Therapeutic manipulations during breastfeeding

There are many prejudices about what a nursing mother can and cannot do. Some women follow only the advice of their grandmothers, despite the obvious absurdity of some of them. Prejudices also surround the medical manipulations that a nursing mother is forced to resort to.

• In fact, the list of restrictions is quite short. Specialists allow fluorography, X-rays and tomography, dental and other organ treatment, massage, sports, visiting salons to maintain appearance, and having an intimate life.

The main thing is to know the measure and get benefit or pleasure in order to restore the body and not harm the newborn. In all cases, it is not superfluous to consult a gynecologist or pediatrician.

When prescribing medications, it is necessary to clarify how the active substance affects lactation and the health of the child. In case of high risk, you can always choose an analogue compatible with breastfeeding.

Can a nursing mother have a massage?

After returning from the maternity hospital, the mother will face high physical and mental stress, lack of sleep, and a special regimen entirely dedicated to the child. The woman should clearly understand what a nursing mother can and cannot do. At this time, back pain and muscle spasms sometimes occur, for which massage is indicated. But can a nursing mother have a massage or is it undesirable during lactation?

It has been noted that a relaxing massage in a pleasant environment stimulates the production of oxytocin, which in turn promotes lactation. When contacting a massage therapist, you must warn him about your condition so that he can suggest the correct position. Usually this is lying on your side or sitting on a chair. It is important to feed the baby beforehand and not to stretch the procedure longer than half an hour. To prevent allergies in a newborn, use high-quality cream or baby milk.

• Anti-cellulite honey and vacuum massage is recommended no earlier than when the child is 9 months old, when he will not be so susceptible to various toxins that enter the mother’s blood as a result of salon procedures.

A harmless action is self-massage of the head, pouring a warm shower. If a loved one knows how to rub the neck, hands or feet, do not refuse such pleasure at home.

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Can nursing mothers get vaccinated?

How can nursing mothers be vaccinated if antibodies enter the baby's body with breast milk? - modern mothers, who have heard about the dangers of vaccination, reasonably ask. Unlike previous generations, today's women, caring about their children's health, do not want to blindly trust either doctors or instructions, looking for reliable information about drugs, procedures and the consequences of their use.

It turns out that this does not apply to all vaccinations, but only for emergency indications, that is, if the mother has entered an epidemic zone and she and her child are in danger. Such procedures should be carried out under the medical supervision of an immunologist, after taking an antibody test.

• Note to all those interested in learning what a nursing mother can and cannot do: vaccinations against hepatitis B are also permitted during lactation.

Regarding such a common disease as flu, it is necessary to protect against it by preventive measures: limit contact with virus carriers, maintain a healthy diet, personal hygiene and daily routine. If the mother does get sick, then there is no need to stop feeding, since thanks to milk the baby develops its own immunity.

As for the baby, in the first months of life he is protected from some infections thanks to antibodies received from the mother - if she had them or was recently vaccinated. In particular, up to 4 months - from chickenpox, up to 5 - from rubella, up to 6 and older - from measles, up to 7 months - from diphtheria, tetanus.

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Can nursing mothers do inhalations?

According to previous recommendations on what a nursing mother can and cannot do, a woman with a cold should be isolated from the child and breastfeeding should be temporarily stopped. Modern medicine is not so categorical. On the contrary, it advises not to stop lactation, since a baby who has fallen ill from his mother, thanks to breast milk, will strengthen the immune system and recover faster.

If a nursing mother is ill, she should consult a pediatrician. If necessary, competently combine the procedures and feeding so that the baby's body receives a minimum of active components. Based on the calculation that the maximum concentration in the blood occurs 2 hours after use.

• A mild cold is not a reason to stop lactation. In severe cases, when taking medications harmful to children, it is necessary to resort to constant milk expression and feeding the baby with other food. Such actions will help maintain the process of milk formation in the mammary gland.

For colds and coughs, inhalations with alkaline water and ambroxol are effective, especially using an ultrasonic device.

A tried and tested folk method is inhalation over hot potatoes and soda, eucalyptus, birch leaves. Such procedures are effective and quite safe.

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Can nursing mothers be given anesthesia?

Any medications taken during lactation enter the breastfeeding baby's body with milk. Anesthetics are no exception. Therefore, it is so important to answer correctly whether it is possible to give anesthesia to nursing mothers or it is better to wait with such procedures until the end of lactation.

What a nursing mother who is about to undergo surgery can and cannot do depends on the specific situation. You should talk to your doctor about this and find answers to several questions in the conversation. In particular, is it possible to wait for some time? To find a harmless alternative without surgery? To replace anesthesia with partial anesthesia? And also when it will be possible to resume breastfeeding painlessly for the baby, since it is definitely necessary to stop it for this time.

The specifics of anesthetic drugs are a separate topic. After popular anesthetics such as nitrous oxide, feeding can be continued almost without interruption, since they are considered harmless during lactation. The drug fentanyl, on the contrary, requires stopping feeding.

Local anesthetics are most often used in dental treatment. Some of them are contraindicated during breastfeeding. The mother has to choose: can she endure it or not? The pain depends on the specific manipulation, and it is necessary to find a compromise solution together with the dentist.

Operations on the lower extremities, in the pelvis, on the pleura and lungs are performed under spinal and epidural anesthesia. This is the safest option during the lactation period. Although it is best, of course, not to get sick and not to undergo anesthesia.

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Can a nursing mother do an enema?

Constipation is the lack of movement of feces and defecation. It is accompanied by bloating and heaviness in the abdomen, headache, poor health, increased nervousness. If we are talking about a nursing mother, then soon digestive problems begin in the baby. To solve the problem, it is necessary to first clarify whether it is possible to do an enema to a nursing mother, or to eliminate constipation in some other way.

Trying to solve the problem on your own can harm both yourself and the baby. Only a doctor can help establish the cause of the disorder and prescribe adequate treatment. A competent specialist knows what a nursing mother can and cannot do in a particular case, why the problem arose and how to avoid it in the future. After all, the reasons may not only be physiological; sometimes constipation signals organic pathologies.

If there is no bowel movement until discharge, a cleansing enema is given in the maternity hospital. And then the woman in labor is advised to eat more foods that stimulate the intestines:

• oatmeal;
• dried fruits;
• vegetable oils;
• fermented milk products;
• bran bread;
• apricots, plums;
• pumpkin, beetroot, spinach.

During lactation, it is important to drink enough quality water and natural juices. At the same time, limit foods that promote constipation: rice, animal fats and protein, strong hot drinks, crackers, chips and fast food.

Laxatives should not be taken, with the exception of certain medications that should be prescribed by a doctor. In emergency cases, glycerin suppositories or an enema that mechanically cleanses the large intestine will help. Neither an enema nor suppositories should be used constantly. It is necessary to move more actively, take daily walks in the fresh air, and improve your mood.

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Can a nursing mother use an iodine mesh?

The therapeutic effect of the iodine mesh is based on the bactericidal properties of this chemical substance. Having penetrated the skin, iodine spreads with the blood and destroys pathogenic microbes. As a result, the development of the disease is suspended.

Iodine lines in the form of a grid lead to the mass death of pathogens, since they break and separate their groups from each other. The effectiveness is enhanced by the fact that the iodine grid expands the capillaries and warms the surface; in the area of inflammation, blood flow improves and congestion decreases.

Can a nursing mother use an iodine mesh, and under what indications? Definitely not. The fact is that iodine completely penetrates into milk and accumulates, and an excessively high dose in the mother's body suppresses the baby's thyroid gland. Figuratively speaking, in the list of what a nursing mother can and cannot do, the iodine mesh is in the prohibited column.

In this regard, the mother should remember that not only the mesh, but any external use of iodine during lactation is undesirable. A whole list of iodine-containing drugs and products rich in the substance, in particular, seaweed, are prohibited. The recommended dose of iodine for nursing mothers does not exceed 290 mcg per day.