Chamomile pharmacy is one of the most popular products used in herbal medicine and cosmetology. Despite a wide range of useful properties, many young mothers are concerned about the safety of this medicinal plant for a child. Is chamomile allowed for breastfeeding? Is tea based on it useful during this period, or can it only harm? We will talk about all this further.
Chamomile and its beneficial properties
Chamomile is a truly unique plant, all the healing properties of which are difficult to list. Its colors contain a number of useful elements. The most valuable of them are:
- essential oils, in particular chamazulen;
- flavonoids;
- glycosides;
- nicotinic, ascorbic, salicylic acids;
- trace elements.
The rich active composition provides a wide range of medicinal plants. It is prescribed for the treatment and prevention of many diseases:
- So, due to the high content of flavonoids, chamomile is endowed with antibacterial and antiviral properties. This makes it possible to successfully use the plant in the fight against influenza and the common cold.
- Chamomile is known for its disinfecting effect, which allows it to be used to relieve various inflammations, washing wounds and rinsing.
- Thanks to choleretic properties, chamomile helps to cope with diseases of the liver and gall bladder.
- It is also used as an antispasmodic, as it helps to relax the spasmodic areas of the muscles. A special effect is achieved with intestinal cramps and gastric colic.
- As an anti-inflammatory agent, chamomile is used internally and externally. Surely many people know that compresses from chamomile tea give a good result for inflammation of the eyes, in particular, for conjunctivitis.
- Actively use chamomile in cosmetology. It is added to the composition of various cosmetics (creams, shampoos, face masks, etc.).
An equally valuable property of chamomile is its ability to calm the nervous system. Thanks to its calming properties, the plant is effectively used to combat depression, which is important for breastfeeding. Chamomile broth with breastfeeding is recommended to drink not only mom at night. Starting from 3 months of age, you can give it to the baby so that he sleeps better. Chamomile is also recommended for breastfeeding with dysbiosis of the child.
Taking chamomile while breastfeeding
The fact that during the lactation period many medicines are prohibited, many know. But what if the nursing mother became ill? In such a situation, the problem is solved with the help of all permitted means, in particular with the help of herbal medicine. Often the choice is daisy. This medicinal plant helps in the following cases:
- Increased nervous irritability and insomnia. Nursing mothers are advised to drink chamomile tea before bedtime. This will help get rid of anxious thoughts, relieve fatigue and tension. A good help will be chamomile tea for the baby. It will help you fall asleep faster if the baby is bothered by pains in the tummy or his teeth are being cut.
- Colds. Since chamomile has antiseptic properties, its use allows you to get rid of cough, runny nose, tonsillitis and pharyngitis not only for a child, but also for a nursing mother.
- Dermatological problems. Strongly brewed chamomile during breastfeeding helps with cracks in the nipples. In addition, it prevents wound suppuration, promotes their healing, and also eliminates acne and boils.
- Digestive disorders. Diarrhea, increased gas formation, colic are a very unpleasant phenomenon that takes away the joy of life and causes a lot of inconvenience. If your mother has digestive problems, even if the baby feels good, it is worth using a chamomile.
- Diseases of the genitourinary system. Infusions used internally, as well as douching, are used to treat erosion of the cervix, thrush, and inflammation of the urinary system. They help bring the menstrual cycle back to normal.
- Toothache. Decongestants and anti-inflammatory properties of a medicinal plant are used to relieve toothache in an adult and to alleviate the condition of a baby whose teeth are being cut.
Can I drink chamomile while breastfeeding?
As noted earlier, the use of chamomile is indicated for various ailments. Chamomile tea, the benefits and harms of which during breastfeeding are still being discussed by scientists, helps to cope with the disorders in the digestive organs that are often observed in the mother and her crumbs.
Thanks to the calming and relaxing properties of the plant, it is possible to normalize sleep.
Often, chamomile during breastfeeding affects the production of milk. Moreover, in some cases, its volume can increase, and in some, on the contrary, decrease. However, most breastfeeding counselors tend to believe that excessive consumption of chamomile inhibits milk production. One way or another, nursing specialists recommend observing the measure and drinking no more than 2 cups of chamomile tea per day. Do not forget about the likelihood of allergic reactions to chamomile in a child.
Chamomile allergy
In rare cases, but the use of chamomile tea by a nursing mother causes an allergic reaction. The tendency to them is associated with the individual characteristics of the baby. Therefore, you need to start taking chamomile with small doses, observing the health of the baby. An allergy to a plant is accompanied by such symptoms:
- rashes and redness on the skin;
- labored breathing;
- the appearance of nausea and vomiting;
- secretion of mucus from the nasal cavity;
- swelling of the eyes and lips.
When the above signs appear, mom needs to stop taking tea or a decoction. It should also be borne in mind that an allergic reaction in a baby can occur even with external use of the plant.
Rules for taking chamomile during lactation
Can I drink chamomile while breastfeeding? In the absence of negative reactions from the child, the permissible dose of chamomile tea for mom is no more than 2 cups per day. The best time to drink is after dinner and before bedtime. This will provide a good sleep for mom and baby, help them calm down. Chamomile tea, the benefits and harms of which depend on the individual characteristics of the body, it is recommended to start drinking in small quantities, observing the condition of the child. If the baby showed the slightest reaction, the reception should be discontinued.
And in order to exclude it as much as possible, the medicinal plant must be properly brewed, observing the prescribed concentration of tea or infusion:
- For mom, one bag per 200 ml of boiling water is used. Duration of infusion - no more than 15 minutes.
- For the baby, the concentration should be 3 times less, and the first portion of the drink should not exceed 1 teaspoon.
It should be noted that pediatricians generally do not recommend watering a baby with herbal infusions, including chamomile, in the first month of life. After this period, the maximum allowable dose is 50 ml per day.
Tea with chamomile when breast-feeding a mother who does not produce enough milk is recommended to drink no more than a cup a day, and preferably before going to bed. It is also important to consider that the duration of treatment should not exceed 2 weeks. The need for extension of the course should be agreed with a specialist.
Side effects
Taking tea or chamomile tincture in rare cases can cause side effects. This may include:
- headache;
- weakness and malaise;
- dizziness;
- irritability.
In addition, before drinking chamomile, you should make sure that there is no allergy.
Reviews
How useful is chamomile for breastfeeding? Reviews of nursing mothers confirm that during lactation, drinking tea from it saves from many problems. So, in the first months of life, when the baby’s gastrointestinal tract has not yet matured, and feeding is almost always accompanied by colic, chamomile tea helps to cope with digestive disorders.
In addition, the broth is able to solve the problem of increased excitability of the baby, which is accompanied by tearfulness and sleep disturbance. Chamomile especially helps with painful teething of the first teeth.
Conclusion
Medicinal herbs have been used for a long time. They especially help out when taking medications, due to their side effects, is unacceptable. Chamomile with breastfeeding can help to cope with many ailments of the mother and her baby, and also become a good alternative to medicines, the use of which is contraindicated. The main thing is to be careful and not exceed the recommended doses so that the child does not manifest allergic reactions.