Can you get flu-like symptoms while breastfeeding?

Understanding Flu-Like Symptoms While Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding mothers often face the challenge of managing their health while ensuring their infants receive the best nutrition. One common concern is whether flu-like symptoms can occur during breastfeeding and how these symptoms might affect both the mother and the baby.
Flu Symptoms and Breastfeeding
It is entirely possible for a breastfeeding mother to experience flu-like symptoms, such as fever, chills, body aches, and fatigue. These symptoms can arise from various illnesses, including the flu itself or other viral infections. However, the good news is that breastfeeding can continue safely during such times. In fact, breast milk is uniquely equipped to provide essential antibodies that help protect infants from infections, including the flu.
When a mother is sick, her body produces specific antibodies in response to the infection, which are then passed to the baby through breast milk. This transfer of antibodies can bolster the infant’s immune system, offering them some level of protection against the illness the mother is experiencing.
Maintaining Hygiene and Safety
While breastfeeding during illness is generally safe, it is crucial for mothers to practice good hygiene to prevent the spread of germs. This includes washing hands frequently and considering the use of a mask while breastfeeding to minimize the risk of transmitting the virus to the baby. If a mother feels too ill to breastfeed directly, she should be encouraged to express her milk regularly. This ensures that the baby continues to receive the nutritional benefits of breast milk, even if direct feeding is not possible.
Medication Considerations
Mothers who are experiencing flu-like symptoms may need to take medications to alleviate their discomfort. Fortunately, many over-the-counter medications are compatible with breastfeeding. However, it is advisable for mothers to consult healthcare providers to ensure that any medications they take are safe for both them and their breastfeeding infants.
Conclusion
In summary, experiencing flu-like symptoms while breastfeeding is not uncommon, and mothers can continue to breastfeed safely. The antibodies present in breast milk can provide vital protection for infants, making breastfeeding an important aspect of care during illness. By adhering to hygiene practices and consulting healthcare professionals regarding medication, mothers can effectively manage their health while ensuring their babies remain nourished and protected.

Why do I feel sick when I breastfeed?

Nausea that occurs with the milk let-down may be related to the release of oxytocin. Oxytocin is the hormone that causes the milk ejection reflex (MER or let-down), and it also helps make digestion more efficient and is associated with other gut hormones that can cause nausea.

Will my baby get sick if I’m sick and breastfeeding?

In fact, your body will actually start producing antibodies for those illnesses and pass those antibodies through your milk to your baby, effectively reducing the risk and severity of those illnesses to your infant and/or toddler.

What are 5 symptoms of the flu?

You may have influenza (flu) if you have some or all of these symptoms:

• Fever.
• Cough.
• Sore throat.
• Runny or stuffy nose.
• Body aches.
• Headache.
• Chills.
• Very tired.

Can breast milk coming in cause flu-like symptoms?

Mastitis is breast inflammation that can lead to infection. People who are breastfeeding are most likely to get mastitis. You may have a red, swollen, painful breast and flu-like symptoms.

Can breastfeeding hormones make you feel sick?

Milk ejection can be associated with different sensations that vary dramatically between women. These may be localised to the breast such as a ‘drawing’ pain or tingling, to more systemic sensations such as nausea, thirst, fainting or even mental anxiety and depression8.

Can breastfeeding make you feel like you have the flu?

What are some symptoms of mastitis? You might have a red, sore area on your breast. Sometimes it feels like getting the flu. You might feel hot and cold with a fever, and have general body aches.

Can postpartum cause flu-like symptoms?

For example, bleeding that persists for weeks could be a sign of a partially retained placenta. Flu like symptoms could be the sign of mastitis, a painful inflammation of breast tissue that could lead to infection.

Can my breastfed baby catch my flu?

If you have the flu, you can keep breastfeeding your baby, even if you take antiviral medicines for flu-like symptoms. Breast milk is custom-made for babies, providing antibodies that babies need to fight infection. So, continuing to breastfeed can protect your baby from the infection that your body is fighting.

Can a baby get flu from its mother?

A mother with flu should take precautions to avoid spreading it to her infant, regardless of her feeding method. Infants are at high risk of serious flu-related complications. Precautions are especially important for infants younger than 6 months because they cannot be vaccinated against influenza viruses.

Can a clogged milk duct cause flu-like symptoms?

Usually a mama with mastitis feels some soreness or a lump typically in only one breast (similar to a clogged milk duct), and experiences other symptoms like: Fever or symptoms similar to the flu (feeling run down, body aches, etc.)