09/27/2020 Alena Masheva Health Many women, while breastfeeding their baby, try, if possible, to protect themselves from taking medications so as not to harm the health of the newborn. Sometimes medications can be replaced with tea or medicinal tinctures. But it is important to remember that some herbs can also negatively affect the health of a woman and child, so before using them, it is important to determine exactly how they can affect the baby’s condition. Motherwort is considered a popular plant in medicine. It is necessary to determine how to take motherwort correctly so as not to harm the baby.
Changes in the female body
Motherwort cordial is a popular sedative that is prescribed if there are problems with the functioning of the nervous or cardiovascular system. Can nursing mothers drink motherwort? When feeding a newborn with breast milk, a woman’s body is affected by a huge number of different factors:
- changes in hormonal levels;
- physical fatigue;
- getting used to her new role as a mother;
- worries about the condition of the newborn;
- restructuring the rhythm and lifestyle;
- possible quarrels with relatives, nervous disorders;
- problems in everyday life and family.
Due to all the factors described above, the mother’s body begins to actively produce adrenaline, which neutralizes the effect of the hormone oxytocin. Oxytocin is responsible for the production of milk in a woman who has given birth. As a result of such processes, the quality of breast milk deteriorates significantly and its quantity decreases. Every mother who is at the stage of feeding her child should closely monitor her condition and, if possible, avoid stress, since the health of the newborn will depend on this.
Pharmacological group
The dietary supplement motherwort forte has a calming effect on the human body due to its inclusion in the composition of individual medicinal components. Motherwort extract has a calming effect on the activity of the structures of the central nervous system and improves their condition.
Magnesium has an effect on neuromuscular excitability and reduces the activity of the central nervous system; vitamin B6 is required by the human body to ensure the normal functioning of neurocytes. The product promotes better absorption of magnesium from the intestines. Such a drug combination ensures activation of the therapeutic effect. The manufacturer did not provide data on the absorption and distribution of the drug in the patient's body.
In what cases is motherwort recommended?
Why is motherwort prescribed? Medical professionals recommend using motherwort during lactation if a woman has the following problems:
Positive effect
Experts have identified the positive effect of motherwort on the body of a nursing woman. The action of the plant is as follows:
Motherwort is not addictive and is rarely accompanied by allergies.
Action of motherwort
The sedative effect of the drug calms the nerves, improves mood and normalizes sleep. Motherwort relaxes, stabilizes the functioning of nerve cells and the heart. It is not addictive and rarely causes allergies.
Motherwort comes in three types:
- Tincture - this type cannot be used during lactation due to the alcohol content. Alcohol penetrates into the milk and then into the baby’s body. As a result, the baby becomes intoxicated. In addition, alcohol inhibits the development and growth of a child.
- Tea is the best choice for breastfeeding. The bags are brewed and the strength is adjusted, which is important for a nursing mother.
- You can take tablets during lactation. However, you should carefully monitor the dosage.
Doctors often prescribe motherwort for sudden surges in blood pressure and headaches. A natural remedy will lower blood pressure and relieve spasms of the head vessels without harm to the infant. It normalizes blood sugar levels and speeds up metabolism.
In addition, motherwort normalizes heart rate and breathing when breastfeeding. It does not affect milk production. On the contrary, it helps to increase lactation if milk disappears due to nervous worries and fatigue of the nursing mother.
Instructions for use of the drug
In the pharmacy, motherwort can be found in the following forms:
Regardless of the chosen form of motherwort, the dosage when feeding a newborn with milk should be selected by the attending physician after examination. Too much dosage can lead to an adverse reaction, and too little can lead to the absence of the desired result.
If a woman does not have time to visit a doctor, but her nervous system requires help, then she should start taking motherwort, following the instructions, usually found on the packaging of the product.
Contraindications and side effects
Any medicine, regardless of its origin, can have side effects. Motherwort has contraindications for use, which you need to know clearly. Avoid taking in their presence.
Patients with problems with the duodenum, inflamed genital organs, gastritis, stomach ulcers, bradycardia, low blood pressure.
Nausea, vomiting, lethargy, and rashes are possible. You need to stop taking it immediately.
We recommend reading: Recipes for breastfeeding
Taking motherwort tea
Tea from a filter bag is the most effective form of the herb during breastfeeding. To prepare the product, nothing complicated is required. You just need to throw one sachet into a cup of hot water and wait a few minutes. You can consume ready-made herbal tea in the morning and evening for 2–3 weeks. Drinking more than 2 cups per day is prohibited.
If you don’t have motherwort bags, you can make tea from dried herbs. Experts note that drinking the drink is much more pleasant if you add one teaspoon of honey to it. To prepare tea you need to take:
Technique for preparing tea: pour a teaspoon of dry raw material into a glass, add hot water and leave until it cools completely. Then strain the finished infusion through cheesecloth or a sieve. The resulting product should be consumed several times a day, one glass at a time.
The effect of motherwort on a baby during breastfeeding is minimal. This herb helps restore the functioning of the cardiovascular system, eliminates spasms during headaches, improves intestinal motility and calms the nerves.
Is it possible to use motherwort while breastfeeding?
Being a mother is always a reconnaissance in force. No matter what they write in books, what doctors and experienced parents say, every woman goes through her own path of maternal adaptation.
Usability of application
Factors of maternal adaptation:
- Constant variability of the situation. Young children change quickly, requiring changes from the mother as well.
- Child's cry. Due to the child’s inability to express his needs in another way.
- Sense of routine (“Groundhog Day”).
- Increased responsibility.
- Constant switching from one type of activity to another.
- Suspiciousness and concern for the child. Caused by a lack of understanding of the baby’s actions and emotions.
- Redistribution of family roles.
- Neglect of personal needs (sleep, communication, personal space, self-care, usual activities).
The result of exposure to these factors is often insomnia, headache, irritability, as well as the risk of exacerbation of existing cardiovascular problems.
Breastfeeding is of great importance for a newly born baby, the formation of which largely depends on the emotional state of the mother. Maintaining a woman’s emotional balance during this period is the most important task. Preparations based on motherwort are one of the popular remedies that have a beneficial effect on the nervous and cardiovascular systems.
Safety of use
In the official directories of the Association for the Promotion and Cultural and Scientific Research of Breastfeeding, LactMed and others, there is no information about the effect of motherwort on lactation and the condition of the child. At the same time, many years of experience of pediatricians and consultants of AKEV (Association of Natural Feeding Consultants) indicates the safety of using motherwort-based preparations during lactation.
General recommendations for use
When consuming motherwort while breastfeeding, it is recommended:
- preliminary consultation with a doctor;
- use of alcohol-free forms of the drug;
- compliance with the minimum dosage;
- lack of regular use (for example, only before bedtime);
- monitoring the child’s reaction (if lethargy or an allergic reaction appears in the baby, the drug should be stopped).
The baby's weight and the amount of breast milk he consumes are important. The greater the weight of the child, the less influence the medicinal substances supplied with milk have on him. A child who has already been introduced to complementary foods consumes less breast milk, and therefore less medications supplied with it.
Motherwort bath for breastfeeding
Some women breastfeeding often ask the question: is it possible to use motherwort while breastfeeding? Many of them are simply afraid of side effects and a possible overdose of the drug. But other mothers have already tried motherwort tea or tablets to restore the nervous system, but have not received any positive results from it. In these two cases, experts advise trying to start using a decoction of the plant to prepare a bath.
To receive the medication you need to take:
The bath product is prepared according to the following recipe: pour dry herbs with hot water and wait until the mixture cools. Filter it through cheesecloth or a sieve. Then fill the bath with hot water, its temperature should not exceed 37 degrees, and pour out the finished broth. You should take a bath for about 12–20 minutes. The chest should be above the water.
As a result of this treatment, heart rhythm is restored, anxiety goes away, and normal sleep is restored. The smell of medicinal herbs and hot water help to calm down and relax.
Taken in tablet form
The most convenient and simplest method of using motherwort is to take tablets, since not every mother can find time to brew tea. The tablets are created from the extract of this plant. Instructions for using motherwort in tablets: the finished product is consumed 2-3 times a day, several pieces at a time, but not more than 3 weeks. The specific dose should be determined by the attending physician.
Sometimes various vitamins and beneficial microelements are additionally added to the tablets to enrich the woman’s body with useful substances. But they can only be consumed with the permission of a doctor. For example, Motherwort Forte capsules contain vitamin B6 and magnesium, which increase the sedative properties of the drug. It is for this reason that they are prohibited from being consumed without consulting a doctor in order to prevent negative consequences and adverse reactions.
According to the instructions for using motherwort in tablets when breastfeeding, you should take 1 piece several times a day with meals. They are washed down with plenty of liquid.
Applications and dosages
The dosage regimen is determined individually. The product is intended for oral use only. To achieve the best therapeutic effect, it is necessary to complete a whole course of using the composition. The maximum duration of use is 6 months.
for adults
Patients in this age category are recommended to take 4 tablets per day. The composition should be taken immediately after meals.
for children
The drug is not used in pediatric practice. The drug can be prescribed to adolescents over 12 years of age. This category of the population uses the drug according to the scheme defined for adult patients.
for pregnant women and during lactation
Women during pregnancy are not recommended to use the drug. The mechanisms of influence of the drug Motherwort Forta on the process of fetal development have not been studied. Taking the composition during breastfeeding requires interruption of lactation.
Valerian or motherwort?
If you have problems with sleep, long-term depression, severe irritability, nervousness and other disorders of the nervous system, doctors advise using motherwort together with valerian.
Valerian capsules are taken several times a day. They are distinguished by a minimal number of adverse reactions. If the patient follows the dosage regimen and dosage, she will be able to achieve a good treatment effect without harming herself or the child.
But it is important to remember that there is a criterion by which valerian differs from motherwort when feeding a baby:
- Motherwort is considered safe for newborns. It enters mother's milk in minimal quantities, and the only thing it can do for the baby is to affect its energy state. The child may feel lethargic and become inactive. This reaction is considered completely normal.
- Valerian can cause allergies in a child, and with prolonged use - constipation and an agitated state.
It is for this reason that it is best for a woman to give preference to taking motherwort rather than valerian.
Reviews from Dr. Komarovsky
Reviews of motherwort for breastfeeding are mostly positive: he believes that such a herb is important if there are any problems with the nervous system after the birth of a child. According to the doctor, many women after the birth of a child while breastfeeding often lead to serious problems. They prefer to postpone treatment for another 8 months, and only then do mothers begin to do something.
But you can’t do that. If a woman needs treatment, then she should do it. It is important to remember that a healthy and happy mother needs a newborn much more than milk.
If a nursing mother is very nervous, regularly lacks sleep, is very tired, and gets irritated for any reason, then she should start taking herbal infusions or motherwort tablets. But before starting treatment, it is important to consult a doctor and choose the optimal dosage.
