necessary to strictly adhere to the dosage indicated in the instructions.
- Furacillin. Time-tested throat medicine. A rinse solution is made from it. A couple of Furacillin tablets should be dissolved in a cup of warm water. Use the solution for rinsing 4-5 times a day.
- Miramistin. Antiseptic of a wide spectrum of action. They can also safely treat throat during lactation. In addition, this drug can additionally irrigate the nasal passages so that the infection does not spread to the throat from there.
The list of medicines that are safe for nursing mothers is very small. True, doctors can prescribe other medications (for example, the local antibiotic Bioparox or Tantum Verde). It all depends on the specific situation and on the specific woman. You cannot arbitrarily decide to take antibiotics.
What to do with different diagnoses
You need to start fighting the disease immediately after the first symptoms appear, in particular, a sore throat. However, it should be borne in mind that therapeutic regimens for different diseases can have dramatic differences. Therefore, for the correct choice of the drug, it is necessary to establish an accurate diagnosis. It will also help you avoid taking the wrong drugs and making your condition worse. So, how can a throat be treated with different diagnoses:
ARVI or common cold - inhalation, gargling, warming compresses.- Influenza is all the same with the addition of antiviral interferon drugs.
- Laryngitis - topical medications that need to be treated with the throat and gargles.
- Viral pharyngitis - inhalation, gargling, sucking lozenges. If the pharyngitis is bacterial, then the doctor will prescribe an appropriate antibiotic in this case.
- Angina - antiseptic solutions and decoctions of medicinal herbs for rinsing. In most cases, antibacterial drugs are prescribed, since it is very difficult to get rid of tonsillitis without them.
- Bronchitis - expectorant drugs and inhalation. If you are worried about a sore throat and irritated mucous membranes, you can add gargles and sucking lozenges.
ARVI or common cold - inhalation, gargling, warming compresses."Grandma's" recipes
In the process of choosing medicines for the treatment of throat during lactation, most women still prefer traditional methods. They consider them to be the safest and most affordable. And in terms of effectiveness, they are no worse than pharmacy medicines.
The most important thing is to start using them on time. It is necessary to start treatment as soon as the first discomfort in the throat appears. If you miss this moment, the effectiveness of the treatment will decrease and you will have to use medicines from the pharmacy.
Useful herbal decoctions, inhalations, gargles and compresses will help to cure the throat qualitatively.
Warm drink. To speed up your recovery, you need to drink plenty of warm fluids. It is best if it is also useful. Too zealous with eating raspberries, lemons and honey is not recommended, as they can provoke an allergic reaction in the child. With irritated mucous membranes, unpleasant perspiration and acute pain, they help well:
Warm drink. To speed up your recovery, you need to drink plenty of warm fluids. It is best if it is also useful. Too zealous with eating raspberries, lemons and honey is not recommended, as they can provoke an allergic reaction in the child. With irritated mucous membranes, unpleasant perspiration and acute pain, they help well:- decoctions of medicinal herbs;
- compote from several dried fruits;
- berry fruit drink;
- jelly from berries or fruits.
- Inhalation. They are best done with eucalyptus. To prepare such an inhalation, boil water in a saucepan and wait until it cools slightly so as not to burn yourself with steam.Then you need to drip there 4-5 drops of eucalyptus essential oil. Now you can cover your head with a towel and breathe over the healing steam for 10-15 minutes.
- Rinses. The easiest gargle recipe is a solution of iodine, salt and baking soda. To prepare it, you will need to dissolve soda and salt (one teaspoon each) in a glass of clean boiled water and add 5-7 drops of iodine. An alternative option is an infusion of medicinal herbs. Mix equal amounts of lime blossom, sage, calendula and chamomile. Pour a tablespoon of this mixture with boiling water and leave to infuse for 30 minutes. Then the infusion must be filtered, after which it can be used.
- Compresses. To make a warming compress, dilute ethyl alcohol with water in a 1: 1 ratio. Then you should soak it with gauze, apply it to your throat and hold until you feel warm. At high temperatures and purulent sore throat, it is prohibited to make such a compress.
Post factum
During the period of breastfeeding, treating the throat is not only possible, but even necessary. Moreover, it is obligatory. Otherwise, the infection will be passed on to the baby through milk.
Most topical preparations (rinses, aerosols, lozenges) enter the bloodstream in microscopic doses. And, even seeping into milk, will not harm the baby.
In principle, it is possible to eliminate a sore throat without medical help, using home remedies. But if this symptom is accompanied by a high fever, breathing disorders, pain when swallowing or opening the mouth, if there is no improvement within 2-3 days, a doctor should be consulted immediately.
