Situations In Which You Cannot Breastfeed
Do you know when to avoid breastfeeding? Find out here which diseases could prevent breastfeeding.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends giving babies a diet based on exclusive breastfeeding until they are at least 6 months old. However, are there any situations when you cannot breastfeed? Unfortunately yes. Stay with us to find out.
7 situations in which you cannot breastfeed
In general, the mother can breastfeed the baby even when she is sick, as long as it is not one of the diseases that we will describe below, her life is in danger, or she needs drugs that can pass into milk.
Marina Alta Hospital in Denia has launched a website presenting the compatibility of the various usual drugs to treat minor illnesses (influenza, angina, gastroenteritis, cystitis) with breastfeeding: e-lactation.
However, what happens when the mother has to be hospitalized or has a serious infection? In the rest of the article, we will learn about the situations in which you cannot breastfeed.
1. Human T cell leukemia
Human T cell leukemia is caused by a retrovirus. Once it has successfully infected a cell, it uses an enzyme to convert its RNA into DNA and thus mix with the host cell’s DNA and multiply. This infection can pass from mother to baby through breastfeeding.
2. Situations in which you cannot breastfeed: HIV virus
The HIV virus has been proven to pass through breast milk, which is why it is recommended that breastfeeding be stopped when the mother is infected with the virus.
However, different ways to enable breastfeeding by surrogate mothers are currently being explored. Research on the action of retrovirals and the safety of treatment is still lacking.
3. Galactosemia
This disease is characterized by the inability of the child to digest galactose, one of the sugars that make up lactose and found in breast milk. It is a rare inherited disease that can damage a child’s liver and central nervous system.
There are three classes of galactosemia, but their diagnosis is extremely difficult. Although people with peripheral or intermediate galactosemia can consume certain types of galactose, since it is not possible to determine the exact type of the disease, exclusion of galactose from the diet is often advised by discontinuing it. feeding with milk.
4. Situations in which you cannot breastfeed: pregnancy and bleeding
Another of the situations in which you cannot breastfeed is when you are having an unsafe pregnancy. If your pregnancy is not risky, doctors generally argue that breastfeeding is safe. However, if there is bleeding or there is a risk of preterm labor, it is generally recommended to stop breastfeeding.
5. Cytomegalovirus
The data on whether you can breast-feed if you are a carrier of cytomegalovirus are controversial. Some studies indicate that transmission of this virus through breast milk could cause serious harm in premature babies. However, the data is not yet conclusive.
Research indicates that freezing breast milk could help deactivate the virus and allow the infant to feed safely. Check with your doctor for more information.
6. Situations in which you cannot breastfeed: use of medicines
Daily intake of certain medications is still considered incompatible with maintaining breastfeeding. This is the case for women who take anti-anxiety drugs, antiretrovirals, migraine medications or sleeping pills. It’s the same with chemotherapy.
7. Outbuildings
Alcohol and drug addiction are two situations in which you cannot breastfeed. In fact, specialists advise to give up alcohol and drug use even before seeking pregnancy.
Diseases that do not prevent lactation
With the exception of the diseases mentioned above, other diseases would not prevent breastfeeding, unless medically contraindicated. Check with your doctor if you have any of the following conditions:
- Hepatitis: Hepatitis B and C viruses are not passed through breast milk. For hepatitis B, when the mother is a carrier, the newborn usually receives the vaccine against the disease and the specific immunoglobulin to prevent contagion
- Chagas disease: data on this is inconclusive, but latest WHO studies indicate breastfeeding of mothers with chagas should not be suspended
- Mastitis: Inflammation of the mammary gland is quite common in nursing mothers. We must not stop breastfeeding. Indeed, sucking the baby would help reduce discomfort
- Tuberculosis: according to data from the Spanish Pediatric Association, this disease is not contraindicated for breastfeeding
- Chickenpox: Doctors usually suggest that breastfeeding be continued by monitoring the newborn. In fact, it is possible to pass an immunogammaglobulin against chickenpox to the newborn.
- Breast operation : If you have had breast surgery, either to enlarge or reduce them, you can breastfeed without any problem. Of course, milk production can vary from woman to woman.
Asthma, allergies, hiccups, and hyperthyroidism are not conditions that prevent breastfeeding from continuing. As we always tell you, consult your doctor for personalized advice. No one can advise you better than him.
