The human body temperature is a complex indicator of the state of the body. At a temperature of 36.6 ° C, with possible fluctuations up to several tenths of a degree, normal blood circulation is maintained and an optimal environment for the work of internal organs is created. Therefore, the temperature in the range of 36.5 ° C - 37.2 ° C is considered normal. This is an individual indicator that can fluctuate throughout the day. An increase in temperature indicates the presence of inflammatory processes and the manifestation of diseases.
A woman during lactation should be sensitive to her health, therefore, an elevated temperature in a nursing mother is a warning symptom. You should not immediately stop feeding, because with the milk of the mother the child receives such antibodies necessary in the early period of development. But, if the temperature during lactation has increased, it is necessary to find out the reasons, of course, it will not be superfluous to consult a doctor.
The most common cause of fever and well-being may be a seasonal viral infection, which is not always safe. In this case, the temperature of the nursing mother, as well as of all the other patients, is accompanied by a cough, runny nose, or sore throat.
In addition, the development of lactostasis, which is stagnation of milk in the breast, can be a very common cause of fever. At the same time, painful sensations begin in the chest, and then the temperature of the nursing mother rises. The causes of this can be various injuries, malnutrition, hyperlactation or crushing of the mammary glands. Without treatment, lactostasis can lead to the development of a more serious disease - lactational mastitis, and sometimes even surgical intervention may be necessary. The temperature of a breast-feeding woman, in such cases, is higher than 38 ° C, and the investment does not occur when released from milk.
The main treatment for lactostasis is to completely free the breast from milk during and after feeding. After feeding, it is recommended to apply a cold compress of cottage cheese or chopped cabbage. If possible, it is better to consult a doctor and take the physiotherapeutic procedures prescribed by him. With timely proper treatment, the temperature of the nursing mother should quickly stabilize. As preventive measures, you should refuse to squeeze clothes, try not to sleep on your chest, avoid temperature extremes and feed at the first request of the child. If after a short period the temperature of the breast-feeding woman has risen again, it is possible that past lactostasis was not treated.
Lowering the temperature of lactating women should be careful, preferably after consulting a doctor. The safest of the medicines are those containing paracetamol and ibuprofen, but even their use is recommended in case of emergency. After all, all the drugs from the mother’s blood penetrate into milk and can harm the baby. In addition, the temperature should be knocked down if it exceeds 38 ° C, since a slight increase in it is considered a protective reaction of the body. If the temperature has risen during lactation and the cause of this is a viral infection, it is advisable to bring it down with an abundant drink of drinks made from natural products. For example, raspberry tea can help.
or a drink made from honey or lemon. You can bring down the temperature by wiping the body with vinegar or applying cool compresses to the forehead. Do not get too carried away with folk remedies, because during breastfeeding they can have a side negative effect on both the mother's body and the baby.