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At what temperature is it forbidden to feed a baby. Breastfeeding at a temperature - acceptable indicators for the safety of the baby

Human health is his main tool in the fight against unfavorable environmental factors. The question is especially acute when we are talking about the health of an infant. Our article today will tell you if you can breastfeed at a temperature. As you know, in such a delicate matter as feeding a child, it is better to consult a specialist. Well, we will offer you only general cases that can be encountered in everyday life. So:

Breastfeeding at a temperature. Is it possible?

This is certainly possible. But how correct and safe is it? That is the question. We give you a succinct and precise answer: you can breastfeed your baby at a temperature! According to research, and indeed general medical knowledge, the fever of the mother while feeding the baby does not have a detrimental effect on the baby. In no case should you interrupt feeding during the period of illness. If the mother of the child is sick with ARVI, then along with milk, the baby will receive antigens and nutrients, which, on the contrary, will give his immunity even more resistance. Also, feeding is very important for the mother. The fact is that in the period after childbirth, the mother's breast should give milk, and not keep it inside. As a result of the interruption of feeding, a young mother can earn such unpleasant diseases as lactostasis or mastitis. Another danger of interrupting breastfeeding is that after a long break in breastfeeding, the baby may completely abandon this method of feeding. In this case, you will have to switch to nutritional mixtures, and the mother will express milk in order to avoid its stagnation in the breast cavity. Can I breastfeed at a temperature caused by a cold? Yes, you can.

Another important point that should never be forgotten. If the mother's body temperature does not exceed 38 degrees and is caused by various stressful psychological factors or ovulation, then feeding is allowed. However, if the temperature is above 39, then it is imperative to bring it down. The fact is that when feeding with temperature, the taste of milk changes, which can provoke a child's refusal from this method of feeding. In addition, high temperature feeding is a serious threat to the mother of the infant. Try to bring the temperature down with paracetamol before feeding. Never use aspirin-based drugs.

Another important point is what is the cause of the temperature. As a rule, those diseases for the treatment of which antibiotics are used can pose a serious danger not only to the mother, but also to the child. In this case, it is recommended to seek advice from your attending physician, who will suggest the correct algorithm of actions in this difficult situation. Usually, with a mild course of the disease, the doctor selects those antibiotics that will not interfere with the feeding process. And in some cases of serious diseases, you have to interrupt the feeding process completely. Diseases that are associated with renal failure, cardiovascular system, liver and lungs. In all these cases, feeding is not recommended, and sometimes completely prohibited. It should be noted that in such a situation, the best solution is to go through a consultation with the attending physician and with a pediatrician. Now you know, dear readers, in which cases you can breastfeed at a temperature.

A rise in temperature can be associated with a variety of diseases and, probably, there is no adult on the planet who would never have a fever. But if a feverish state begins in a nursing mother, then, naturally, the question arises, is it possible to breastfeed a baby at a temperature?

To get an answer, you need to see a doctor so that he can make a diagnosis. Only after that, it will be possible to decide whether to continue feeding or to temporarily stop it.

A nursing mother should never self-medicate. You should not prescribe medication for yourself, drink antipyretic drugs, and even more so antibiotics.

You should not immediately refuse to feed if your mother has a fever. It is necessary to first deal with the causes of the fever, and then make a decision.

Possible reasons

In a nursing mother, the temperature can rise for a variety of reasons. For example, the temperature after childbirth often rises due to postpartum inflammatory diseases. It can be endometritis, inflammation of the sutures after a cesarean or in the perineum.

With difficulties in breastfeeding, an increase in temperature may be associated with milk stagnation and the development of such a serious complication as mastitis. Symptoms of the formation of congestion in the mammary glands should not be ignored by a nursing mother. If you take action on time, you can get by with simple treatment and keep breastfeeding. If you start lactostasis, mastitis, characterized by purulent inflammation, may develop. Mastitis requires surgery and antibiotics, so keeping breastfeeding alive can be challenging.

Read also: Why does the baby spit up after feeding? Causes and methods of treatment

The exacerbation of chronic diseases can also become the reason for the increase in temperature. Childbirth weakens the body, therefore, in the postpartum period, chronic processes are often exacerbated.

Various infections can also cause an increase in temperature: viral (ARVI, influenza) or bacterial (tonsillitis, otitis media, etc.).

So, the reasons for the increase in temperature can be caused by a variety of reasons, therefore, contacting a doctor for a diagnosis is mandatory.

When is a rise in temperature the norm?

Temperature in adults is measured, as a rule, by inserting a thermometer into the armpit. To measure the temperature of a nursing mother in this way and get an objective result, you need to take into account the time of the last feeding.

If you put a thermometer right after the child has eaten, or the mother has expressed expression, then readings in the range of 37 - 37.5 degrees can be considered the norm. The fact is that when sucking or expressing milk, the muscles of the milk ducts contract, and this causes a slight increase in temperature. If you put a thermometer half an hour after feeding, then its readings will be lower.

In addition, before placing the thermometer in the armpit, you need to wipe the skin with a damp cloth. This will remove sweat that evaporates and cools the skin. Only when these conditions are met, the thermometer readings will be objective.

To feed or not to feed?

Let's see if it is possible to feed a baby with breast milk at a temperature? As mentioned, the answer will depend on the diagnosis you make.

Read also: Why does a baby stick out his tongue: prank or symptoms of the disease

So, if the fever is caused by a viral infection (ARVI), then the cessation of feeding is not recommended for several reasons. Firstly, a sick mother, even before the onset of symptoms of the disease, was already a carrier of viruses, so the likelihood that she "shared" them with the child is very high. Secondly, in the mother's body, the immune system produces antibodies that suppress viruses. By continuing to breastfeed, the mother supplies her baby with these antibodies. As a result, breast milk protects the baby from infection much better than any vaccine.

If the mother's temperature does not rise above 38 degrees, then there is no need to bring her down. In this case, fever is one of the tools the body uses to fight infection. However, if the thermometer shows 38-39, you need to start taking antipyretic drugs. In this case, the mother needs to find a medicine that will not harm the baby. Doctors recommend drugs based on paracetamol or ibuprofen. But aspirin or analgin should not be taken at high temperatures.

It is better to treat mom with ARVI with folk remedies: gargle, rinse the nose, drink vitamin teas (for example, from rose hips), but it is better to avoid drugs. When feeding and close communication with your baby, you should wear a medical mask on your nose and mouth.

If milk stagnation became the cause of the fever, then you should never stop feeding. In this case, the best "doctor" for the mother will be her child, since he will suck out milk, freeing the breast.

Natural feeding is the basis for the full and harmonious development of a newborn baby. Unfortunately, the body of a young mother is not immune from the penetration of infectious pathogens that provoke serious diseases. One of the manifestations of an infectious lesion of the body is a temperature reaction.

When the general condition of a nursing woman worsens, the question arises about the safety of latching the baby to the breast. To answer this question, you need to understand the causes of this condition.

Causes

An increase in body temperature is most often caused by infectious diseases of a viral or bacterial nature. Seasonality is characteristic of such pathologies. A breastfeeding woman may also experience high fever caused by non-infectious factors. The most common causes of sickness and fever include:

  • A slight increase in indicators is triggered by the maturation of the egg (ovulation) or emotional shock.
  • In 80% of cases, this condition is formed against the background of an infectious lesion of the body. The reason for this is the flu and. Concomitant symptoms of a cold are a runny nose, cough, sore throat, muscle pain, and general malaise.
  • For a lactating mother, lactostasis and mastitis, which occur against the background of stagnation in the mammary gland, are relevant. This disease is characterized by persistent inflammation and fever. Purulent complications in mastitis occur against the background of the addition of a bacterial or fungal infection that penetrates through abrasions and cracks in the nipples.
  • In the first 2-3 weeks after childbirth, the body of a young mother is vulnerable to any inflammatory diseases. Weak postpartum immunity often leads to an exacerbation of chronic pathologies.
  • A common cause of this condition is foodborne illness. Banal food poisoning is accompanied by severe intoxication of the body and an increase in body temperature.

If the temperature does not exceed 38 degrees, then the nursing woman can continue to latch on the baby to the breast. If these indicators reach 39-40 degrees, then changes occur not only in the quantitative and qualitative composition of milk, but also in its consistency. Not every baby will accept such food, therefore the woman is advised to bring the temperature to normal values.

Indications for breastfeeding

In some cases, healthcare professionals recommend that the breastfeeding chain is not interrupted, even if the temperature is elevated. This recommendation has its own rationale:

  • Breastfeeding at elevated temperatures ensures that interferons enter the child's body with mother's milk. This guarantees the formation of a reliable immune defense of the baby's body.
  • A temperature reaction is a consequence of the intensified struggle of the mother's body with infectious pathogens. Breastfeeding has a positive effect on the health of the mother and baby.
  • Attaching the baby to the breast as usual is.
  • Taking a break from breastfeeding, a woman cannot be sure that her baby will not refuse another portion of milk.

Contraindications

Despite the benefits of breastfeeding, there are prohibitions on this procedure. Elevated body temperature is a contraindication to feeding a child in such cases:

  • If the temperature readings have stepped over the figure of 39 degrees. With significant fever, the taste and consistency of breast milk changes. To prevent the baby from refusing to breastfeed, it is recommended to achieve a decrease in temperature.
  • In cases where high temperature is the result of acute and chronic diseases of organs and systems. This group of pathologies includes diseases of the respiratory system, kidneys, liver and heart.
  • If a nursing woman is forced to undergo antibiotic therapy, then she needs to refrain from breastfeeding. Getting into the child's body through milk, antibiotics cause dysbiosis and other complications.

How to bring down the temperature

Rapid stabilization of body temperature is in the interests of the mother and newborn baby. The following recommendations will help to normalize the condition:

  • over 38 degrees, an antipyretic agent should be taken. For this purpose, it is necessary to use drugs based on ibuprofen or paracetamol. Such funds do not have a negative effect on the child's body.
  • Antipyretics can be used in the form of suppositories. This will reduce the likelihood of passing active ingredients into breast milk.
  • If the body temperature does not reach 38 degrees, then you should not reduce it. The temperature reaction is accompanied by active production of antibodies.
  • Body temperature should be measured before and after feeding. This will allow the condition to be monitored. When the indicators jump up, an antipyretic agent is taken. For more information on the selection of medicines and the rules of administration, see the link.
  • When infected with viral pathogens, bed rest and plenty of drink are recommended. With enough warm liquid, the body gets rid of the toxins that viruses release. As a warm drink, it is necessary to use herbal teas with raspberry jam, berry fruit drinks, dried fruit compote and warm milk. Fluid restriction applies to those women who are faced with the problem of mastitis.

If the temperature reaction is within the permissible norm, then feeding the baby is an important and useful activity. Before deciding on the preservation of lactation, it is advisable for a young mother to visit a medical specialist to determine the cause of the high temperature.

If the malaise is caused by a viral infection, then it is necessary to contact the baby in a disposable gauze or cellulose mask, which will protect the baby from infection. Food poisoning is a reason for seeking medical attention. In case of severe discomfort, feeding is suspended until the mother is feeling better.

Compliance with simple rules will help a nursing woman avoid serious complications of high body temperature and keep breastfeeding at the proper level.

Breast milk is the best food a mom can offer her baby. It strengthens the immune system and allows the baby to grow up healthy. But it often happens that during breastfeeding, the mother gets sick, and she is afraid to feed during this period, fearing to harm the baby. Many women are concerned about whether a rise in temperature can affect the quality of milk. Let's try to figure it out.

Can I breastfeed at a temperature? In this case, you need to analyze your condition and determine the source of poor health.

So is it possible to breastfeed at a temperature? Most often, this is not an obstacle to such a process. But it is best to discuss this with your doctor, who may advise you to continue feeding with some precautions.

What temperature is considered safe when feeding a baby? Up to 39 degrees. But WHO recommends starting to take antipyretics from the 38.5-degree mark. Some women with SARS express and boil breast milk, and then give it to the baby. It is better not to do this, because when heated, all protective factors disappear. This deprives the child of the best protection against illness.

When to not stop breastfeeding

When should you not stop breastfeeding in case of heat? Most doctors advise that you continue to feed your baby with your milk if the fever has slightly risen. The termination of this process contributes to an even greater increase in it, since there is an overflow of the mammary gland with milk and lactostasis occurs. To avoid stagnation of milk in the breast, it should be expressed frequently. As a result, lactation may be impaired, because milk residues remain in the breast.

If the temperature has risen due to the activity of the virus, then protective antibodies to it begin to form in the mother's blood immediately. During feeding, they begin to be passed on to the baby along with milk, helping to protect him from disease. If the baby is not fed, the risk of infection increases.

If a woman, as a result of an increase in temperature, feels well and does not need treatment with drugs that are contraindicated with breastfeeding, then feeding should not be stopped. In addition, it is especially useful at this time. With acute respiratory infections, accompanied by a cough, runny nose and other symptoms, you need to wear a special medical mask when you need to feed the child. This will reduce the risk of infection.

When to stop breastfeeding

Although most often a rise in temperature does not harm the health of the mother and child, there are situations when you need to temporarily stop breastfeeding:

  • If the temperature rises due to a serious illness of the mother. Due to poor health and a weakened state of a woman, milk may disappear. Breastfeeding a baby requires a lot of energy, which may be beyond the power of the mother.
  • When a doctor prescribes medications for treatment incompatible with breastfeeding. Quite often, after childbirth, an inflammatory process occurs, accompanied by an increase in temperature. Treatment in this case is carried out with antibiotics, therefore, at the time of taking them, you need to stop breastfeeding.

There is a myth that at temperatures above 39 degrees, the quality of milk begins to change and becomes harmful to the baby. This is not true, the temperature does not affect the composition of milk in any way.

Treatment

If the appearance of a fever is not associated with a serious illness, then it is recommended to bring it down with antipyretic drugs, which are allowed during lactation. Basically, the doctor prescribes medicines based on ibuprofen and paracetamol. A woman must strictly adhere to the instructions and not exceed the required dosage.

If the temperature has risen no higher than 38 degrees, then you can not rush to take medicine. The body itself must cope with such a problem. It is with such indicators of the thermometer that interferon begins to be produced - a special protein that destroys pathogens.

In case of heat, you need to consume a large amount of liquid: compotes, water, tea with lemon. But when breastfeeding, not all drinks are allowed, as some cause allergic reactions. In addition, a large amount of liquid causes a sharp influx of milk, and with mastitis it is very dangerous.

For the treatment of acute respiratory infections, methods are used that do not in any way affect the quality of breast milk. Gargling, inhalation with simple steam and rinsing the nose with saline are completely safe for mothers.

In some cases, the conditions that cause fever are treated with antibiotics. Most of them cannot be taken during lactation, but without them it is very difficult to cure bacterial pneumonia, mastitis, or sore throat. There are some medicines that are considered relatively harmless when breastfeeding, but they can cause minor side effects.

Body temperature must be measured correctly. Breastfeeding mothers should not use the armpit for this, because the readings are always higher there. In addition, the measurement should be taken after pumping or feeding.

Thus, if a young mother has a fever, then she should not panic. You just need to measure it regularly, drink plenty of fluids and carefully monitor your well-being. In any case, high fever is not a reason to wean a baby.

Attention, only TODAY!

In the spring-autumn period, a period of widespread illness begins, with diseases such as ARVI, ARI, influenza. They are accompanied by a runny nose, cough, weakness and, of course, fever. And if, basically, you can go to the pharmacy for medicine and consult with the pharmacist about the method of treatment, then when the temperature rises in a nursing mother, it is not so easy to get out of the situation.

During lactation, a woman is responsible for two lives, for her and her baby's health. Therefore, self-medication and negligence are unacceptable. But what if a nursing mother has a high body temperature? Can I continue to feed? First, don't panic. Nervous tension can adversely affect lactation, and moreover worsen the symptoms of the disease. And, secondly, let's figure out what can cause a woman's body temperature to rise during lactation?

The reasons for the increase in temperature in a nursing mother

One of the symptoms of many diseases is an increase in body temperature. What are the reasons for a rise in temperature a woman can have during lactation:

  • In the postpartum period (6 weeks postpartum), the cause of high fever can be endometritis, mastitis, inflammation and dehiscence of the perineal stitches, or stitches from a cesarean section.
  • Exacerbation of chronic diseases (pyelonephritis, herpes, diseases of internal organs).
  • ARI, ARVI, flu.
  • Rotovirus infection and other foodborne illness.
  • Lactostasis.

First of all, a woman should understand that it is impossible to self-medicate. Seek medical attention as soon as possible. If it is not possible to get to the hospital for an appointment, if there is a day off or a public holiday on the calendar, call an ambulance. An ambulance paramedic will provide first aid and diagnose the cause of the temperature rise. It is important to know that when you call a doctor from a polyclinic to your home, you cannot be denied this call if you have a fever and you cannot come to the hospital on your own. The local therapist will come to your home, prescribe treatment, if necessary, give a referral for tests or hospitalization.

Lactostasis (milk stagnation in the breast) is often the cause of fever in a nursing woman. This situation occurs due to improper attachment of the baby to the breast, when the baby eats little, and the mother consumes a lot of liquid. The development of lactostasis occurs, as a rule, during the first weeks after childbirth. This is due to the fact that lactation is just being established. If you observe fever, breast swelling and hard lumps on palpation, you need to express milk, then attach the baby to the breast. If the reason for the rise in temperature is lactostasis, after expressing, the temperature will begin to decrease.

If there is breast swelling, pain with any movement of the hands, and after expressing and breastfeeding, the temperature does not subside - the possibility of mastitis development is great. Mastitis is dangerous because it can go from the uninfected stage to the infected one. Thus, pathogenic bacteria begin to be produced in the mother's body and, accordingly, in breast milk. Mastitis should ALWAYS be treated with the help of a doctor. Contact an antenatal clinic to prescribe adequate treatment.

Is it possible to feed a baby at a mother's temperature?


If the doctor does not recommend weaning the baby, do not stop breastfeeding. Interruption of lactation is possible if the mother is prescribed strong drug therapy, which has a negative effect on the baby, if there is a staphylococcal infection in the mother's milk, and there is a complicated pyoinflammatory process.

Recently, while visiting a pharmacy, I witnessed a situation when a pharmacist recommended a young girl to stop breastfeeding, because "The milk has burned out anyway and now it is harmful to drink it"... I caught up with the girl and found out that her temperature rose to 39 degrees Celsius, she is a nursing mother, and at the same time all the symptoms of a cold - a runny nose, cough and weakness. After advising her to go to the doctor first and not listen to the pharmacists, I gave her my phone number (to find out how this story ended). When the doctor came to call at the house, he saw a sick mother, a hungry child, to whom they tried to give formula to no avail, and a husband in a pre-infarction state who did not know what to do with all this.

Mom was prescribed medications that can be taken while breastfeeding, insisted on the need to breastfeed the baby. Everyone is calm and everyone is happy.

During the illness of a nursing woman, her body produces antibodies to the disease, which are transmitted to the baby during feeding. Thus, the child is protected from infections, and even if it falls ill, the disease will pass in an easier course.

Remember !!! Milk during the temperature of a nursing mother does not curdle, does not boil and does not turn sour. You can breastfeed at high temperatures! Stop breastfeeding only if the doctor's recommendation has been followed!

If there is a need to interrupt breastfeeding, every effort should be made to preserve the milk. For this, a young mother will need to regularly. Thus. You will be able to avoid stagnation of milk in the milk ducts, and save milk for feeding the baby after recovery.

How to measure the temperature correctly?


In order to get a true reading on the thermometer, it is necessary to correctly measure the temperature. When measuring the temperature in the armpit, a nursing mother should know that a breast full of milk gives readings in Celsius from 36.8 to 37.5. The temperature is best measured in the groin area, or in the elbow bend. If measuring in the armpit, you must first express milk or feed the baby.

At temperatures up to 38 degrees, the body itself fights the infection. After 38.5, it is necessary to take antipyretic drugs, or use the methods of traditional medicine.

To lower the temperature in a nursing mother, drugs such as Paracetamol and Ibuprofen are usually prescribed. It is better to take them in the form of rectal suppositories. This form of medicine helps maximally at temperature, and minimally penetrates into breast milk.

If the child does not have allergic reactions, you can drink tea with raspberry jam, or tea with lemon and honey to bring down the temperature of a nursing mother. In any case, with an elevated temperature and illness (in the absence of lactostasis), you need an abundant warm drink (tea, apple and lingonberry compote).

Mom must adhere to proper and timely nutrition. At least porridge, but it is necessary to eat, despite the lack of appetite. The quality of milk directly depends on the mother's nutrition. You can eat cottage cheese, soups, homemade cakes. The presence of vegetables and fruits in the diet is imperative.

Based on the above, several conclusions can be drawn:

  • If the temperature of a nursing mother has risen, it is necessary to seek medical help as soon as possible!
  • DO NOT self-medicate.
  • Do not wean your baby until advised by a doctor.
  • Try to maintain lactation in the event of forced weaning (express regularly).