Treatment of acute respiratory viral infections during breastfeeding has some features, unlike a simple cold, which occurs in ordinary women. The process of lactation is considered to be very versatile and rather complex in relation to its mechanism of formation. The complexity of the treatment of acute respiratory viral infections during breastfeeding lies in the need for careful selection of medications that will not adversely affect the child's body. You can learn about the specifics of therapy, as well as the features of the course of the disease, methods of protecting the baby from infection from our article.
Should I refuse breastfeeding?
Many mothers wonder if it is necessary to stop breastfeeding if they have a cold. It should be noted that babies under the age of six months very rarely get ARVI. This is due to the fact that in the womb they received special antibodies that protect them from the virus. They also continue to enter the child's body during feeding. Soif a mother refuses to breastfeed, this will deprive her baby of natural protection.
How is the disease progressing?
The increased load on the respiratory system of a nursing mother causes a high vulnerability to a viral infection, which is transmitted by airborne droplets. As for SARS itself, this ailment does not pose a particular danger to a nursing woman, but significant harm can be done to the baby's body. The course of SARS during breastfeeding, the treatment of which we will examine below, is usually divided into three periods, which include:
- The entry of the virus into the mother's body. From the moment it enters the body, as well as until the first signs appear, on average, about three days pass. Chills, fever, sore throat, and runny nose are considered further symptoms of the disease.
- Immune response. As a rule, this period occurs three days after the onset of the characteristic symptoms of the disease. The immune response is characterized by increased production of interferons, which are responsible for the elimination of the virus.
- Full recovery. The recovery period for all people will be individual. On average, this takes about 10 days, since the first symptoms of SARS appeared. If there is no improvement in well-being, we can safely talk about the appearance of complications of this viral infection.
Treatment of SARS during breastfeeding
The technique for treating this disease in women during breastfeeding should be selected strictlytreating specialist on an individual basis. The reason for seeking medical advice is a persistent increase in temperature, which does not subside for more than 3 days, as well as a general deterioration in the condition. After that, the specialist will tell you how to treat SARS during breastfeeding. However, therapy must be comprehensive. To achieve a speedy recovery, it will not be enough to use only prescribed drugs for SARS while breastfeeding. A woman should adhere to other expert advice, which is as follows:
- Bed rest. Permanent rest is considered a prerequisite for the successful treatment of a viral disease, no matter how severe the course is. If you do not comply with bed rest for ARVI in a mother while breastfeeding, then this will only aggravate the general condition, and also significantly prolong the period of the disease.
- Drinking mode. The intake of fluid will stimulate the process of cleansing the sick body from the virus. In addition, the drinking regimen will help reduce body temperature, as well as improve overall well-being. In addition to medicines for SARS during breastfeeding, which the doctor will prescribe, you should also drink warm tea, berry juice, fruit compote, which contain vitamin C.
- Power mode. Please note that the use of food in this disease should not be forced in any case. If a woman has an acute respiratory viral infection during breastfeeding, then it is necessary to eat food when she wants to. At the initial stage of developmentdisease, it is recommended to eat light foods, such as chicken broth.
Medications
And now let's look at drugs for the treatment of SARS during breastfeeding. Please note that all these medications should be used only after consulting your doctor, otherwise unpleasant consequences can occur not only in the mother, but also in the baby, since all the substances contained in the tablets go to him into the body through milk.
Antiviral agent
How to be treated for SARS while breastfeeding with antiviral drugs? Many people are faced with a difficult choice, as there are currently a huge number of antiviral drugs available on the shelves of pharmacies. During breastfeeding, it is strictly forbidden to use the following means: Arbidol, Remantadin, Ribavirin.
The use of medicines such as Aflubin and Anaferon will not give the desired result, because these medicines are considered homeopathic and have increased allergic activity.
The best option for the treatment of acute respiratory viral infections in nursing mothers will be those products that are made on the basis of recombinant human interferon alpha. It is customary to refer to this group of substances the preparations "Grippferon", "Viferon". The frequency and dosage of taking these medications should be determined only by the attending physician.doctor.
Rhinitis treatment
To relieve swelling of the mucous membrane in the nasal passages, as well as to normalize nasal breathing, special sprays and drops are used, which have a vasoconstrictor component in their composition. The use of such drops is considered harmless for both the mother and the baby. Among the most common means of this action should be highlighted:
- "Naphthyzin", "Sanorin". The active ingredient in these drugs is the substance naphazoline, which has a very short time of action.
- "Galazolin", "Otrivin", "Xymelin". The main active ingredient in these preparations is xylometazoline, which has an average duration of decongestant action.
- "Knoxprey", "Nazol". The active ingredient in these drugs is oxymetazoline. This substance has a long active effect, and is also able to maintain it for about 12 hours.
Antipyretic drugs
The use of antipyretics is advisable in case of body temperature rise above 38 degrees. The lowest rates are considered an adequate response of the human body to a cold virus, and therefore do not require any medical intervention. Women are advised to use antipyretics containing paracetamol or ibuprofen while breastfeeding.
The use of these products is considered safe ifacceptance will be met. Medicinal products of combined action, for example, Teraflu or Flukold, contain additional components that can affect the child's body in a very unpredictable way.
Use antipyretic drugs only in the dosage recommended by your doctor.
Sore throat
To cure signs of inflammation of the oropharynx, it is recommended to use topical preparations. For nursing women, the safest options are rinse solutions that contain antiseptic components in their composition. Solutions "Hexoral", "Chlorhexidine", and "Iodinol" have the most pronounced effect.
You can also make your own mouthwash at home. To do this, dissolve one teaspoon of table or sea s alt in one glass of boiled warm water, add three drops of iodine there. Gargle with a ready-made solution 4 times a day.
To relieve pain, experts recommend sucking on special lollipops, such as Strepsils or Sebidin. Another very safe method of treating sore throat is irrigation of the oropharynx with special antiseptic sprays, such as Kameton, Chlorophyllipt, Camphomen.
Before using any drug, be sure toconsult your doctor. The fact is that self-medication can cause the development of the most unpredictable complications for the he alth of the child and mother.
Recipes of traditional medicine
Many mothers who breastfeed their babies do not want to use pharmaceutical preparations for the treatment of SARS, but a viral disease provokes poor he alth. How to relieve the symptoms in this case? To do this, you can use the therapy of folk remedies. As inhalations, you can use decoctions made on the basis of chamomile and calendula. But pay attention to the fact that in no case should inhalation be carried out if the nursing mother has a fever.
The use of herbal teas and decoctions allows you not to interrupt breastfeeding. Experts give the following recommendations for the treatment of SARS in nursing mothers at home using folk methods:
- Be sure to use herbal decoctions. Licorice, sage, St. John's wort are able to thin phlegm, soften the throat, and also have an excellent expectorant effect.
- The universal antibacterial agent is natural honey. Before using it for therapy, you should make sure that there is no allergic reaction to bee products. Butter, boiled milk, a teaspoon of natural honey and a pinch of soda will be an effective remedy for sore throat and dry cough.
- Use essential oils for inhalation. It will be especially useful to breathe steam, where there are notesjuniper and eucalyptus.
- Garlic has a good general strengthening effect.
- To bring down the heat, you can use raspberry jam.
- Cough tea is a very effective tea with the addition of viburnum.
Before choosing traditional medicine recipes for ARVI therapy, be sure to ask your doctor for recommendations, as there may be contraindications to the use of such methods.
Prevention of the baby from the cold virus
ARVI is a common condition characterized by the ingestion of pathogens, that is, adenoviruses, into the human body, as a result of which swelling of the nasal mucosa begins to develop, sore throat, general weakness, malaise, and body temperature rise.
ARVI during breastfeeding in a woman is considered a problem of significant importance, due to the high risk of infecting a child. There is no single panacea in this case to protect the baby, but any nursing mother can use a number of measures for these purposes that can reduce the risk of possible infection. Such precautions for a baby from SARS during breastfeeding should include:
- Never stop breastfeeding your baby. This condition is mandatory, because along with breast milk, immunoglobulins enter the child's body, which form the immune system, and are also a barrier to infection.
- Regular hand washing. The fact is thatthe spread of infection can occur not only by airborne droplets, but also by contact. Particles of mucus secretion from the nose can get into the hands of a nursing mother through a handkerchief. These secretions contain a huge number of ARVI pathogens. An important condition for preventing infection with this disease is the mandatory washing of hands before contacting a child.
- Using a protective mask. Using a protective cellulose or gauze dressing will not give you a 100% chance of protecting your baby from infection, but this method can significantly help reduce the concentration of the virus in the surrounding air.
- With the development of SARS in a mother during breastfeeding, the general condition can significantly worsen. As a rule, this is accompanied by an increase in body temperature, weakness, increased drowsiness. In such situations, women should involve their loved ones, as well as relatives, in the process of caring for a child, thus reducing the risk of infection.
Conclusion
So, we have considered the treatment and prevention of SARS during breastfeeding. Quite often, the fair sex, having fallen ill with ARVI, is afraid that their children will become infected if they are breast-fed. However, you should pay attention to the fact that the chance to infect the baby is extremely small, on the contrary, milk only increases the immune forces of the child's body. In conclusion, once again it is worth noting that the use of any medication should be carried out only after a doctor's prescription.
