Is it possible for a nursing mother to go to the bathhouse?
In the old days, the bathhouse was not only a place where one could throw off the burden of worries and cleanse the body of toxins. The birth of a child also took place in a bathhouse. This was considered natural.
But over time, living conditions have changed, and women are provided with qualified assistance during childbirth.
And it is recommended to go to the bathhouse or sauna when a woman’s body gets stronger after the birth of a baby.
There is an opinion that nursing mothers should not overheat, otherwise there will be less milk. But doctors do not agree with this conclusion. If you follow the rules for visiting the steam room, there will be no problems with lactation.
About the benefits of a sauna
If a woman has no contraindications based on the presence of certain diseases, there will definitely be benefits. Being at home with the baby, the mother has to move less, so the steam room compensates for the lack of movement, increases strength, endurance, and improves coordination. Since in the sauna the blood vessels seem to be charging, reacting to sudden changes in temperature, a woman’s immunity to the cold is strengthened. This means that the body tolerates the winter period easier.
Many people cannot imagine a bathhouse without its obligatory attribute – a broom. If a woman actively used it before giving birth, then it is better, even after the birth of a breastfed baby, to steam with a broom rather than stay in the steam room for a long time. This will be especially beneficial if the broom is chosen correctly. More gentle ones are made from deciduous trees:
- birch;
- aspen;
- linden;
- oak
To improve the functioning of the respiratory system, you can do inhalation. You need to drop a little aromatic oil of cedar, lemon, eucalyptus and other plants onto the heater. Air filled with aroma will not only create a good mood, but will also help in the treatment of bronchi and lungs.
But the most amazing effect the bath has on a woman’s skin. Pores are cleaned, dirt is washed away, dead skin cells are easily removed. The sauna has the most beneficial effect on any skin type. The bath improves its properties, condition, and fat metabolism. After visiting the sauna, a breastfeeding woman feels that her body has been renewed, has become lighter and more beautiful.
Is the bathhouse recommended for a nursing mother?
As a rule, women who have attended do not give up their favorite pastime even after the child is born. But one should approach the loads wisely - this is the main principle of behavior during special periods of a woman’s life, including during breastfeeding.
If you are healthy, go to the bathhouse
When breastfeeding, you should not neglect the basic rules of behavior in the bathhouse. You must wear a hat on your head and non-slip slippers on your feet. In general, you need to move around the sauna carefully, without making sudden movements. This will help the body adapt to conditions of high temperature and humidity. It’s good if a woman is breastfeeding, but has had extensive experience visiting the steam room before giving birth. The body will only have to remember how hot it can be in the bathhouse and turn on its defense mechanisms.
The location of the sauna is of great importance. It’s great if it’s your own bathhouse, you can regulate the temperature in it. You need to start by staying in a steam room at a low temperature. The first visit after the woman has given birth can be arranged immediately after the end of labor bleeding. If the bathhouse is public, then it is better to wait, especially for those who do not have experience in a steam room.
In addition, in a bathhouse, a woman’s weakened body is more susceptible to various infections. You should be especially careful after taking the procedures: you need to dress warmly so as not to catch a cold in your chest. It is best to start visiting the sauna in the warm season, when the risk of catching a cold is noticeably lower.
When should you start visiting the bathhouse after childbirth?
When exposed to high temperatures, changes occur in the body. There is a decrease in the level of lactic acid, which helps to calm and strengthen the immune system. But there is also a negative impact. One person’s blood pressure rises, so you can’t stay in the steam room for a long time. In another person, inflammatory processes may worsen. Therefore, after giving birth, a woman should not immediately visit the bathhouse. You need to wait 6-8 weeks for lactation to stabilize and for the body to return to normal.
Women after a cesarean section are advised to avoid the sauna until the surgical scar has completely healed . After all, you need to protect yourself from penetration of pathogenic microorganisms. You can wait 2-3 months after giving birth to enjoy the bath.
Should you take your baby with you to the bathhouse?
The child's body is designed and functions in a completely different way than that of adults. In newborns, heat exchange is much more active. In addition, infants do not yet develop sweat glands; the small body reacts sharply to changes in body temperature. High air temperatures can be detrimental to the baby. It is not recommended to take him with you until the child reaches two years of age.
Two years is the age at which it is recommended to begin accustoming a child to bath procedures. Previously, this should not be done due to the baby’s imperfect heat exchange system.
A trip to the steam room, if organized correctly, will give strength and vigor to a nursing woman. It is important to monitor your health and if you feel unwell, postpone the sauna to another time. If you choose where to go with a broom, then it is better to limit yourself to home gatherings in your own bathhouse than to go to a public one. This is much healthier and safer for both mother and newborn.
The benefits of bath procedures for a woman’s health after childbirth
After such a shake-up of the body that a woman receives during childbirth, she needs:
- remove waste and toxins from the body;
- improve metabolic processes;
- strengthen the immune system;
- increase muscle tone;
- rejuvenate the skin;
- lose the weight you have gained.
All this can be achieved by visiting the bathhouse. Hardening procedures are carried out in the sauna to prevent the occurrence of unwanted colds. But you need to steam wisely, because at high temperatures, long stays indoors, hot and humid, there is a danger of decreased lactation. And not everyone can withstand the conditions of a bathhouse.
Influence and benefits during lactation
The birth of a child and breastfeeding trigger a number of hormonal changes in the mother's body. Therefore, a woman during the recovery period, and especially when lactation begins, needs to be wary of sudden physical influences, be it playing sports or visiting a bathhouse. If before pregnancy a young mother had no idea about such establishments, then it is better not to start getting acquainted with them immediately after giving birth.
Begin visiting the bathhouse after childbirth with caution
Indeed, under the influence of hot vapors, blood pressure increases, resulting in dizziness or nausea, tinnitus or a general feeling of weakness.
Other negative consequences of going to the bathhouse after childbirth are:
- The appearance of tachycardia. The heart rate becomes irregular due to the intense heat in the room.
- Nosebleeds. They arise due to sudden changes in temperature and pressure surges.
- Exacerbation of heart and vascular diseases.
- An attack of bronchial asthma, if a woman has such a disease.
- The development of inflammatory processes against the background of a cold or viral infection.
If a nursing mother is familiar with bathing establishments firsthand and takes into account all contraindications for health reasons, then she can safely begin the gradual return of hot water procedures to her life.
I went throughout my pregnancy, and after giving birth I went 2 weeks later, and this weekend we took the baby to the bathhouse so everything was fine, I didn’t even cry))))
Alyona
https://www.babyblog.ru/user/060785/2169422
The benefits of a bath during breastfeeding are as follows:
- The activity of the liver and kidneys increases, since a large amount of fluid is removed from the body.
- The muscles and nervous system relax.
- There is a feeling of vigor and tone throughout the body due to the acceleration of blood flow.
- The body is cleansed of harmful substances, which improves immunity.
In addition, after the bath, sprains, bruises and even dislocations are healed faster. And if you use auxiliary products in the form of cosmetic creams or masks, you can effectively get rid of postpartum stretch marks, cellulite and pigmentation. Since under the influence of hot, moist steam, the pores on the skin expand and the hair scales open, the positive effect of cleansing facial scrubs and hair masks is enhanced.
When it comes to a nursing woman visiting a sauna, it is important to remember that the dry hot air of a “sweating room” causes spasms in the vessels on the surface of the skin, after which they expand. As a result, increased sweating begins, and the body loses up to two liters of fluid. Therefore, it is necessary to drink at least 150 g of water or pre-prepared fruit juice in the steam room. If this is not done, there is a risk of a decrease in breast milk volume.
After the bath, my milk supply became significantly less. It recovered in about a day. So be careful.)))) (Fluid evaporates from the body)
Lanana
https://forum.nanya.ru/topic/16417-gv-i-bania/
At the same time, provided you stay in a dry sauna for no more than five minutes in three sessions, you can achieve such positive results as:
- Softening of the skin due to the large amount of sebaceous secretion released.
- Improved coordination of movements. The heat intensifies redox processes in the joints, which leads to the restoration of the functions of the musculoskeletal system.
- Cleansing the respiratory system, preventing bronchial and pulmonary diseases.
The effect of bath procedures on breast milk
Since Soviet times, there has been an opinion among gynecologists and ordinary people that hot water procedures negatively affect the volume of breast milk produced. In simple words, young mothers are frightened by the possibility of “burning out” the secretion in the mammary glands. In fact, the opposite is true. As studies by Russian scientists have shown, after visiting a bathhouse, in 25% of cases, lactation increases after being in a steam room at 90 degrees for seven minutes.
Visiting the bathhouse is useful for increasing lactation
The main rule for maintaining breast health after going to the bathhouse or sauna for a nursing mother is to adhere to the thermal regime. This behavior consists of avoiding sudden changes in temperature, because the contrasting change of cold and hot air leads to contraction of blood vessels, including the milk ducts. It is important to remember about the likelihood of congestion in the chest in this case. Therefore, before visiting the steam room, you must either feed the child or express milk. And while in the sauna, you should absolutely not get up under a cold shower or dive into the pool. It is best to douse yourself with warm water and dry yourself with a special mitten.
And the breastfeeding consultant told me that I couldn’t go to the bathhouse! I then contacted her about lactostasis. And at the same time I asked about the bathhouse. She explained to me that, in principle, there are no physiological contraindications. But you’ll steam there, your chest will warm up, and then any draft and hello... Again you’ll come to her with a fever ((Therefore, it’s better not to take another risk
Anna G
https://forum.nanya.ru/topic/16417-gv-i-bania/
In order not to be separated from your baby for a long time, you can take him to the bathhouse with you, accompanied by your husband or grandmother. Let the baby spend some time in the warm dressing room while mom enjoys the steam. Moreover, in this case, it will be good to feed the baby right away, because the hot air will cause an excess of milk in the breast. And then lactostasis is not scary for mom.
I’ve been going to the bathhouse for six months now... with my son. Only my son, after 2 short visits and a wash, is taken away so that I can take another steam... or they bring it in later. If everything is fine with lactation and, most importantly, you are an experienced visitor to the bathhouse, and not once a year, then, I think, there should be no harm. The main thing is not to hover your chest with brooms. Problems: if the child does not come with you, feed him right before leaving for the bathhouse. Milk immediately runs away from the heat (heh), I have had up to half the supply, so soon after the bath the little one may not have enough food. What saved me was that my son, who had eaten his fill an hour and a half before the event, after the bathhouse didn’t want to eat for another hour and a half - he was lethargic for half an hour, then for an hour it was as if he had drunk on the juice of gummy berries - he was furious, having fun, squealing and jumping around like mad. Overall, it's worth a try. You yourself will easily feel the boundaries of what is permitted.
Judif
https://www.komarovskiy.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1315
Of course, in this case we are talking about home baths. It is better to refrain from visiting public institutions while breastfeeding in order to avoid possible infection with fungal and other diseases.
How does high temperature affect lactation?
A woman should not be afraid to attend bath procedures during breastfeeding. The quality of breast milk will remain the same after you go to the bathhouse. It has been proven that lactation increases in hot weather, so sometimes it is useful to go to the steam room. But if the glands are weak, then the milk will spontaneously flow out. This must be anticipated before visiting the sauna.
It is advised to express milk before going to the bathhouse. This will help reduce the release of colostrum from the breast. The procedure is especially necessary if the sauna is public.
There will be a decrease in milk production when a woman gets carried away with staying in the steam room. Increased sweating leads to dehydration of the body. This results in a shortage of mother's milk for the baby. Drinking plenty of clean water and juices will help avoid this.
Misconception about the dangers of the procedure
The main reason for concern is the statement that under the influence of high temperatures in the sauna, milk loses its positive qualities and can completely “burn out.”
However, experts say that a bath during breastfeeding does not harm the lactation process. On the contrary, such an event can strengthen it.
If a young mother is in good health, follows all the precautions when visiting the sauna and does not forget to drink enough liquid (to prevent dehydration), the procedure will not harm her.
When to feed your baby: before or after the steam room
You can avoid milk leakage during bath procedures not only by expressing. Before going to the sauna, you should feed your baby. And only after feeding, express the remains into a clean container. For those who like to take a steam bath, the bath takes from 2 to 3 hours. If the baby is breastfed tightly, he will be able to cope without his mother during this time.
After the sauna, you need to rest a little and give the breast to the baby so that the milk does not stagnate in the breast. It will be released abundantly, and the child will have enough of it for a long time.
Contraindications
On your first trip, carefully monitor your reaction to high temperatures. If it is uncomfortable, such procedures should be canceled. Visiting the steam room should be treated with caution, especially for young mothers.
You should not visit the bathhouse if there is congestion in the chest. They are accompanied by an inflammatory process, which can worsen in warm weather. Warming is strictly contraindicated for people who have inflammation.
Any inflammatory processes are taboo!
It is important to remember that there are a number of contraindications. Under no circumstances should people with asthma, diabetes, or hypertension take a steam bath. Absolute contraindications are heart and kidney problems.
Read also How long before you can put on and how long should you wear a bandage after childbirth per day?
What to take with you
If a woman liked to take a steam bath before giving birth, then she knows that she should definitely take a drink to the sauna. Plain water is more suitable for this, but not cold, but at room temperature. A cup of herbal or green tea, a glass of juice, or mineral water will benefit. You need to drink a lot to maintain the normal level of moisture in the body.
Due to heavy milk discharge, take at least 3 towels. You can lie on one in the steam room, and dry off with the other. A small soft towel is placed under the breast to allow the milk to drain onto it.
You can't go to the bathhouse without:
- comfortable shoes;
- sheets for wrapping up after the steam room;
- felt hats;
- comfortable washcloth;
- soap and shampoo;
- combs.
All accessories are familiar to women who visit the bathhouse regularly. If they go for the first time, they take anti-high blood pressure medications.
What is better for a young mother: sauna or steam bath
Since the bathhouse is an original Russian remedy for all diseases, its effect on young mothers is rather positive. However, such heat therapy requires following certain rules.
Another thing is the sauna! Its distinctive features include high temperature and the presence of dry steam. These sauna parameters usually affect a woman’s body in a rather unique way.
Sauna is recommended for women after childbirth only from the 5th month of breastfeeding. The temperature of stay should start at 70 degrees, gradually increasing to 90. Many experts agree that a young mother’s stay in such conditions should not exceed 2 - 3 minutes.
Gynecologists believe that prolonged exposure to dry heat on the female body leads to a decrease in the level of prolactin in the blood, which significantly affects the mother’s lactation. However, studies conducted by domestic specialists have shown that 65% of women who were in a sauna at a temperature of 90 degrees for 5 to 7 minutes had an increase in lactation by 20 - 30%.
This fact still requires serious research, but now we can say that if a woman’s condition allows her to use a sauna, then the negative effect on milk production is greatly exaggerated. The lactation crisis, widely represented in the medical literature, does not depend on thermal procedures taken in moderation, but is a direct consequence of the mental state of the young mother.
The differences between a sauna and a bathhouse also influence how long after childbirth you can go to a bathhouse. The key one is the presence of dry and wet steam. Each person tolerates such procedures in their own way, but for women after childbirth, visiting a bathhouse is more preferable.
In a Russian steam room, the temperature regime is lower than in a sauna. Its distinctive feature can be called high humidity and possible mechanical effects on the woman’s body with the help of brooms. In any case, before deciding to visit such places, you should consult your doctor.
We recommend reading the article about a bath after childbirth. From it you will learn about hygiene in the first hours after childbirth, taking a bath in the first days after the baby is born, as well as the features of hygiene during a caesarean section.
Basic rules for visiting a bathhouse during breastfeeding
It is difficult for a woman’s body, after pregnancy and childbirth, to return to normal. By visiting a sauna, you can get such a jolt, after which you will have to recover for a long time. The body is still so weak that it is necessary to act intelligently on it with high temperatures and humidity. There should be gradualism, consistency, moderation in everything.
Duration of stay in the bath
No matter how pleasant it is to be in the steam room, feeling how the body is cleansing, you should limit yourself in time. First, you should sit for 5 minutes, carefully monitoring your condition. The second time they come in no earlier than 15-30 minutes later. If you feel normal, then stay in the steam bath for 7-10 minutes.
At the same time, there is a ban on diving into the snow or cold water of the pool. This is harmful when breastfeeding.
We adhere to the temperature regime
The temperature rise in the steam room reaches 60-100 degrees. A woman during lactation should approach visiting the steam room wisely. The temperature in it is set gradually, if the bathhouse is your own.
In a public sauna, they try to refrain from entering the steam room if the temperature there is very high, and they begin to feel dizzy. We must not forget that they feel worse when the humidity rises along with the temperature. It should be within 10% in the sauna at a steam room temperature of 60 degrees. Then you will feel better.
Without control of the temperature and air humidity in the sauna, tingling and burning in the chest area may occur. In this case, it is better to leave the steam room.
Eating and drinking regime
You cannot go to the steam room on an empty stomach. It is also not recommended to overfill it with food. 2-3 hours before washing, you should eat a light salad or low-calorie dish. It is not customary to take food into the bathhouse. But they pay special attention to drinks. They like to take kvass and tea infused with herbs with them.
It is important that the drinks are not cold, as this will lead to colds and sore throat.
Alcoholic drinks and beer are not allowed. Because of them, sensitivity is dulled, and it is difficult to understand whether you are hot or not. Hence the problems with the heart and blood pressure.
Shoes and hats
Walking barefoot is not recommended, especially in public baths. But it’s better to wear special slippers or flip-flops in your own. They will protect your feet from fungal infections.
A hat made of felt or felt is purchased by those who like to steam. She will cover her head and save her from the intense heat. It is dangerous when you go to the steam room without a hat. Heatstroke may occur, which can result in headaches and migraines.
Is it possible to go to the bathhouse while breastfeeding?
The answer to the question whether it is possible to go to the bathhouse while breastfeeding does not depend on the harmful effects of water procedures on the quality of milk or the process of its separation. It is determined by the state of the body of a woman who has recently given birth. For a mother who wants to go on healthy hygienic procedures, the main importance is the period that has passed since childbirth, as well as the cessation of specific postpartum discharge. After childbirth, the danger of visiting a room with heated air may be due to unstable lactation.
The benefits of the procedure have been proven over hundreds of years of long-term, successful use: for cleansing the body, healing processes, renewing skin cells, optimizing blood circulation.
Before visiting the bathhouse, it is better to consult with your doctor, and also ask him about the possibility of starting the usual hygiene procedures. At the same time, you can find out whether visiting the sauna is allowed while breastfeeding, taking into account the characteristics of the body.
If a bathhouse with its moist air is a common phenomenon in the mentality, then a sauna with dry air can be considered a relative innovation for Russians, and the question of whether it is possible to steam in a bathhouse during breastfeeding and whether it affects feeding needs to be clarified separately.
Precautions during the bath procedure
A woman needs to tune in to what is not allowed while washing in a bathhouse:
- whip yourself with a broom;
- hot from the steam room, douse yourself with cold water, rub yourself with snow;
- drink alcoholic beverages;
- steam on an empty and full stomach;
- sit on the top shelf.
If it is difficult for a woman to do without a broom, then you can use it by gently tapping it on the body.
