After childbirth, a woman’s body is often exposed to various infections. Due to a decrease in immunity, overwork or stress, inflammatory diseases occur. The most common of these is cystitis. Infection in the genitourinary tract can penetrate during childbirth and after them, with hypothermia or non-compliance with hygiene rules. This is especially dangerous for those women who breastfeed, because together with the mother’s milk, the child receives all the substances that have entered her body. Therefore, the treatment of cystitis during breastfeeding should be prescribed by a doctor, taking into account that the selected drugs do not harm the baby.
What is cystitis
Inflammation of the walls of the bladder due to infection or hypothermia is cystitis. The causative agents of the disease enter the ureters from the intestines, from dirty hands or underwear. This is most often Escherichia coli, but there may also be staphylococcus, chlamydia, enterobacteria, mycoplasmas, fungi or parasites. Once in the bladder, they multiply and cause inflammation of its walls. It can also develop with trauma to the mucosa, with a decrease in immunity, and even with an improper lifestyle.
Causes of cystitis
After birth, cystitis develops in 70% of women. In addition to the usual causes that cause the disease, nursing mothers have many reasons for the development of inflammation.
- Often the bladder is injured during childbirth. When passing through the birth canal, the fetus can press it to the bones of the pelvis.
- For the same reason, there is a violation of blood circulation in the bladder. This can lead to inflammation over time.
- Sharp hormonal disruptions during pregnancy and childbirth affect the immunity of a woman.
- Often, to stop bleeding after childbirth, they put an ice warmer on their stomach. Such hypothermia is the most common cause of cystitis.
- When a urinary catheter is placed, a woman in labor can infect.
- Many nursing women, due to fatigue, neglect the rules of personal hygiene. This helps the infection to enter the bladder.
Signs of the disease
At the initial stage, cystitis can be cured in a few days. And serious medicine may not be required. Therefore, in order for the treatment of cystitis during breastfeeding to be safer for the baby and mother, it is necessary to start it on time. To do this, a woman should know what symptoms the disease is accompanied by:
- frequent urination;
- burning in the urinary canal;
- bladder pain;
- small volume of urine, it is cloudy and dark;
- fever and general malaise are possible.
Treatment of cystitis during breastfeeding: basic principles
Everyone knows that while breastfeeding with mother’s milk, the baby receives both beneficial and harmful substances that could be in the woman’s body from medications. No mother wants to harm her child, so many women put off cystitis treatment for later. With breastfeeding, the features of therapy are that many drugs are contraindicated. Therefore, it is necessary to visit a doctor as soon as possible so that he recommends safe means of therapy. What is the most common treatment for cystitis during breastfeeding? Doctors give advice such:
- be sure to take medications : antibiotics, plant extracts;
- drink more fluid, especially with a diuretic effect, to flush bacteria from the bladder;
- observe intimate hygiene, take a shower daily and change clothes;
- it is necessary not to stop treatment after the disappearance of pain, since inflammation can occur again in a weakened body.
Antibiotic therapy
Since the disease is caused by infection, antibiotics are prescribed. A lactating woman should not take many drugs that are most often treated for cystitis. Therefore, the doctor should choose the drug. After analyzing the urine and determining the causative agent of the disease, the specialist prescribes a medicine. Most often, these are antibiotics of the penicillin group. They least penetrate into milk and do not harm the baby. The most common are Amoxicillin, Amoxiclav, Augmentin.
Antibiotics from the cephalosporin group are also prescribed: Cefazolin, Cefuroxin, or Zinnat. If chlamydia or mycoplasmas are found in the urine, you need to drink stronger drugs: Nitrofuran, Monural, Erythromycin, or Ofloxacin. But in this case, breastfeeding will have to be suspended. Sulfanilamides, for example, Bactrim, and quinolone preparations, for example, Nitroxoline, are completely prohibited during lactation.
It is very important to take antibiotics in the correct dosage and the required number of days. Do not stop treatment when symptoms have disappeared. The infection may return. Therefore, the duration of taking antibiotics should be at least 5 days.
Herbal preparations
Treatment of cystitis in women with breastfeeding should be carried out comprehensively. Antibacterial therapy should be supplemented with drugs of plant origin. The most effective and safe are Phytolysinum and Kanefron. They will not harm the baby, but can affect the taste of breast milk. The duration of treatment with such drugs is at least 3 weeks. After consultation with a doctor, they can be taken for prevention.
The composition of "Kanefron" includes extracts of centaury, rosemary and lovage root. The drug relieves cramps, reduces inflammation, has a diuretic effect. In addition, Kanefron improves kidney function and prevents stone formation.
"Fitolizin" was created on the basis of a large number of plant extracts: goldenrod, horsetail, highlander, lovage, hernia, parsley and others. Essential oils of mint, orange, and pine are also included in its composition. Due to the complex effect of all components, Fitolizin effectively relieves pain and inflammation, has a diuretic and antibacterial effect.
Drinking mode
Breastfeeding cystitis involves drinking plenty of fluids. This is necessary for washing the bladder, and for the production of milk. Fluids should be at least 2-3 liters per day. Moreover, it is important not only its quantity, you need to carefully choose what to drink. First of all, you need to abandon sweet carbonated drinks, tea and coffee. The substances contained in them irritate the mucous membrane of the bladder.
With cystitis, it is best to drink clean water, alkaline mineral water without gas, decoctions of herbs, rose hips or green tea. But cranberry and lingonberry fruit have the best diuretic and anti-inflammatory effect. When preparing them, you should not add sugar, since sugary drinks can enhance the growth of bacteria. Sometimes, to relieve pain, it is recommended to drink a weak saline solution. It is believed that it reduces the acidity of urine.
Treatment of cystitis with breastfeeding folk remedies
There are many recipes for relieving pain and inflammation in the bladder. But even folk remedies can harm a child. Therefore, they can be used only after consulting a doctor. For example, sage, often recommended for relieving inflammation, reduces lactation. Such treatment of cystitis is recommended by alternative methods:
- safe for the child are decoctions of chamomile, yarrow, echinacea, corn stigmas;
- the most effective remedies for cystitis are cranberries and cranberries, it is best to drink fruit drinks from these berries, but you can brew them like tea;
- two-thirds of a glass of pure millet pour 3 cups of water and insist 10-12 hours, take 100 g of infusion 3 times a day;
- a decoction of lingonberry leaves has a diuretic effect and helps with inflammation.
Diet for cystitis
A nursing mother should already monitor her diet. But if she has cystitis after childbirth, treatment with breastfeeding requires a special diet:
- salt should be excluded, since it helps to retain fluid and can increase inflammation and swelling;
- refuse fatty foods, smoked meats and spices;
- Cranberries are very useful in this disease, you can eat it just like that or make fruit drinks out of it;
- carrots, parsley, asparagus, celery, watermelons should be included in the diet.
Local cystitis treatment
Very often, various external methods of therapy are recommended to lactating women. Treatment of cystitis with breastfeeding in this way is safer than with drugs. But they should be used only as directed by a doctor.
- A heating pad or a large plastic bottle should be filled with hot water and placed between the legs. Take cover and lie down for half an hour to warm the bladder warmly. But this method can only be used for non-infectious cystitis.
- Most often, nursing mothers are offered the introduction of drugs directly into the bladder through a catheter. For this, for example, Protargol is used. This procedure is effective and safe for the baby, since the drugs do not penetrate into the milk. Just a two-time administration is enough for a complete cure.
Improper treatment complications
If you do not take measures when the first signs of the disease appear, citing the fact that medications can harm the child, cystitis can become chronic. And then it will worsen with any decrease in immunity. Such chronic cystitis is very difficult to treat, as it leads to changes in the structure of the mucous membrane of the bladder. With improper treatment, the infection can penetrate the kidneys and cause the development of pyelonephritis. This disease is very difficult to treat, but it is very dangerous for the body.
Cystitis Prevention
To prevent inflammation of the bladder, a nursing woman needs to follow a few simple rules:
- wear comfortable underwear made from natural fabrics;
- refuse to wear thongs and bikinis;
- it is necessary to dress according to the weather and avoid hypothermia, especially the legs and lower back;
- daily need to drink at least 2 liters of water;
- to live an active lifestyle;
- treat chronic and infectious diseases on time;
- monitor your diet, excluding salted, pickled and fried foods, coffee and spices;
- empty the bladder regularly.
You can get rid of inflammation of the bladder by means that are absolutely safe for the child. Therefore, do not postpone the treatment of cystitis during breastfeeding. Reviews of women who started therapy on time and complied with all the doctor’s recommendations note that the disease went quickly and did not affect the child at all.