Vomiting and diarrhea during breastfeeding. Foods that cause diarrhea while breastfeeding

Restoring a woman’s body after childbirth – natural process, which may be accompanied by the appearance of various problems. One of the most common is diarrhea, which raises a lot of questions - how to correct bowel function, is it dangerous for a nursing mother, is it worth seeking help? medical care? Let's try to give answers in the material presented.

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Causes of diarrhea during breastfeeding

First of all, it is worth considering the physiological causes of diarrhea. During pregnancy, the intestines are in a compressed state, then women go through the labor period, experience anxiety, and often worry about their health and the condition of the newborn. Diarrhea in this case will be the body’s reaction to fluctuations in the psycho-emotional background.

In medicine, this condition is called irritable bowel syndrome. It will be characterized by the absence of signs of poisoning (nausea/vomiting/hyperthermia) and nocturnal diarrhea.

In addition to irritable bowel syndrome, a nursing mother may be bothered by intestinal upset for the following reasons:

1. Food poisoning. A dangerous condition during breastfeeding, since all the toxins produced in the mother’s body will be transferred to the baby. Food poisoning in absolutely all cases provokes the development of dysbiosis, and diarrhea is one of the signs of this pathological condition.
2. Infectious bowel diseases. Violation/failure to comply with basic hygiene rules leads to infection: pathogenic bacteria in the intestines release a huge amount of toxins, which causes diarrhea.
3. . If a nursing woman has eaten an allergen, then diarrhea will be the main manifestation of a food allergy.

What are the dangers of diarrhea while breastfeeding?

Diarrhea, regardless of the reasons for which it appears in a nursing mother, is dangerous because it provokes dehydration of the body. A woman loses not only fluid, but also vitamins and minerals, which means that her milk will become an almost useless product in terms of nutritional value.

If diarrhea rarely bothers a nursing mother, then there is no need to worry - the risk of dehydration is very low. But in case of regular, multi-day diarrhea, you need to seek qualified medical help.

Medicine knows of cases where a nursing mother with prolonged diarrhea ignored the need to take medications, and this led to death.

Diarrhea caused by infectious disease intestines, harms both mother and baby. Treatment exclusively traditional methods In this case, it will be inappropriate and you will have to resort to taking medications. It is believed that diarrhea due to intestinal infection is much more dangerous for a woman than for a newborn.

First aid for mother's diarrhea

If a woman is worried about diarrhea, then in the first days she will have no appetite, but she cannot refuse food! Moreover, you need to use a large number of water or any other liquid. After all, the biggest danger is dehydration, so for diarrhea, 2 to 3 liters of fluid per day will be considered the norm.

To quickly get rid of diarrhea, you should do the following:

1. Remove toxins from the body as quickly as possible. Enterosgel and/or activated carbon are suitable for this - sorbents approved for use during lactation.
2. Drink 500 ml of rice water during the day, dividing the dose into several doses. It's easy to prepare: pour 3 tablespoons of raw rice into 300 ml of water, let it boil and cook over low heat for 20 - 30 minutes. Then the rice should be drained in a colander, and the drained broth should be used as first aid for diarrhea.
3. Barley/oat/wheat porridge, low-calorie kefir and yoghurts without dyes/flavors, chicken or quail eggs, hard-boiled.
4. You should constantly drink a decoction of rose hips, still mineral water, green or strong black tea.

This approach to solving the problem allows you to restore normal bowel function literally the next day.

Watch the video about mother's nutrition after childbirth:

Treatment of diarrhea during lactation

If a nursing woman is bothered by diarrhea, then the first step to recovery will be nutritional correction. It will be necessary to exclude any semi-finished products, milk soups, meat dishes, but focus on cereals, fermented milk products (natural), crackers made from second-grade flour, weak and unsweetened tea.

Doctors say that diarrhea in a nursing mother can be cured with both medications and folk remedies.

Drug treatment

During lactation, a woman can safely use activated carbon, Karbolen and Smecta to treat diarrhea, and Regidron to prevent dehydration. In general, diarrhea after childbirth can be successfully treated with enterosorbents and probiotics. In the first case, toxins will “bind” in the intestines and be removed from the body. Permitted enterosorbents include:

Probiotics approved for the treatment of diarrhea in a nursing woman ensure that the microflora is populated with beneficial bacteria. It is usually recommended to take Linex 2 capsules three times a day. As a rule, a significant improvement in health occurs after 2 days of such treatment, but if such an effect is absent, then you should consult a doctor.

Folk remedies

Let's make a reservation right away - decoctions from medicinal plants really help a lot, but only if the diarrhea does not have an infectious etiology. Folk remedies should have a positive effect by the end of the first day of taking them. If this does not happen, then you should seek qualified medical help.

Medicines that can be used to treat diarrhea in a nursing mother:

If diarrhea is accompanied by fever, nausea, vomiting and weakness, then there is no question of any treatment at home! It is necessary to urgently seek medical help.

Should I stop feeding my baby if he has diarrhea?

Pediatricians do not recommend weaning a baby if the mother is bothered by diarrhea. It is believed that breast milk supplies the newborn with antibodies that help fight infection. In addition, milk contains enzymes that can strengthen the child’s immunity.

If diarrhea is accompanied clear signs poisoning, or the mother’s body temperature has risen and vomiting has begun, it is recommended to wean the baby from the breast, but only for the duration of treatment.

There is no need to switch the baby to formula; after recovery, the mother can return to breastfeeding.

To prevent diarrhea from bothering a young mother after childbirth, it is worth remembering the rules for preventing this condition from specialists:

1. Follow the rules of hygiene: wash your hands before eating and after each visit to the toilet, do not eat unwashed vegetables and fruits (when buying them in supermarkets, especially in winter time, it is recommended to pour boiling water over them).
2. Discard expired products.
3. Do not include semi-finished products, smoked products, or canned food in the menu.
4. Exercise and regularly take walks in the fresh air.

Diarrhea after childbirth can occur even if the woman is in perfect health. This is not a reason to panic. Some measures can and should be taken to restore normal bowel function. There are a number of drugs and folk remedies which are allowed for nursing mothers. A competent approach to organizing a woman’s nutrition after childbirth and promptly contacting a doctor in case of prolonged diarrhea will ensure a quick recovery.

After the birth of a child, the mother needs to constantly monitor her health. But all her attention during this period is focused on the baby. Often a problem such as diarrhea arises during lactation. How to treat diarrhea breastfeeding? Is it possible to feed the baby at the same time? Digestive disorders during lactation can lead to various complications.

Causes of indigestion in a nursing mother

Irritable bowel syndrome leads to disruption of the gastrointestinal tract. This disease is characterized by the absence of vomiting. A pregnant woman does not suffer from bouts of diarrhea at night. However, upon awakening, the symptoms of diarrhea return.

Food poisoning can be harmful. After eating a spoiled product, a large amount of microbial toxins enter the digestive system, which leads to diarrhea. The woman begins to complain of vomiting, nausea and high fever.

Diarrhea can also occur as allergic reaction nursing mother to certain food components.

Diarrhea is also called the disease of dirty hands. The infection easily enters the digestive system along with food. This releases toxic substances that disrupt the intestinal microflora.

Symptoms

Symptoms of diarrhea include:

• frequent urge to defecate;
• sudden increase in temperature;
• a nursing mother experiences vomiting and nausea;
• women complain of headaches and rumbling in the stomach;
• there is a feeling of fatigue and drowsiness.

The disease can occur with complications. A woman may develop more serious disorders, which manifest themselves in the form of:

• black stool;
• there are inclusions of a greenish tint in the stool;
• a woman faints;
• diarrhea does not go away for too long;
• heat doesn't subside.

In this case, diarrhea in a nursing mother requires immediate treatment. It is necessary to urgently consult a doctor.

Is diarrhea dangerous for a baby during lactation?

If you maintain good hygiene, then there is nothing to worry about.

Diarrhea during breastfeeding is more dangerous for the mother, as her body suffers from dehydration. Every trip to the toilet leads to the loss of microelements and vitamins necessary for life.

Breastfeeding should be stopped if the temperature rises and the mother's health deteriorates. In this case, it is necessary to switch to infant formula for the duration of treatment.

Diarrhea can be a result of severe stress. After childbirth, many women experience nervous tension. While feeding the baby, the mother must remain calm. However, not everyone can cope with fatigue and anxiety.

How to treat diarrhea in a nursing mother who is constantly afraid because of the baby’s condition?

There are many drugs that can restore damaged nervous system. Be sure to consult your doctor before taking them.

If there is an infection, doctors prescribe. The decision to stop feeding is made depending on the specific situation.

You can eliminate the consequences of diarrhea in a nursing mother with the help of Atoxil or Sorbex. They are completely safe not only for the mother, but also for her child.

Atoxyl– a powder that is pre-dissolved in water. The medicine should be taken about an hour before meals.

Allows you to restore electrolytes lost with diarrhea and normalize the acid-base balance.

Smecta– helps with intoxication of the body. bind various bacteria and toxins. Substances that irritate the digestive system are eliminated naturally.

Sorbents help get rid of diarrhea. These include Filtrum. Taking these drugs does not irritate the intestinal mucosa. There are practically no side effects.

Thanks to sorbents, you can quickly get rid of toxins that have entered the body of a nursing mother.

The baby can catch an infection if the mother is not clean. It is necessary to ensure the cleanliness of hands, utensils and clothing.

Diarrhea in a nursing mother may appear after poor nutrition. It is provoked by fatty foods with big amount spices. Treatment of diarrhea in this case consists of adjusting the diet.

During diarrhea, you need to drink about 3 liters of fluid per day or more, in small portions after each visit to the toilet. This will help you stay hydrated.

Diagnostics

To determine the causes of diarrhea, the following methods are used:

1. First, the woman must be examined by a doctor.
2. The patient must donate blood for research.
3. An analysis of the urine and feces of a nursing mother is performed.
4. Ultrasound helps to determine the cause of the disease.
5. A bacteriological examination of stool, its culture, and identification of worm eggs are prescribed.

After receiving all the results, doctors decide on a treatment regimen.

Folk remedies

To help a nursing mother get rid of diarrhea, you can use the following recipes:

Oak decoction helps eliminate inflammatory processes in the intestines. To prepare the product, we need 1 tablespoon of bark and 300 ml of water. The broth should boil for 10 minutes. You need to take the prepared solution 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.

Envelops the intestinal mucosa. Thus, it protects it from irritating substances. Pour 2 tablespoons of rice into 500 ml of boiling water. It is advisable to rinse rice cereal before use. Cook the product over low heat for about 40 minutes.

Cool the finished broth and strain with gauze. In order for the product to have a therapeutic effect on the body, you need to drink a quarter glass every 2-3 hours.

In pomegranate peels contains substances that destroy pathogenic microorganisms. And this is one of the reasons for the appearance of diarrhea. You need to first grind it and pour a glass of boiling water. Infuse the decoction for about 30 minutes. A glass should be drunk before meals.

Bird cherry berries can cope with an infection that has entered the digestive system. Pour a tablespoon of fresh berries into a glass of boiling water. For the solution to infuse, you will have to wait about 30 minutes. The decoction should be drunk 3 times a day, 100 grams at a time.

Eliminate from your diet:

1. Dairy products, and especially fatty ones, which activate the intestines;
2. Various fruits, as they contain a lot of fiber;
3. Vegetables and greens that stimulate activity digestive system.
4. Carbonated drinks;
5. Salty, spicy and fatty foods;

If you have diarrhea, you can eat:

• dishes prepared from cereals;
• boiled meat;
• low-fat fish varieties;

Drying and crackers will help you quickly cope with the symptoms of diarrhea.
A nursing mother should drink approximately 3 liters of fluid. This is twice the normal amount. Water is necessary to produce enough milk.

In addition to water, you can drink infusions of rice and chamomile. You need to eat food even if you have no appetite.

How to avoid diarrhea during lactation

A nursing mother must adhere to several rules:

1. When purchasing products, check expiration dates.
2. Keep your hands clean. Don't eat dirty vegetables and fruits.
3. Stress can trigger indigestion. It is in your interests to maintain emotional balance.
4. Meat, fish and eggs must undergo complete and sufficient heat treatment.

The causes of diarrhea can be different, from the most harmless to the very serious, caused by serious diseases.

In the first case, we can easily eliminate the broken stool ourselves. The second option requires mandatory research and drug treatment.

Diarrhea in a nursing mother should be of particular concern. The danger of some diseases when feeding a child is quite high.

When breastfeeding, some pathogenic microorganisms can be transmitted to the baby through mother's milk.

In this article, we will consider the questions: what is diarrhea, what threat to the baby’s health does diarrhea pose when breastfeeding the mother, is it possible to feed the child during illness.

Diarrhea in a nursing mother: causes, treatment

Diarrhea (diarrhea in common parlance) is a pathology in which the frequency of bowel movements exceeds three times a day, there is loose, watery stool, incontinence, false urges, possible cramps and pain in the abdominal area.

Why is this phenomenon unpleasant and dangerous for the child and mother? To answer an important question for a breastfeeding mother, let's turn to statistics.

In poor, developing countries, high infant mortality has been recorded (about two million babies) from a seemingly banal disease, diarrhea (diarrhea).

Digestive disorders occur for several reasons.

There are types of diarrhea that are harmless to a breastfeeding mother and baby.

1. Diarrhea caused by laxative foods.
2. Diarrhea due to stress, hormonal changes, emotional stress, irritable bowel syndrome.

The cause of diarrhea in the first case is certain types of foods with a laxative effect. This happens when they are consumed in excess of the norm or the physiological characteristics of a nursing mother.

If the exact cause of diarrhea is known, the disorder can be eliminated by symptomatic therapy.

No drug treatment is required for diarrhea caused by the following foods:

• curdled milk, kefir;
• fruits (prunes, kiwi, plum);
• fresh vegetables (beets);
• products containing insoluble (coarse) dietary fiber (bran, mushrooms, sunflower seeds, cereals, raw fruits and vegetables).

Symptoms of diarrhea can be easily eliminated by temporarily eliminating or replacing certain foods in the diet.

For example, if fresh apples cause distress, you can eat them baked. Mom needs to choose the composition of products that do not disrupt the gastrointestinal tract.

In the second case, diarrhea during lactation can be caused by an irritated stomach or intestines.

Many experts consider stress and emotional overload to be the main factors of irritable bowel disease. Mom should avoid stressful situations and organize proper rest.

A number of factors may contribute to the possible development of diarrhea in a breastfeeding mother.

1. Eating gas-forming foods.
2. Unbalanced diet.
3. Eating foods low in soluble fiber.
4. Binge eating.
5. Fatty, fried, smoked foods, caffeine.
6. Increased bacterial proliferation.
7. Previous infectious diseases.

Irritable bowel syndrome is divided into three types, each of which is predominantly expressed:

• flatulence and abdominal pain;
• constipation;
• diarrhea.

Irritable bowel syndrome may be a consequence of irritable stomach syndrome and requires medical evaluation and possibly treatment.

Treatment for irritable bowel disease depends on the breastfeeding mother's diagnosis.

Here are the most common conditions and diseases that require special attention from a doctor and a nursing mother.

1. Fatigue syndrome (chronic).
2. Fibromyalgia (a disease of non-inflammatory origin).
3. Reflux gastroesophageal disease.
4. Pain in different parts backs.
5. Cephalalgia ( headache as a consequence of various pathologies).
6. Rare cases of mental and emotional disorders (depression, anxiety).

Often, under the guise of irritable bowel disease, a nursing woman may experience completely different symptoms: intolerance to food elements (fructose, lactose); anemia; insufficient intake of B vitamins.

Therapy

For diarrhea associated with irritable bowel syndrome, the mother is recommended to consume the following foods and dishes:

• rice and semolina porridge cooked in water, rice water;
• walnuts;
• crackers (excluding dark bread);
• fruit and berry jelly and jelly;
• lean fish;
• chamomile tea;
• fixing decoctions, infusions;
• Black tea.

Diarrhea without pathology can be easily eliminated using methods traditional medicine. For treatment you can use: chamomile, oak bark, bird cherry berries, pomegranate peels.

Natural remedies for lactation

The safest remedies for diarrhea during lactation, with correct use, are natural medicines.

The antibacterial and enveloping properties of plants have been known since ancient times. Treatment with folk remedies is effective for diarrhea in complex and mono therapy.

You can treat even serious diseases with natural medicines for a long time, without the risk of side effects.

To treat diarrhea during lactation, it is possible and advisable to use the following herbal components with astringent properties:

• mountain arnica flowers;
• St. John's wort herb;
• raspberry leaves;
• alder fruit;
• barley;
• sage leaves;
• roots of angelica and snakeweed;
• horse sorrel;
• Black tea;
• chamomile;
• horsetail;
• bird cherry fruits and leaves;
• dill greens;
• pomegranate peels;
• plantain seeds;
• tanalbin (sumac and mackerel leaves);
• dogwood jam;
• dried pears;
• dried and fresh blueberries;
• rose petals;
• chicken gizzard shells;
• leaves, fruits and roots of rose hips.

Recipes

Pomegranate peels contain substances that destroy pathogenic microorganisms. The peel of one fruit is peeled from the white part, crushed, and poured with boiling water in a volume of 200 milliliters.

Leave until the infusion turns red. The infusion should be drunk completely.

Diarrhea can be effectively treated with apple cider vinegar homemade. Add 1 - 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to 200 ml of high-quality water. Drink in small sips every 5 - 7 minutes.

Pour 700 ml of boiling water over half a glass of bird cherry berries and boil for five minutes. Leave the broth for one hour, strain. The infusion should be drunk four times a day, two tablespoons.

The problem of intestinal upset can be solved by using an infusion of plantain seeds.

Add one tablespoon of raw material to half a glass of boiling water and leave for twenty-five minutes. Then the entire infusion should be drunk along with the seeds.

Loose stools can be treated with dill decoction. For the product, use one tablespoon of greens per 200 ml of water, boil for 4 - 6 minutes. The decoction should be drunk immediately after bowel movement.

One tablespoon of oak bark is added to boiling water (700 ml). Leave for one hour and use one tablespoon five times a day (20 minutes before meals and 2 hours after meals).

To stop dehydration and maintain lactation, you should drink plenty of fluids.

Serious consequences can occur with intestinal infections and food poisoning without proper treatment. Disturbances in the functioning of the intestines occur when pathogenic microorganisms multiply.

Fever, very frequent loose stool, vomiting, nausea - symptoms that require urgent consultation with a specialist and treatment.

An infection in a nursing mother can be treated with approved medications that absorb and remove toxins from the body with enterosorbents.

A number of drugs of natural origin are safe.

1. Activated carbon.
2. Polyphepan.
3. Smecta.
4. Filtrum.

Silicon-based products quickly remove toxins from the body. It is important to choose the right drug in the correct dosage, taking into account individual characteristics and existing diseases. Only a doctor can do this.

Enterosgel is used for the treatment of severe poisoning. The drug quickly removes poisons from the body. The dose for different age groups is selected individually.

On the first day of the disease, drink an aqueous solution of the gel at least three times. Subsequent rates may be reduced.

The drug Polysorb is used after consultation with a doctor. There are contraindications (intestinal atony, acute duodenal and gastric ulcers).

The product is effectively used for drug and food allergies, intestinal infections, poisoning, and intoxication. When breastfeeding, the dosage is determined by the attending physician.

For intestinal infections it is important:

• remove toxins produced by harmful microorganisms;
• normalize stool;
• restore the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract;
• stop fluid loss.

Most cases of intestinal dysfunction do not require discontinuation of breastfeeding.

In case of a viral disease, severe symptoms (fever, vomiting), or prescription of medication, a temporary break is possible. Feeding the child as usual begins after rehabilitation therapy.

Maintaining hygiene during breastfeeding is the main preventive measure to prevent the transmission of infection to the baby.

For example, rotavirus infection is transmitted fecal-orally, through dishes, hands, towels, contaminated products, and water.

Diet is the main measure to restore intestinal microflora. It is necessary to consume foods containing lacto and bifidobacteria.

They eliminate pathogenic bacteria and other microbes. In severe cases, the doctor decides to administer dosage forms.

Useful video

Almost always, you can put an equal sign between the diarrhea of ​​a nursing mother and the diarrhea of ​​a breastfed child. The equation goes something like this: mom's diarrhea*unknown = baby's diarrhea. All that remains is to solve the equation - to identify the unknowns that provoked indigestion and treat diarrhea with improvised means. One of these widely known remedies is chloramphenicol. Is it possible to use it while breastfeeding, what to do if a nursing mother has diarrhea and is it safe to give breastfeeding to a child?

What is diarrhea?

Diarrhea, officially diarrhea, is a condition in which loose stools occur more than 2-3 times a day or loose, pasty stools with a daily volume of bowel movements of more than 250 ml per day. Often, diarrhea and vomiting are the body’s protective reaction to toxins that enter the gastrointestinal tract.

Diarrhea is accompanied by an urgent urge to defecate, and sometimes by anal sphincter incontinence. Frequent accompaniments of diarrhea are flatulence (excessive formation of gases), cramping abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting.

Causes of diarrhea

To understand whether it is possible to breastfeed a child and how to treat diarrhea at home, you need to understand the reasons that caused it. You cannot self-medicate, and if sudden diarrhea occurs while breastfeeding, it is advisable to stop breastfeeding until the reasons are clarified, in the following cases:

• with severe abdominal pain;
• if you suspect severe food poisoning;
• if your body temperature rises above 38 °C;
• if, some time after the onset of diarrhea and vomiting, muscle weakness, heaviness in raising the eyelids, difficulty breathing and swallowing occur;
• loose stools with mucus, copious watery or bloody, lasting more than two days;
• if several family members have severe diarrhea at once;
• if there are signs of dehydration - sunken eyes, dry mucous membranes, dark urine or no urination at all;
• a rash appears on the body or joints become swollen and swollen.

Diarrhea, nausea and vomiting with fever and abdominal pain usually indicate food poisoning or infection. In the case of a bacterial infection, the common pathogens of which are salmonella, shigella and other pathogens, feces are very liquid, watery and foamy, acquire a green tint and a foul odor, contain mucus, blood and even pus. These bacteria live in water, food, and feces of a healthy carrier of the infection, and can also be carried by flies.

You can get rid of them by cooking food and observing personal hygiene rules. If the symptoms of an intestinal infection are accompanied by a pinkish rash, especially on the stomach, then this may be typhoid fever, and medical help should be sought immediately.

Why vomiting occurs during pregnancy and how to deal with it

Less commonly, signs similar to an infectious intestinal disease appear in diseases such as renal colic, cholecystitis, appendicitis, pancreatitis, etc.

Therefore, with the symptoms listed above, it is dangerous to make a diagnosis on your own due to their similarity with various causes.

Self-diagnosis is justified only in cases where you are 100% sure that today's diarrhea is a consequence of mild poisoning from yesterday's not entirely fresh food or incompatibility of products, and not an attack of appendicitis.

Other reasons that cause diarrhea in a nursing mother and for which you may not seek medical help are difficulties in the digestive system in digesting any product and incompatibility of products. Such diarrhea appears after eating an “inconvenient” product and goes away quickly. Most often, such a product is milk - an adult has a reduced ability to digest lactose - milk sugar, and when consumed by a nursing mother in a volume of more than 250-300 ml, and especially in combination with hard-to-digest raw vegetables, fruits, and fats, fermentation processes are triggered in the intestines .

The result is diarrhea increased gas formation and pain in the abdomen. Also, the human digestive system is not able to absorb a carbohydrate such as sorbitol. It is added to foods as a sugar substitute. Vomiting due to food intolerance and incompatibility usually does not occur. In these cases, it is possible and necessary to feed the baby breast milk, but his body will most likely react in the same way as a nursing mother.

Another common reason for diarrhea while breastfeeding is irritable bowel syndrome. Such a diagnosis can only be made by a doctor, having excluded all other causes of intestinal disorder. Since no examination reveals disturbances in the structure and functioning of the organs of the digestive system, the most likely causes of this condition are stress, overwork, heredity, imbalance of the intestinal microflora, and the body’s individual reaction to a certain type of food.

With this syndrome, periodic pain appears in the abdomen, which completely disappears after defecation. Stool with irritable bowel syndrome is alternating between either diarrhea and, conversely, constipation. In this case, breastfeeding can be continued without harm to the baby, but it is also necessary to search for and eliminate the causes of the syndrome.

What is the danger of diarrhea for a nursing mother and baby?

First of all, the danger of prolonged or severe diarrhea lies in dehydration and exhaustion of the body, which cannot but affect a breastfed baby. Milk production gradually decreases due to insufficient fluid volume.

Moreover, in the case of infectious diarrhea, severe dehydration with loss of fluid through diarrhea and vomiting occurs quite quickly, literally on the second day.

When dehydrated, everyone's work is disrupted. internal organs, suffers the cardiovascular system. Plus, there is general intoxication of the body with poisons that are released by pathogenic microbes during their life. Toxins penetrate into breast milk, and a breastfed baby experiences the same painful state of a poisoned body as his mother.

What to do if a nursing mother has a temperature of 38-39

General intoxication is also present when diarrhea is caused by severe poisoning from spoiled food. Symptoms of intoxication are headache, aching pain in muscles and joints, aching bones, elevated body temperature, arrhythmia. In addition, the food that a nursing mother eats during an upset stomach is quickly evacuated from the intestines without having time to be digested.

As a result, the blood does not receive the necessary nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Accordingly, in addition to the depletion of the nursing mother, the composition of the milk is also depleted, losing what the baby needs. nutritional value. And if you notice during diarrhea that the child is behaving somehow unusually, he is vomiting and diarrhea, then it is better to wait with breastfeeding until the intoxication is removed.

Levomycetin in the treatment of diarrhea in a nursing mother

Levomycetin in Russia is classified as the most important and vital medicines. Previously, chloramphenicol was widely prescribed for respiratory diseases, proudly bearing the collective name “angina,” and for diarrhea, and any other diseases that resembled bacterial infections. It is not surprising that many people keep chloramphenicol in their home medicine cabinet and, in the old fashioned way, consider it a “cure for everything.”

To some extent, this is true for bacterial infections, but currently treatment with chloramphenicol is prescribed only in extremely exceptional cases when other antibiotics are powerless. This is due to the high toxicity of chloramphenicol and serious side effects. In Europe, this drug is available only by prescription.

The most dangerous complication after its uncontrolled use “internally” is irreversible aplastic anemia - a severe disorder of the hematopoiesis process in the bone marrow. Such anemia is treated with a donor bone marrow transplant, and in the absence of it, palliative therapy is carried out, aimed at maintaining a more or less acceptable quality of life against the background of the ongoing disease.

When breastfeeding, taking chloramphenicol is strictly contraindicated, since the drug crosses the blood-milk barrier mammary glands and passes into breast milk. Even if you stop breastfeeding, taking chloramphenicol for diarrhea makes sense only if there is an acute intestinal infection. For example, when the cause of diarrhea is salmonellosis, typhoid fever, dysentery, and the like. And if a nursing mother has simple indigestion due to eating incompatible foods, then such unjustified intake of chloramphenicol will bring nothing but harm.

How to safely treat a runny nose for a nursing mother and what medications are suitable

How and how to treat diarrhea for a nursing mother?

If the presence of an intestinal infection is confirmed, then antibacterial therapy compatible with breastfeeding should be selected by a doctor. In case of severe disease and severe food poisoning, breastfeeding will have to be temporarily abandoned.

The use of drugs that stop intestinal motility in these cases, for example, loperamide, is dangerous due to the inability to remove toxins, pathogenic bacteria and their metabolic products from the body. If the diarrhea is not bacterial in nature, then the use of medications is most often not required in treatment.

Sometimes health fails at the most inopportune moment. A new mother has a lot of things to do around the house and a child who requires attention, and then there are digestive disorders. How diarrhea is treated in nursing women, what medications are allowed during breastfeeding, and which you should be careful with, I suggest you find out right now.

Causes of diarrhea in women who are breastfeeding

Only a doctor can determine the exact cause of diarrhea in a nursing woman, and he will prescribe adequate therapy.. Depending on the cause, the treatment of diarrhea is completely different, so self-medication is excluded.

The most common factors that provoke diarrhea:

• irritable bowel syndrome. Stress, anxiety and other nervous disorders - frequent companions of women who have recently given birth - cause disruptions in intestinal function. It is quite simple to distinguish this syndrome from poisoning; with nervous irritation of the intestines there is no elevated temperature, bloody spots in the stool and vomiting. In addition, a sleeping woman is not bothered by the urge to go to the toilet, since the muscles relax at rest, but when she wakes up from sleep, diarrhea returns. Sedatives and relaxants, recommended individually to each woman by her doctor, help cope with irritable bowel syndrome. The drugs must be safe for infants so that you do not have to stop breastfeeding even temporarily;
• When foods that are not fresh enter the body, they begin to release toxins, and pathogenic bacteria quickly spread in the intestines. As a result, dysbacteriosis develops, the temperature rises, and attacks of nausea and even vomiting occur. Poisoning poses a danger to mother and child. The condition requires immediate treatment under the supervision of a physician who has advised diet adjustments and medications that are safe for the baby;
• allergies to food irritants. Sometimes a negative reaction to certain foods can be accompanied by diarrhea. To get rid of diarrhea, it is enough to exclude foods that cause allergies from the diet. Treatment is based on addressing specific symptoms;
• intestinal infection. If a woman does not maintain hygiene or eats poorly washed fruits and vegetables, her body is attacked by pathogens. Bacteria release toxic substances that disrupt the microflora. The attending physician will select the appropriate therapy. In general, interruption of breastfeeding is not necessary, but frequent hand washing is recommended to avoid infection of the baby.

The dangers of diarrhea during breastfeeding

The main danger of diarrhea lies in the risk of dehydration.. Water plays a key role in the proper functioning of most body systems, so its lack has a negative impact on human well-being. In some cases, hospitalization may be necessary. Milk production is under threat, and its composition loses beneficial microelements that come out with water.

Sometimes dehydration can even lead to death if diarrhea does not stop for several days in a row.

If loose stools occur infrequently and pass quickly, you should reconsider your usual lifestyle - adjust your diet and change your attitude towards hygiene. But when diarrhea occurs several times a month and lasts for more than a day, a comprehensive examination of the woman is required to determine the causes of the pathology.

It is difficult to confuse the pain that occurs with food poisoning with something else - it seems to twist the stomach into a spiral

The decision to interrupt breastfeeding is made by the attending physician, but most often it is not required - infections are not transmitted through milk. Some medications can have a negative effect on the baby; it is recommended to stop feeding, but if the mother does not make efforts to maintain lactation, milk production may stop forever.

How to treat diarrhea while breastfeeding

If the diarrhea is non-infectious and the doctor has not prescribed special diet, don't forget about food. It is needed to maintain strength when you are unwell. Yes, and the production of milk by the mammary gland requires entry into the body nutrients and liquids, and during diarrhea you need to drink at least 3 liters of liquid per day. You can drink a dissolved packet of Regidron, which normalizes the water-salt balance. Of the products, give preference to those that have the property of fixing feces:

• boiled white rice;
• hard boiled eggs;
• lightly dried bran bread.

Low-fat vegetable soups, porridges not seasoned with oil, and fermented milk products with beneficial bifidobacteria are suitable. But about spicy, sweet, salty or fatty foods, fresh fruits and vegetables will have to be forgotten, even if they are allowed in your daily diet.

According to statistics, about 37% of Russians who seek medical help complain of problems with the digestive system.

Please note that not every intestinal disorder in which the stool becomes liquid can be considered diarrhea. Only if bowel movements occur at least three times a day and all times the stool is rare, can we assume diarrhea. But if it lasts less than a day, treatment with medications is usually not required; it is enough to adjust your diet. If diarrhea does not stop the second day, seek qualified medical help.

Important! The high temperature that accompanies diarrhea and especially blood in the stool requires an immediate call to the doctor, as these symptoms may indicate inflammation or even gastric bleeding.

Rotavirus infection, or stomach flu, is caused by bacteria that enter the digestive tract through unboiled water, unwashed hands and poorly processed food.

Before the doctor arrives, you can take - 1 tablet per 10 kg of woman’s weight. This drug does not pass into breast milk, so negative consequences for the baby can be avoided.

When my son was 2 months old, my body did not accept kefir well. The product was fresh, apparently, my intestines just wanted adventure that day. I drank a packet of Smecta and within an hour I felt better. And Nifuroxazide helped my godfather quite well, although my godson was already 5 months old at that time, but this drug is approved for breastfeeding. We both did not have to interrupt feeding our children during treatment. And another friend of ours had an intestinal infection 3 weeks after giving birth, so she suffered a lot. Exhausting diarrhea was accompanied by fever and vomiting, but this was not passed on to the baby. The doctor prescribed Natasha a whole list of medications, selecting those that would not have a negative effect on her newborn daughter. There were Smecta and Regidron, and for the prevention of constipation, which sometimes replaces diarrhea. But I don’t recommend taking anything other than adsorbents on your own.

Antibiotics for diarrhea during breastfeeding

Antibiotics are prescribed to nursing mothers in cases where the source of diarrhea is harmful microorganisms and treatment with other drugs does not help. For example, for rotavirus or acute intestinal infections and severe food poisoning. Systemic antibiotic drugs are prescribed after the result of the analysis of the causative agent and its sensitivity to various drugs is known. This is the only way to guarantee successful treatment.

Never prescribe antibiotics for yourself and take them strictly in doses and according to the regimen prescribed by the doctor.

• take the recommended amount of the drug, without changing the dose up or down;
• Distribute the medication intake so that the peak accumulation of active substances occurs between feedings. That is, when prescribing an antibiotic once a day, take it before going to bed at night and by the morning the concentration will be low.

If a pause in feeding cannot be avoided, express the milk at the usual hours and pour it out, and after you finish taking the antibiotics, continue expressing for another day and only then give the breast to the baby.

Adsorbents

To quickly cure rotavirus infection or food poisoning, adsorbents are prescribed - Smecta or stronger ones - or They have an enveloping effect on the walls of the organs of the digestive system and help the rapid removal of toxic substances and pathogens. Adsorbent drugs are safe during breastfeeding, so they can be used as soon as the first signs of the disease appear.

The most affordable sorbent, which must be in every first aid kit, is activated carbon.

In addition to sorbents that remove pathogenic substances from the gastrointestinal tract, doctors often prescribe antimicrobial drugs, for example:

• Enterol,
• Enterofuril or its analog Ersefuril.

Enterol is considered the safest drug from this group for nursing women.

Medicines containing loperamide

Loperamide-based drugs are relatively inexpensive and therefore very popular among those suffering from diarrhea. But they are undesirable for use by nursing mothers and are strictly prohibited if you do not know what caused the diarrhea. In terms of its effect on the intestines, loperamide is similar to opiate drugs and is capable of completely stopping the process of defecation for several days, which is dangerous from a physiological point of view. Analogues of Loperamide and drugs similar in their effect on peristalsis - movement of intestinal contents:

• Imodium;
• Diara;
• Superilop;
• Enterobene;
• Lopedium.

In the annotation to them, breastfeeding is among the contraindications for use. But in severe cases, the doctor has the right to prescribe drugs based on loperamide, only treatment must be carried out under strict medical supervision. It is necessary to stop breastfeeding for the period of therapy, since the active substance penetrates into the milk and can harm the health of the baby. Self-medication with Loperamide and analogues is out of the question.

For dysbacteriosis, several drugs are prescribed at once, the actions of which do not conflict with each other

What medications for diarrhea should be taken with caution?

There are no absolutely safe drugs in nature; individual intolerance has not been canceled. If during treatment you notice any oddities in your health, be sure to inform your doctor about them.

Sometimes young mothers are prescribed Venter, which is not a cure for diarrhea, but one of its side effects is a consolidating effect. The doctor evaluates possible harm and potential benefits, on the basis of which the decision to use is made. The drug is sold by prescription; you should not even try to purchase it without a prescription.

• Levomycetin;
• Lincomycin;
• Tetracycline.

These drugs have the ability to penetrate into mother's milk, provoking the development of aplastic anemia in the baby and impaired hematopoietic function in the bone marrow.

Antibiotics of the fluoroquinol group are also prohibited during breastfeeding, as they negatively affect growth cartilage tissue and bones in infants.

Table: drugs for the treatment of diarrhea in nursing mothers

Video: drug treatment of food poisoning

Traditional methods of treating diarrhea in nursing mothers

You can try folk remedies to treat diarrhea, but they give maximum effect when the disease is still in its early stages and help get rid of unpleasant symptoms rather than defeat the cause. Accordingly, they will only really help with mild indigestion, and in case of poisoning they can worsen the situation, preventing the body from removing toxins. In addition, among these recipes, perhaps only rice water can be called safe for lactation.

Oak bark:

1. Pour a tablespoon of dry oak bark (sold at the pharmacy) into 250–300 ml of boiling water.
2. Boil the resulting mixture for 10 minutes.
3. Cool and drink a tablespoon 3 times a day.

Rice water:

1. Pour 2 teaspoons of washed, polished rice into half a liter of boiling water and cook for 40 minutes.
2. Cool the broth and strain it through cheesecloth.
3. Drink a quarter glass every 2-3 hours and the intestinal upset will soon go away, and the functioning of the digestive organs will return to normal.

Video: treatment of diarrhea with folk remedies

Preventing diarrhea while breastfeeding

It is easier to prevent any illness than to treat it. In most cases, diarrhea can be avoided by following these guidelines:

• maintain personal hygiene and keep your hands clean;
• check the expiration date of products in the store before purchasing and at home when starting to cook;
• process meat and eggs carefully so that bacteria do not enter the body due to insufficient cooking or stewing;
• eat according to the breastfeeding diet;
• Try to constantly be in an excellent mood and, if possible, avoid stressful situations.

Thorough washing of vegetables and fruits along with personal hygiene reduces the risk of intestinal infections

What to do if diarrhea starts after constipation

Video: Irritable Bowel Syndrome

My friend had a similar problem, she suffered from constipation for a week, then spent two days living in the restroom. Folk methods, in particular, homemade jelly, helped her return to the normal process of defecation. Having dealt with the problem, Sveta finally went to the doctor, who praised her for her intelligence and refusal to use drugs without his consent. Trying to cope with constipation, the friend took a mild laxative, but she only started doing this on the fifth day and the stool at the exit from the intestines had already dried up. When they finally came out, diarrhea began, caused by intestinal irritation, and if Svetlana had taken something more serious than folk remedies to fix it, she risked not getting out of it soon. vicious circle constipation diarrhea constipation. But what works well for one person can turn into problems for another, so I advise you to consult a doctor as early as possible.

How to restore stool after childbirth

Most common cause intestinal disorders in women who have recently become mothers are considered to be an incorrect diet. Many people, already in the first weeks after the birth of a child, begin to eat foods that they did not eat during the gestation period, or even never tried before. Such food experiments lead to negative consequences for the functioning of the digestive organs.

It is better to give preference to liquid and semi-liquid dishes; the body, weakened by pregnancy, childbirth and caring for a baby, is easier to digest such food. As the baby grows, the mother is allowed to diversify her menu with the following products:

• porridge (except semolina);
• lean fish;
• beet;
• pumpkin;
• zucchini;
• dried fruits.

They normalize the movement of intestinal contents to natural exit from the body. So useful property does not have semolina, dogwood, pears, strong tea and cocoa, which, on the contrary, negatively affect peristalsis.

It is very important for nursing mothers to drink a lot of liquid, up to two liters per day, not counting broths, compotes and other drinks. A sufficient amount of fluid has a positive effect on production breast milk and postpartum normalization of stool.

Equally useful for quickly restoring body functions is to move more. No one forces you to go on long walks straight from the maternity hospital, especially after a difficult birth, but you need to walk with your child for at least a short time in the first weeks. So strong exercise stress It will help not only improve bowel function, but also get rid of extra pounds.

Even short walks with your baby in a stroller will help normalize weight and bowel function after pregnancy and childbirth.

Don’t forget about self-massage - lightly warming up the abdominal muscles with your palms, always in a clockwise direction. This is an effective stimulation of the intestines to work smoothly.

If these recovery methods do not help, be sure to seek medical advice. The doctor will prescribe medications.

Diarrhea after childbirth is not such a rare occurrence, but it cannot be ignored. If you consult a doctor in a timely manner, you can avoid many health problems, and prevention can prevent the development of intestinal disorders. Remember, self-medication is dangerous.