Temperature in a nursing mother Komarovsky. How can a nursing mother reduce her fever?
After childbirth, a woman’s body is weakened, and breastfeeding is an additional burden on it. Under these conditions, a young mother needs to more carefully monitor her health and well-being. One of the most important indicators of the body’s condition is body temperature.
Body temperature in a nursing mother
Body temperature is one of the most important indicators of the state of the body. But first you need to make sure you are measuring it correctly. In the first two months after birth, it is recommended to measure the temperature in the elbow. Normally, it corresponds to indicators from 36.4 to 37.3 degrees. Two months after the birth of the baby, the temperature can be measured in the armpit. It is advisable to do this no earlier than half an hour after feeding. But remember that measuring the temperature in the armpit of a nursing mother can give false positive results due to the proximity of the mammary glands, which are actively working during this period. The indicator may be higher or lower than normal. In these cases, it is necessary to consider the reasons that led to this measurement result.
To obtain reliable results, doctors do not recommend measuring the temperature of a nursing mother under the armpit. Increased body temperature in a nursing mother
Increased body temperature in a woman who is breastfeeding can be observed under the following conditions:
- lactostasis, mastitis;
- acute respiratory viral infections;
- bacterial infections (pneumonia, sinusitis, tonsillitis);
- postpartum complications (inflammation of the suture after cesarean section, pathological processes in the uterus or vagina);
- food poisoning;
- inflammatory processes of internal organs (pyelonephritis, cystitis, etc.), exacerbation of chronic diseases.
Each of these conditions has its own symptoms. An important question that a young mother faces is whether it is possible to continue feeding and whether this will harm the baby.
Lactostasis and mastitis
If the mother does not have any signs of a cold, but there is a lump in one of the breasts (or both) with redness of the skin above it, pain is a clear sign of lactostasis. It occurs due to blockage of the milk ducts and is characterized by congestion in the mammary gland. Swelling and inflammation occur, and the temperature rises sharply to 38 degrees. 
Heaviness, bloating and pain in the breast are signs of milk stagnation
In such a situation, urgent elimination of milk stagnation is necessary:
- apply the baby to the affected gland more often;
- make sure that the baby latches onto the breast correctly, this contributes to a more efficient flow of milk and eliminates congestion;
- Use different breastfeeding positions to ensure that all lobes of the breast are emptied evenly. Most often, try to position the baby so that his lower jaw is directed towards the seal;
- massage the seals with light circular movements;
- wear comfortable clothes that do not constrict your chest;
- If necessary, additionally express the affected breast.
Lactostasis must be eliminated as quickly as possible, otherwise after 2-3 days it can turn into a more pathological process - mastitis, when a bacterial infection joins the inflammation, and the body temperature reaches forty degrees. The problem in most cases is eliminated with antibiotics. If you have purulent mastitis, you should not feed your baby from the affected breast, because bacteria from the milk can enter the baby’s body and cause him harm. But you absolutely must express your breasts in order to quickly get rid of milk stagnation. If you have mastitis, you should not waste time, but consult a doctor so that he can prescribe adequate therapy.
ARVI
Infection with an acute respiratory viral infection often causes a rise in temperature. In addition, many other symptoms may occur with ARVI:
- headache;
- runny nose;
- sneezing;
- pain and redness in the throat;
- cough;
- lacrimation;
- congestion in the ears;
- body aches;
- general malaise.
ARVI is accompanied by a number of unpleasant symptoms - sneezing, sore throat, cough, chills, etc. The mother asks herself whether it is possible to continue breastfeeding and whether she will infect the baby. There is only one answer - In case of ARVI, it is not only possible, but also necessary to breastfeed your child! From the moment a viral infection enters the mother’s body until the first symptoms appear, antibodies begin to be produced in the woman’s blood. The child receives them with milk, so he either will not become infected, or his pathology will occur in a milder form. To reduce the risk of illness for the baby, the mother should wear a mask when breastfeeding.
The following will help alleviate the condition of a viral infection:
- warm, plentiful drink;
- bed rest - ask your loved ones to take on household responsibilities during your illness;
- symptomatic therapy - gargling, nasal drops, cough medicines, not contraindicated when breastfeeding;
- antipyretics (if necessary).
The temperature during an infection caused by a virus becomes lower on the third day, and on the fifth day it goes away completely. Complete cure for ARVI occurs in about 7 days.
The following condition must be remembered: if on the third day of illness the temperature does not become lower than on the first day, then a bacterial infection may occur.
Bacterial infections
A bacterial infection can occur as a complication of acute respiratory viral infection, in which case the body temperature will not drop, and additional symptoms will be added. In addition, such a problem may appear on its own. In this case, you will not notice the usual signs of ARVI, but you will experience pronounced, isolated symptoms of the disease caused by a bacterial infection, for example:
- sinusitis (pain in the paranasal sinuses and headache, aggravated by tilting the head, green discharge from the nose);
- pneumonia (wheezing, difficulty breathing, chest pain);
- sore throat (severe pain in the throat when swallowing, drooling).
A bacterial infection (only if it is not a complication of ARVI) is characterized by an acute onset with a sharp increase in temperature to high values.
If you suspect a pathology caused by a bacterial infection, a nursing mother should immediately consult a doctor. He will prescribe the necessary examination and treatment. Diseases that have a bacterial basis can be eliminated exclusively with antibiotics. Self-medication and therapy with traditional methods are prohibited! The possibility of breastfeeding while taking antibiotics will be determined by how compatible such drugs are with this process. If the prescribed antibacterial agents are contraindicated during lactation, but you want to maintain it, during treatment, express in the same mode in which you fed the baby. Then, after recovery and stopping taking medications, you will be able to breastfeed your baby again. 
To ensure that milk does not disappear during illness, it is necessary to maintain lactation by pumping.
Postpartum complications
Postpartum complications may appear in the first 6–8 weeks after birth and provoke an increase in temperature. They are associated with inflammation of the uterus, appendages, sutures from a caesarean section or internal sutures placed after ruptures during natural childbirth. In addition, pain symptoms localized in the affected area will be observed. You will also notice abnormal vaginal discharge with an unpleasant odor (if the cause of inflammation is in the uterus, vagina or ovaries) or the appearance of purulent discharge from the area of the cesarean section scar (this will be noticeably inflamed and red).
In all these cases, you should immediately contact your obstetrician-gynecologist so that he can identify the cause of your ailment, determine further treatment and prescribe medications that are compatible with the breastfeeding process.
Food poisoning
Food poisoning, in addition to fever, is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. With these symptoms, a nursing woman should not self-medicate; she needs to see a doctor, or in particularly acute cases, call an ambulance.
Exacerbation of chronic diseases
During the postpartum period, the mother’s body is especially weakened, and chronic diseases, even those that the woman has already forgotten about, can remind themselves. This could be pyelonephritis, cystitis, herpes, bronchial asthma. All these problems require close attention from a doctor. The decision to continue breastfeeding during illness is decided by the doctor.
Breastfeeding is prohibited for the following diseases:
- active tuberculosis;
- syphilis;
- herpes of the peripapillary zone;
- purulent mastitis;
- hepatitis B and C (to be decided with a doctor);
- exacerbation of chronic diseases of internal organs (to be decided with a doctor).
Reduced temperature
Low temperature in a nursing mother is much less common. If this happens, do not rush to draw conclusions. First, make sure that the thermometer is working properly and that you have measured your temperature correctly. Repeat the procedure several times using different devices. If the temperature turns out to be low, then there are reasons for this. Firstly, this may be a physiological norm if you noticed this before pregnancy. Secondly, this condition is a consequence of fatigue. Thirdly, a low temperature may indicate pressure surges or a lack of protein in the body. 
Low temperature may be due to overwork
In any case, a nursing mother is advised to consult a doctor. With the help of tests and examinations, he will determine what caused the low temperature.
How to reduce the temperature of a nursing mother
First of all, there is no need to rush to bring down the high temperature. Indeed, when it increases, the body produces a special protein - interferon, which begins to actively fight the infection. Therefore, it is recommended to lower the temperature when the readings exceed 38.5 degrees.
Antipyretics
A nursing mother should take the choice of antipyretics with all responsibility, since the baby will also receive these medications with milk. Similar drugs for adults are available in the form of tablets and suppositories.
Antipyretics in tablets have a faster effect. Preparations in suppositories work more slowly, but the effect lasts longer. They are convenient to use at night.
If the temperature does not drop within 24 hours using these medications, you should call a doctor.
Antipyretic drugs and the possibility of their use during breastfeeding: table
| Antipyretic means | Effect of the drug | Breastfeeding compatibility | Dosage | Price |
| Paracetamol | analgesic, antipyretic and mild anti-inflammatory |
| 325–650 mg every 4–6 hours | from 5 rub. |
| Ibuprofen | analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory |
| 200 mg 3–4 times a day | from 14 rub. |
| Aspirin |
| from 40 mg to 1 g 2–6 times a day | from 5 rub. |
How to reduce fever without medications
You can try to cope with the temperature without medication, in this case the following will help:
- plenty of warm drinks. Drink as often as possible; compotes, fruit drinks, herbal and raspberry teas, and juices are good for this. When drinking drinks made from berries, consider the possibility of allergies in your child;
- cool (18–22 degrees) and humid air, but sufficiently warm clothes;
- cold compress on forehead.
Raspberry tea is especially effective at high temperatures: the berry contains salicylic acid, so it naturally reduces fever Methods for reducing temperature during breastfeeding: reviews
Based on paracetamol. Can! 100%
Morozko
https://www.u-mama.ru/forum/kids/0–1/102432/
Don't worry about infecting your baby. If you are breastfeeding, then from the beginning of your illness your baby begins to receive protective antibodies produced by your body through milk. Nature has provided for everything) As for the temperature, a nursing mother can lower her temperature with paracetamol for no longer than 3 days. Therefore, it is better to find out the cause and treat it, rather than the effect.
Very often, inexperienced mothers wonder what to do if the temperature rises while breastfeeding.
Cannot be ignored using vinegar from your doctor
Can you take hygiene rules to a mammologist?
Feeding baby Pathology
Many believe that this is a clear indication for stopping breastfeeding and deprive the baby of the food he needs. However, doctors say that in most cases, despite illness, feeding can and should be maintained.
Causes of this disease
Before you start lowering your temperature while breastfeeding, find out the reason for this condition. A .
In most cases, this is caused by ARVI, but in a nursing woman during the postpartum period, other reasons may lead to this:
- the temperature often rises due to lactostasis or mastitis, lactostasis occurs due to stagnation of milk, and mastitis due to infection and inflammation in the mammary glands;
- this condition may also signal possible complications after childbirth - endometritis or inflammation of the sutures;
- It is imperative to exclude possible poisoning of the nursing mother, as it may be accompanied by such a phenomenon as fever during breastfeeding;
- numerous infections and inflammatory diseases of internal organs also rarely go away without this symptom.
Before looking for signs of these diseases, make sure you know how to measure your body temperature correctly. So in the armpit of a nursing woman it will always be slightly higher than 37, so it is better to measure it in the elbow or groin.
Is it possible to feed the baby?
A temperature of up to 38-38.5 during breastfeeding in itself is not a reason to switch to formula. Quite the opposite - doctors say that feeding a child is even beneficial, especially if the cause of the temperature is ARVI.
Modern doctors say: breastfeeding at fever is possible and even necessary
This is explained by the fact that this period is characterized by the production of antibodies, which pass to the baby through breast milk, after which they improve his immunity.
Therefore, feeding helps the baby fight viral diseases in the future. It is also absolutely necessary to put the baby to the breast if the mother has developed lactostasis - the baby will empty the breast and thus help avoid serious complications.
However, sometimes you will have to stop breastfeeding. If a young mother’s temperature is accompanied by the following factors, breastfeeding is strictly forbidden:
- a temperature of 39 and above is dangerous, since such values deteriorate the quality of milk;
- if diseases of vital organs are present, such as heart or kidney failure, it is necessary to stop feeding;
- taking certain medications necessary for the mother’s health is incompatible with breastfeeding;
- Breastfeeding is unacceptable if severe cases of mastitis are diagnosed.
The dangers of ignoring this problem
You should not ignore the symptoms; this may be a sign of a serious illness.
High body temperature is always a reason to pay attention to your health. Loss of breastfeeding is the least that can happen if the necessary treatment is not provided. Particularly severe cases can provoke the following consequences:
- mastitis: simple stagnation of milk can result in a very unpleasant, serious disease, which sometimes even requires surgical treatment;
- sepsis: inflammatory processes on the sutures after cesarean section, episiotomy or perineal ruptures can also end very sadly;
- endometritis: if this disease is detected in time and the necessary treatment is carried out, there will be no consequences for the mother, however, advanced cases may lead to the need to remove the reproductive organ;
- Peritonitis: This is a severe inflammatory process of the abdominal cavity, if not detected in time, it can be fatal.
All these diseases are necessarily accompanied by fever and fever, so if you know how to measure the temperature after childbirth, but are sure that it is really elevated, do not ignore this symptom. Be sure to monitor all changes in your condition, and if you have the slightest suspicion of a serious illness, consult a doctor.
Folk methods of struggle
You can bring down the temperature using traditional methods, for example, using vinegar
If you are sure that you do not need to consult a doctor and that no dangerous symptoms accompany your condition, then you can try to reduce the fever yourself. Thinking about what can be taken for fever while breastfeeding, many women are inclined to use traditional methods of treatment. There are not so many of these methods - drinking with the addition of antipyretic components or rubbing.
- You need to wipe yourself with 9% vinegar diluted in half with water. First you need to wipe your hands and feet, and then move on to the body. It is better to repeat the rubdown 2-3 times with an interval of 10 minutes.
- You can also place a napkin soaked in a vinegar solution on your forehead as a compress.
- The best antipyretic homemade drinks are tea with lemon or chamomile, milk with honey, and dried fruit compotes. They can be supplemented with raspberry or viburnum jam. However, you should not drink more than 3 glasses/day of medicinal drinks so as not to reduce the quality of your milk.
If folk recipes do not help, then you need to ask a doctor how to lower a mother’s temperature while breastfeeding. He will recommend safe medications.
Treatment and examination by a physician is necessary
Possible consequences
Sometimes a mother's fever while breastfeeding requires treatment and may indicate serious health problems.
Some cases cannot be delayed at all in visiting a doctor.
- If a woman has a high temperature during lactation due to stagnation of milk, and no feeding or pumping helps, then it is quite possible that mastitis begins. Hard, painful breasts with reddened skin and a temperature above 40 are a mandatory reason to call a doctor. Advanced mastitis will require serious treatment, and the most severe cases will even require surgery.
- Changed discharge from the genital tract and fever in the very first days after childbirth may indicate inflammation of the uterus, and painful urination may indicate pyelonephritis. Both of these conditions are extremely dangerous for women's health, so seeing a doctor is vital.
- Remember, if there is no improvement after taking antipyretic drugs, if the fever is above 39, with any incomprehensible and unusual symptoms, do not think about how else you can lower the temperature during lactation - immediately call a specialist. He will determine what causes the disease, prescribe treatment and give professional advice on feeding.
Attention!
The information published on the website is for informational purposes only and is intended for informational purposes only. Site visitors should not use them as medical advice! The site editors do not recommend self-medication. Determining the diagnosis and choosing a treatment method remains the exclusive prerogative of your attending physician! Remember that only complete diagnosis and therapy under the supervision of a doctor will help you completely get rid of the disease!
Today there are a lot of medicines that effectively reduce fever and help you quickly get back on your feet. However, most medications cannot be taken while breastfeeding. Through milk, the contents of the drug enter the baby's body, which is not always safe.
What to do if the temperature rises during lactation? What medications can you take to bring down a fever? Should I continue breastfeeding? Let's look at these aspects.
How to measure temperature during lactation
You cannot take your temperature when your breasts are full, during or immediately after feeding or pumping. During this period, the normal temperature will be 37.1-37.3 ° C.
To get the correct readings, the temperature can be measured half an hour after feeding or pumping.
At a temperature above 39 degrees, be sure to consult a doctor! Such a high temperature may be a symptom of a dangerous disease. Therefore, it is imperative to find out the reason. You should also not self-medicate, as this can lead to serious consequences!
Is it possible to feed a baby while sick?
Another question that concerns a nursing mother is whether it is possible to feed the baby breast milk. Doctors recommend not to stop breastfeeding. After all, along with milk, the baby receives useful elements and protective substances. Thanks to milk, the baby will not get infected.
Also, to keep your newborn safe, wear gauze bandage or mask. Research also shows that high fever does not affect the taste and quality of milk. Under no circumstances should milk be boiled. This treatment kills protective antibodies.
Folk remedies
If a nursing mother's temperature has risen, do not rush to take pharmaceutical medications. Traditional medicine is also effective. The main thing is to use safe methods.
During a cold while breastfeeding, the temperature can be brought down with inhalations. This is boiled potatoes, boiling water with a few drops of eucalyptus or brewed chamomile.
Helps with colds and foot baths. Add a little mustard powder to the water. Perform the procedure before going to bed, then put on warm socks and wrap your feet in a blanket.
During illness drink more fluids. When breastfeeding, the best option is boiled water. You can also drink tea with honey, jam and lemon. However, only on the condition that the baby does not have allergies.
Do herbal decoctions, but be careful when choosing plants. So, mint and sage reduce the production of breast milk. When breastfeeding, you can drink infusions of chamomile, evalipt, juniper, and lemon balm. These herbs have anti-inflammatory and antiviral effects. Drink medicinal drinks, teas and water throughout the day. The main thing is that the drink is warm.
Another popular way to get rid of fever is rubbing with vinegar. However, keep in mind that vinegar penetrates into the blood, so the solution must be very weak. Pour 30-40 ml of vinegar into 50 ml of warm water. For an adult, a 1:1 solution is made, but when breastfeeding, it is better to reduce the dose.
It is important to take warm water, not cold or hot. Otherwise, the patient may only get worse due to a sharp narrowing of blood vessels. Add only a standard table solution (not essence!) 6-9% concentration.
Stir the mixture and begin applying to your palms and soles. Then move on to the neck, armpits and knees. After wiping, cover yourself with a sheet or light blanket.
You can also bring down the temperature using compress with vinegar. Dilute 15-17 ml of vinegar in 200 ml of water. Stir the mixture in which to soak the fabric. Place it on your forehead.
Many drugs relieve fever in a short time. These are Fervex, Coldrex, Theraflu and many others. However, such medications are very harmful to the baby and are prohibited during breastfeeding. Such medications contain components that change the composition of milk and negatively affect the structure.
Doctors, including the popular television doctor Komarovsky, recommend taking. This is an effective antipyretic drug that is quickly eliminated from the body and does not harm the baby.
Fever in a nursing mother is not a rare phenomenon, especially during the period of autumn and spring exacerbation of ARVI.
Here the mother asks the question: is it possible to feed the baby when she is sick?
Let's figure it out.
Temperature Detection Plan
- First, you need to know exactly what happened in the body temperature rise.
It is quite possible that the mother does not have a cold, but lactostasis, for example, or poisoning. A therapist will help you determine what it is. Therefore, do not hesitate, call a doctor at home, or if there is a slight rise in temperature, go to the doctor yourself.
- Secondly, whatever the reason for the rise in temperature, you can and should feed your baby, say modern doctors.
Previously, when the mother was ill, the child was immediately weaned, thereby aggravating the situation. The fact is that antibodies are produced along with mother’s milk, and accordingly, the baby’s risk of getting sick is reduced due to the vitamins received. And if the mother has lactostasis, then constant breastfeeding will help preserve breast milk and alleviate the mother’s suffering.
- Third, try to drink more liquid– water, fruit drinks, jelly.
When the temperature rises due to ARVI, this will help you remove fluid from the body. If you have lactostasis, then the volume of water should be the same as usual.
- Fourth, they can help you cool compresses.
Place a cool, damp towel on your forehead and wipe with water or a vinegar solution.
Of course, you can and should take medications, but they are allowed during breastfeeding. Mainly:
- Paracetamol >>>
- Nurofen >>>
They are also prescribed to children when their temperature rises. Effervescent tablets such as antigrippin, coldrex and similar instant and fast-acting drugs are prohibited.
You can also use suppositories; they do not pass into breast milk, but it is worth noting that their effectiveness is noticeably lower.
If a nursing mother has a fever, then do not rush to panic, there is a way out. Continue to feed your baby and better consult a doctor, he will provide the necessary help and advise you properly.
Breast milk, and breastfeeding in general, is an ideal remedy for a baby in terms of preventing viral and colds. This is the only reason why, if a mother suddenly gets sick, she needs to calmly be treated with those drugs that will help her and will not harm the small child. A cold or viral disease brings many problems to a nursing mother; not only do such diseases cause a fever during breastfeeding, but also symptoms such as cough, runny nose and sore throat. The very first problem is the treatment itself, because most often mothers don’t even know what they can take and what they can’t. And sometimes it comes to the point that mommy lies with a temperature of about forty, just because she’s afraid to drink
What can you drink when your temperature suddenly rises? First of all, the ideal preparations are folk remedies - inhalations, steam baths, decoctions of various medicinal plants. If the temperature rises above 38 degrees during breastfeeding, it can be brought down with paracetamol-containing drugs. They are allowed during breastfeeding and will not harm the baby one bit, only if they lower his temperature a little, but this moment can be prevented very quickly with the help of warm clothes.
When a nursing woman is sick, she sweats a lot; not only does she need to replenish her lost fluids, but she also needs water to produce breast milk. Therefore, you need to consume as much fluid as possible and apply the baby more often, and especially at night. To make it more comfortable for a sick mother, you can put the baby next to you on the bed, but not under your blanket, and after feeding, try to move away from the baby, at least thirty centimeters. This is required not because you can infect a small child, but so that the baby does not sweat from your heat.
For the comprehensive treatment of colds in nursing mothers, methods such as physiotherapy, restoratives, homeopathic remedies, and aromatherapy are used. If a nursing mother gets very high while breastfeeding, she urgently needs to call an ambulance. It is not necessary to go to the hospital and leave the baby; hospital treatment is required only in very serious cases, and even a nursing mother can be treated on an outpatient basis, that is, at home.
If a woman falls ill with a viral disease, even if it is a simple cold, she should under no circumstances stop feeding her baby. In any case, without breast milk, the baby will become even more vulnerable, since all these diseases are transmitted through the air. If the temperature does not drop during feeding during the day, while taking antipyretic drugs, it is necessary to call a doctor at home and carry out treatment as prescribed by the doctor.
Infectious diseases, of course, are dangerous for a nursing mother, and not only if the temperature rises during breastfeeding, but also the danger of complications during self-treatment. If the doctor you called prescribed you antibiotics, this is not a reason to refuse breastfeeding during treatment; now there are antibiotics that are compatible with breastfeeding and do not harm the baby; it is enough just to drink biological products while taking the medicine. In order for your doctor to prescribe you these particular antibiotics, you must warn him in advance that you are breastfeeding. A nursing mother needs to know just a few rules that must be used when taking antibiotics:
- To ensure that a minimum of harmful substances enter breast milk, the drug must be taken directly during feeding or immediately after it;
- It is necessary to take biological products during the entire course of treatment, as well as two weeks after it;
- And also, if possible, use herbal preparations along with antibiotics.
