About visiting a bathhouse (sauna) during breastfeeding
By visiting a sauna, a woman adheres not only to hygiene goals, but also to the goals of rejuvenating her body, renewing skin cells, and losing weight, which worries many people after childbirth. A woman perceives a sauna and steam bath as a certain type of relaxation that she lacks. A nursing mother does not get enough sleep, completely devoting herself to the child, completely forgetting about herself. But in the bathhouse you can relax perfectly.
As a rule, there are women who already visit baths and saunas during pregnancy. And during lactation they don’t want to give it up. Those women who have never visited a bathhouse and decide to try it while breastfeeding need to be extremely careful.
The main condition when going to the bathhouse is to intelligently approach the loads that you receive in a high-temperature environment. During the first visit to the sauna, a nursing woman should monitor her condition very carefully.
How does a bath (sauna) affect lactation: burnout of breast milk
The main misconception is that after visiting the bathhouse, breast milk loses its nutritional properties or, even worse, burns out - this is not true. Nothing like this happens with breast milk. The term “milk burnout” is associated with an unnatural cessation of lactation: ligation of the breast, stopping the baby from latching, etc. On the contrary, temperature stimulates lactation, to the point that milk can spontaneously come out of the breast.
After visiting the sauna and bathhouse, milk does not lose its beneficial properties.
Does the mother's body become dehydrated during bath procedures? and this can lead to decreased milk production. It is necessary to promptly replenish fluid losses.
When can you start going to the bathhouse?
We need to wait until the postpartum discharge ends and let the mother’s body recover. This usually takes from 1 to 2 months, depending on the birth and the individual properties of the body.
In an amicable way, it is better to wait at least 3 months: this will allow you to calmly move away from childbirth and establish lactation. It is better not to subject the female body to unreasonable stress in the form of high temperatures.
When to stop visiting the bathhouse
If before giving birth you were not a frequent visitor to baths and saunas, then the period of breastfeeding is not the best time to start. It is unknown how the body of a nursing mother will react to high temperatures. A nursing mother should not go to a bathhouse or sauna in the following cases:
This list is non-exhaustive. In case of any diseases or even ailments, it will be better for the body to undergo bath procedures. Indeed, in this case, the harm from the bath may exceed the benefits from it. A consultation with a doctor will tell you whether it is possible to go to the bathhouse while breastfeeding in each specific case.
Is it possible to take a newborn to the bathhouse?
Children are not little adults. The baby’s body works according to different physiological laws: the child’s metabolism is much more intense. The baby produces more heat per unit of time than mom or dad. The baby does not have developed sweat glands, so its mechanisms for maintaining body temperature are less effective. A temperature that is comfortable and not dangerous for the mother can be not only undesirable, but dangerous for the child.
Baths and saunas are contraindicated for children under two years of age.
You can talk about some of the benefits of a bathhouse for a child starting from the age of 7.
When to feed your baby: before or after the steam room?
Lovers of bath procedures can spend several hours there in a row. To prevent your baby from becoming hungry at this time, it is useful to feed him before going to the steam bath. If the baby does not want to eat or is sleeping, you can express it into a bottle.
Placing the baby on the breast the day before visiting the sauna will help prevent milk from leaking from the nipples during thermal procedures. After all, a bath during active lactation helps to increase the volume of fluid in the glands. After returning from the bath, you need to rest a little and then feed the baby to avoid stagnation and the development of lactostasis. Milk will be released abundantly, and the baby will remain full.
What to take with you: list of necessary things
It is much safer if you visit not a public bath, but your personal, home bath or sauna. Still, it is unknown who goes to public baths and with what diseases. After visiting a bathhouse or sauna, monitor the state of lactation: if there is less milk, it is better to avoid visiting such places for the next few months.
Article editor . In 2021 she graduated from the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education “National Research Mordovian State University named after. N. P. Ogareva”, specialty “Pediatrics”.
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Is it possible for a nursing mother to go to the bathhouse and sauna: how to steam with benefit while breastfeeding
The bathhouse, without a doubt, is useful for almost every person. Even without a qualified bathhouse attendant, it also helps remove toxic substances from the body, fights excess weight, and improves water-salt balance.
A bathhouse is a place where you can perform high-quality active inhalations with hot steam. Inhaling the vapors of healing decoctions and tinctures, which are poured onto a steam stove, helps in the fight against many diseases and improves health. However, the bath not only has a positive healing effect, it represents a lot of stress for the body. Let's figure out whether a young mother can take a steam bath in a bathhouse, whether a sauna is contraindicated during breastfeeding, and whether it harms lactation and the quality of milk.
In the bathhouse you can relax your body and soul: drink herbal tea, have inhalations or beauty treatments
Myths and truth about saunas during lactation
The main absurd argument that used to exist in pediatrics is the possibility of overheating and burnout of milk in the breast of a nursing mother if she goes to the bathhouse. High temperatures and inhalation of vapors allegedly cause milk to spoil and burn.
Modern medicine completely refutes this. Milk cannot physically burn out in the mother's body. The term "burnout" can be used when a mother stops breastfeeding and stops lactation by bandaging the breasts. Then you feel heat in the chest, it seems that the milk is “burning out.” There are no direct contraindications for a nursing mother to visit a sauna or bathhouse. Don't be afraid that the steam room will spoil your milk or stop lactation.
When can you start going to the bathhouse?
Is it possible for a nursing mother to go to the bathhouse and take a steam bath? Experts allow thermal procedures to be carried out, but only after the body has become stronger and recovered from childbirth. This usually takes one and a half to two months with a natural birth and several months with a cesarean section. It is important that the scar heals completely, because pathogenic bacteria can easily penetrate into an open wound, causing secondary infection of the tissue.
Important! Of course, when visiting a sauna, the body experiences a number of positive changes - the content of lactic acid in the muscles decreases, immunity increases, and mood improves. But we must not forget about the negative aspects of taking a bath - out of habit, a woman’s blood pressure may jump, or the inflammatory process may worsen.
Women who have not fully developed lactation and have signs of lactostasis (milk stagnation) should not rush to visit the steam room. Blockage of the milk ducts is fraught with the development of mastitis, in which it is prohibited to heat the glands (in warm conditions, the process of reproduction of pathogenic microbes begins). That is why when asked whether a nursing mother can wash and steam in a bathhouse, doctors answer in the affirmative, but remind them of precautions.
How long after giving birth can you visit the bathhouse?
The main rule is not to visit the bathhouse until the body recovers from childbirth. Gynecologists prohibit going to the sauna until postpartum discharge or bleeding stops, until the stitches heal, otherwise an infection may enter the body, and the condition risks worsening.
If a bathhouse is the norm for you, then 6-8 weeks after giving birth you can safely go there. Visit a bathhouse or sauna no more than once a week - remember that your rhythm of life should be gentle so as not to harm yourself or your baby.
If mommy visited the sauna and bathhouse before the birth of the child, you can resume the pleasant tradition just a month and a half after giving birth
be careful
Each body tolerates the effects of a sauna individually, so you should weigh the pros and cons before going to the sauna. Many bathhouse lovers can carry out hot procedures several times a week, regardless of their health status, so you should not listen to the advice of your friends. It is also worth remembering that no one can advise you better than a doctor.
Visiting the bathhouse with increased caution is necessary for people suffering from hypertension and other diseases of the cardiovascular system. Women carrying a child should be especially careful. Some pregnant women feel quite comfortable under the influence of high temperatures, however, as mentioned above, this is all individual and depends on the health of not only the mother, but also the baby. Find out from your doctor whether it is possible to steam at the temperature in your case. When going to the bathhouse, think about whether breastfeeding women can go to the bathhouse, because problems can arise after pregnancy.
Don't miss warning signs
Your body may be giving signals that it doesn't like going to the sauna. Lactation is a capricious thing, so listen to your body while in the bath, especially for the first time after giving birth. You may feel nausea, tinnitus, dizziness, weakness in the body - this is a hint that you need to postpone going to the steam room for a couple of months, the body is not yet ready to perceive high temperatures and steam inhalations. In addition, a bath can theoretically affect the amount of milk.
If you neglect your health, you can develop lactostasis, a cold, or an inflammatory process of internal organs.
The bath is not suitable for every nursing mother - if after the procedure your health worsens, it should be postponed until the end of breastfeeding
What does a bath mean for a nursing mother?
Since ancient times, people have visited the bathhouse for the purpose of healing, relaxation and calm. Under conditions of high temperature and humidity, a number of positive mechanisms are triggered in the body. Sweating increases, blood circulation accelerates, and protective forces are activated. Advantages of visiting a bathhouse while breastfeeding:
- improved kidney function;
- cleansing the body of the accumulation of harmful substances, toxins and waste;
- relaxation of tense and tight muscles;
- increasing immunity;
- blood flow to internal organs;
- relieving psycho-emotional stress;
- getting a boost of vigor and energy.
Bath procedures are good for the skin - it steams, the pores open, and cosmetics better penetrate deep into the tissues, allowing a woman to take care of her face and body. The effect of applying masks and scrubs to the epidermis after a sauna is much more pronounced. In addition, the bath promotes the successful treatment of bruises, sprains, and colds.
On a note! Excessive sweating allows you to lose extra pounds, and this problem worries many women in the postpartum period. In the bathhouse you can have an anti-cellulite and lymphatic drainage massage, reduce the appearance of stretch marks on the skin, and get rid of age spots. If you have a cold, it is recommended to take essential oil with you and do steam inhalation - this will improve the functioning of the respiratory system, eliminate cough and clear the nasal passages.
What body care products should I take with me?
An ordinary woman takes a whole cosmetic bag with her to the bathhouse in order to apply various lotions, creams, scrubs, and masks to her steamed skin. A nursing mother can limit herself to natural-based products. The pores steamed by the bathhouse absorb everything much better, including chemical additives that get into your blood and milk. There is no need to feed your baby products from the chemical industry, which are generously packed into modern products that care for a woman’s body. Ideally, take baby care products. Baby lotion, cream and milk will not harm your skin and will make it silky and youthful.
When breastfeeding, you can use natural creams, lotions, scrubs and masks based on herbal decoctions or honey, preferably homemade. Popular products include curd-carrot mixture, kefir and yolk-yeast masks, coffee scrub, and chamomile lotion. Also, when breastfeeding, you can use luxury body care products in moderation; they are often of quite high quality and harmless to the body.
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