What painkillers can you take while breastfeeding?

Breastfeeding and pain medications

Most mothers try to endure pain as long as possible.
But often the pain becomes simply unbearable. In order to be able to care for the child calmly, the mother needs to take painkillers. Doctors say that many types of pain cannot be tolerated, so you need to act immediately. How to take painkillers correctly during lactation:

Some women prescribe painkillers for themselves after reading reviews on the Internet or listening to friends. The drug can harm the baby, so do not self-medicate, because the consequences can be disastrous.
Before taking the medicine, even if it was prescribed by a doctor, you should carefully read the instructions.
Pay attention to the expiration dates of painkillers. Many pharmacies practice such promotions: 1-2 months before the expiration date of drugs, they are offered at a reduced price. You should not buy such drugs, because you do not use the whole package at once.

Drugs prohibited during lactation

Painkillers that are prohibited during breastfeeding (the medicine can be available in the form of powder, syrups, pills, etc.):

Citramon;
Aspirin;
Baralgin;
Pentalgin;
Analgin;
Codeine;
Andipal;
Spasmalgon;
Spazgan;
Nimesulide.

Aspirin, Citramon, Analgin and its analogues are considered the most dangerous. Citramon and Aspirin have a negative effect on the baby’s internal organs. Analgin and drugs with names that end in -gin can cause a severe allergic attack.

You should not take combined medications, since they also affect the development of the child’s internal organs, and many diseases may appear in the future.

What drugs are compatible with breastfeeding?

Women know what to give their child when his temperature rises and pain of various types appears: Panadol or Nurofen. Accordingly, if the baby is allowed to use these drugs, then they are not prohibited for mothers while breastfeeding. Medicines intended for children are produced in the form of syrups and suppositories; analogues for adults are produced in the form of tablets or injections.

What painkiller can you take while breastfeeding:

Paracetamol (analogs - Panadol, Efferalgan);
Ibuprofen (analogs - Ivalgin, Ibuprex, Nurofen).

To minimize the effect of the drug on the baby and at the same time get rid of pain, it is better to take a form of painkillers that will neutralize the local site of pain. For example, Ketanov can be used in the form of a gel: it is applied to the affected area and acts in a specific place, practically without penetrating into mother’s milk.

On a note! Doctors advise choosing rectal suppositories during breastfeeding if there is severe pain. They are the safest form and affect the pain site for quite a long time.

Allowed painkillers during breastfeeding, except Paracetamol and Ibuprofen:

Ketanov. The drug is quite strong, so doctors prohibit taking it in the first month after birth.
Diclofenac. If a woman has problems with the gastrointestinal tract, it is better not to use this drug.
No-shpa. Among the medications that relieve painful spasms, no-spa is considered the safest. However, doctors recommend no-shpa in the form of a one-time dose for severe spasmodic pain.
Ultracaine and Lidocaine are quickly eliminated from the body, so they are quite safe.

Terms of use

Dr. Komarovsky, for example, recommends avoiding the use of painkillers while breastfeeding or pregnant, as some drugs simply have not undergone proper clinical studies. However, if a woman cannot tolerate severe pain, there is no point in waiting for it to go away on its own or using dubious traditional methods. Here are a few rules that will help you quickly deal with the problem and avoid harming yourself and your child:

It is important to understand: painkillers only relieve the symptom, but do not cure the disease itself. Therefore, in case of painful discomfort, it is recommended to consult a doctor, find the cause of the discomfort and eliminate it. So, if you have a toothache, visit the dentist; if you have pain in your ear, visit an ENT doctor. If the root cause is not eliminated, the pain will occur again and again, requiring another dose of medication.
Even for a drug prescribed by a doctor, check the instructions, or rather the section “Use during pregnancy and breastfeeding.” There are no prohibitions - take it, and in the recommended dosage. But! The quantitative transfer of drugs into mother's milk has been studied only for a few drugs. Therefore, in most cases, you will see that the drug has not been studied during pregnancy and lactation, or pregnancy and lactation are contraindications for use (precisely due to the lack of studies on this group). Some mothers try to reduce the harm of drugs by reducing the dose. It is not recommended to do this; the expected effect will not happen (especially if we are talking about products that are acceptable during breastfeeding!).
Look in the instructions for an indicator that is important for us - the drug elimination period. As a rule, it is the same for blood plasma and breast milk. This way you can calculate the period when the drug leaves your body. Analgesics penetrate into the blood and into mother's milk at the same time: this requires only half an hour, the maximum concentration occurs after 1–1.5 hours. And they appear longer – up to 2–7. The half-life of paracetamol, for example, is about 3, and acetylsalicylic acid - up to 7.

The effect of painkillers on the baby

The well-known children's doctor of the highest category, E. Komarovsky, believes that it is advisable for a nursing woman to abstain from any medications, including painkillers. During lactation, the painkiller is directly transported into the milk, and then immediately into the baby’s body, which is not yet fully formed. But no one is immune from situations when the pain becomes unbearable. In this case, you should discuss taking pain medications with your doctor.

Any medications, even conditionally approved for breastfeeding, have an impact on the health of the baby. The small body does not yet know how to remove toxic substances, which means that any drug can poison the baby.

In addition, even an approved painkiller in the wrong doses can cause milk loss. This happens when a large dose of the drug was taken, or the medicine was chosen incorrectly. Before taking a painkiller, think about how necessary it is? After all, many mothers, even with the slightest headache, immediately resort to pills, although you can get by with warm tea and a half-hour rest.

Why can a nursing mother's teeth hurt?

The main reason for the pathology of the chewing organs during lactation is that the young mother did not care about the health of the oral cavity before conceiving the child. Under the influence of increased stress on the body, various problems begin to arise. Since enamel has a porous structure, acids easily penetrate its layer, washing away useful minerals. Their replacement is disrupted due to increased load, which is why problems arise. They can be solved by remineralization of teeth, that is, restoration of enamel by replenishing mineral deficiency. Common provoking factors include:

Damage to periodontal tissues, their inflammation.
Caries accompanied by pain. True, in the early stages there is no discomfort. The sooner treatment begins, the easier the therapy will be.
Improper cleansing of the oral cavity, insufficient care of the chewing organs.

These are just some of the causes of the pathology. The root of the problem often lies in the following aspects:

Severe calcium deficiency

Toothache with breastfeeding appears due to a lack of such a necessary element as calcium. Full health without its abundance is impossible. And most women experience a deficiency already during the period of bearing a child. If this is not dealt with, the problem will progress, which will cause serious consequences, especially for the masticatory organs. Typically, in such situations, dentists prescribe special therapy to patients - a course of taking certain medications. The doctor will determine which drug is appropriate in a given situation. It is important to strictly follow the dentist’s recommendations so that the body is not harmed and the treatment does not harm the embryo.

Pulpitis

This is a common complication of caries, in which acute pain suddenly appears in the form of an attack. A painful reaction clearly manifests itself to spicy, salty, cold, sour, and hot foods. Discomfort increases at night. Inflammation of the neurovascular bundle is accompanied by headache, malaise, and swelling. How to recognize that the nerves are inflamed?

Intense shooting pain appears at night;
Prolonged pain reaction to temperature stimuli;
Spread of unpleasant sensations to the cheekbone, ear, temple, back of the head;
Bad breath;

Sometimes the disease is accompanied by fever. Most often this occurs with pulp necrosis.

Periodontitis

This pathology appears due to caries and pulpitis. In such a situation, a tooth hurts during toothache, severely, acutely, especially when it touches a damaged unit. This disease is serious. It affects all the tissues surrounding the root of the masticatory organ. The gums become red and swollen, and the lips and cheeks may swell. If diagnosis and therapy are not carried out in a timely manner, the sick unit can be lost. The infection quickly penetrates deep into the root canals, destroying the organ completely.

Endocrine system disorders

The thyroid gland is a very important organ. Without its proper functioning it is impossible to have good health. If the endocrine system malfunctions, the oral cavity, gums and chewing organs suffer. Since hormonal levels are disrupted during pregnancy and lactation, the produced enzymes become insufficient for the full development of the baby’s body and the good condition of the mother. Therefore, a visit to an endocrinologist in such cases is necessary. Only a specialist can determine the causes of the pathology and eliminate it.

How to get rid of pain faster?

If severe pain occurs, you should see a doctor as soon as possible so that he can prescribe suitable painkillers.
Prescribed medications should not contain even the minimum amount of substances prohibited during breastfeeding. First of all, you should have Ibuprofen in your medicine cabinet. Choose any form: candles, gel, suspension. It is advisable to use ketanol for young mothers in the form of a gel. Novocaine and Ultracaine are best purchased in the form of injections. But it is worth paying attention to the fact that after injections, continued breastfeeding is sometimes prohibited.

If you need a long-term analgesic effect, the optimal form of the drug is rectal suppositories. Tablets and pills are taken as a one-time remedy, after which doctors recommend not breastfeeding for a day.

During lactation, some painkillers from analgesics are used for local anesthesia.

Risks of self-medication

Some patients are terrified of dentists, so they try to self-medicate. The first wrong step is to use the advice of neighbors and friends who are not competent in this matter. For example, a common mistake is to take dietary supplements with a minimum amount of microelements, instead of carrying out deep fluoridation of teeth. It is very dangerous to diagnose yourself, since the symptoms of many diseases are similar. As a result of taking inappropriate medications, the body malfunctions. Women's milk disappears or becomes unsuitable for feeding. Without knowing this, young mothers continue to feed their babies, which poisons their body. In addition, the toddler may develop allergies, swelling, and difficulty breathing. Therefore, in order not to endanger her child, every mother should follow the doctor’s recommendations.

Of the preventive measures, the first place is regular cleaning of the oral cavity, rinsing the mouth after meals, using floss, and timely replacement of the toothbrush. Pregnant women and nursing mothers should eat a balanced diet and consume foods rich in calcium. Preventive examinations should be carried out once every six months. If there are problems, it is better to solve them immediately, to prevent depulpation of the masticatory organs.

How to choose a medicine?

When choosing painkillers that you can take while breastfeeding, pay attention to the following factors:

How toxic is the medicine;
How quickly it is eliminated from the body;
What percentage of the components contained in the drug are absorbed into the blood;
How fast-acting is the medicine;
What happens if you take more dose than the doctor prescribed;
The effect of painkillers on mother's milk.

A nursing woman needs to read the instructions very carefully. The drugs may contain harmless components, which, however, cause allergies in infants. A mother should know what her child may have an allergic reaction to.

On a note! The safest are considered to be approved drugs that are eliminated from the female body in less than 4 hours.

For headaches

There are many causes of headaches in breastfeeding women. Young mothers are in constant stress, worry about the baby, worry that he will have enough milk. Sleepless nights, lack of proper rest, and poor nutrition contribute to the fact that a nursing mother often develops migraines. Also, after childbirth and during lactation, many women experience hormonal imbalance, which provokes migraines.

Headaches cannot be tolerated, and sometimes it is simply impossible, you can feel so bad. While breastfeeding, you can take the following medications to help relieve headaches:

Products with the active ingredient Paracetamol: Strimol, Panadol, children's syrup with paracetamol. It is advisable to take a Paracetamol tablet with warm green tea to enhance the effect of the drug;
Medicines based on ibuprofen: Ibufen, Nurofen.

For toothache

What painkillers can you take during breastfeeding if you have a toothache:

Ketanov tablets will reduce toothache, but will not eliminate the cause. Ketanov is usually prescribed after tooth extraction. For acute toothache, treat the pain with medication, but go to the dentist as soon as possible.
Lidocaine. Dentists use Ultracaine, an analogue of lidocaine in injections, to numb the oral cavity in order to carry out subsequent treatment.

You can use products designed to reduce pain in babies during teething:

Kalgel with Lidocaine in the composition;
Kamistat Baby in gel. Contains not only Lidocaine, but also chamomile extract;
Dentol Baby. The gel cools, anesthetizes, and disinfects.

All approved medications for toothache only provide temporary pain relief, so if you feel pain in your tooth, do not delay your visit to the dentist.

For pain after cesarean section

Almost every woman in labor after a CS feels severe pain that is impossible to endure. What painkillers can you use when breastfeeding after a cesarean section?

One-time injection of no-shpa;
Ultracaine injections. Maternity hospitals often give injections of this drug, which is safe for babies and relieves pain for a long time.

If the pain does not go away after taking painkillers and the condition worsens, you should seek medical help.

Why do my nipples hurt when feeding?

Common causes of nipple pain:

Your nipples are getting used to it.
During the first few weeks of breastfeeding, your nipples may feel sore because, like your breasts, they are adapting to the feeding process. These unpleasant sensations usually go away when you and your baby get better at feeding.
Incorrect nipple latching.
If your baby doesn't grasp the nipple correctly when feeding, it can cause discomfort due to the baby's mouth rubbing against the skin.
Milk callus.
This is a painful white area on or around the nipple. It is thickened milk or skin that has grown over the milk duct. The milk cannot leave the duct and accumulates under the skin, forming a callus.
Corn.
Unlike breast milk, a regular callus on the nipple is formed due to improper grip, poorly selected pad, or friction of the breast pump against the skin.
Short bridle.
If your baby's tongue doesn't reach his bottom lip when he cries, or if his tongue is shaped like a heart, he may have a frenulum tie. Due to a short frenulum, the baby is unable to latch onto the breast normally, which can cause mother’s nipples to hurt.
Flat or depressed nipples.
If, when you squeeze the areola (the pigmented area around the nipple) about 2-2.5 centimeters behind the nipple, the nipple does not harden and begin to “stick out,” you may have flat nipples. And if, during the same check, the nipple goes inward, then it is considered depressed. The child cannot grasp such nipples normally, and this causes pain in the mother.
When you wean your baby and he continues to suck.
Not only is this painful, but it can also damage breast tissue and the nipple.
Tight bra.
A tight bra puts pressure on the nipple and irritates the skin.
Detergents and fragrances.
Some products and fragrances dry out the skin of the nipples and cause irritation. This reaction also happens to washing powder.
Vasospasm.
After breastfeeding, sometimes mothers experience pain that radiates from the nipple to the mammary gland. This occurs due to narrowing of the blood vessels in the breast (vasospasm).
Mastitis.
This is an infectious disease of the breast. It develops when milk cannot leave the mammary gland normally because the milk duct is clogged. Milk accumulates, causing pain and swelling of the breast and nipple. Symptoms of mastitis also include red stripes on the chest, flu-like symptoms such as high fever and pain in the joints and limbs, and lumps in the chest.
Thrush.
This is an infectious fungal disease that affects the nipples and causes pain in them. If your child has white or yellowish spots on the mucous membranes of his mouth or lips, or cracked skin at the corners of his lips, he may have thrush. Symptoms of thrush in a nursing mother: cracked nipples, stabbing pain in the breasts during or after feeding, itching or burning in the nipples, severe redness of the nipples, shiny or scaly skin of the nipples.

If you still need to take painkillers - rules

Of course, there are cases when pain relief is needed urgently, but it is impossible to get to a doctor. For example, a nursing mother had a toothache at night. In this case, from the list of approved painkillers, the drug that contains the least amount of toxic substances is selected. Toxins immediately penetrate into breast milk, and the child’s body has not yet learned to eliminate all toxic substances. If the mother is in pain during the day, she needs to see the pediatrician in her area and get advice on what medicine and in what quantity she can take.

Before taking medications, you should consult your doctor

After taking painkillers and feeding the baby, the mother should constantly monitor the condition of the baby. If he develops increased drowsiness, lethargy, apathy, lack of appetite, and especially nausea with vomiting, he should immediately call an ambulance.

In the case when the drug is taken as a course, it is necessary to exclude breastfeeding at the very peak of activity of the active substances. If a nursing mother is prescribed a medicine that is incompatible with lactation, she should stop breastfeeding and resume it after treatment. Under no circumstances should you reduce the dose of the drug in order to continue feeding your baby milk. This is dangerous for his health, development, and sometimes life.

Pediatricians strongly recommend that when taking painkillers for a long time, you constantly express milk so that the active substances do not enter the baby’s body.

If the pain is temporary and does not occur often, it is quite acceptable for a woman to take an approved painkiller while breastfeeding. When the pain does not stop, occurs regularly, and causes severe discomfort, this signals that the woman needs to undergo an examination to identify the true causes of the pain.

Prohibited drugs

All of these pills are almost certainly in your medicine cabinet. But they are strictly prohibited for women who are breastfeeding. This list included:

Analgin. In most countries, this drug is generally prohibited for use (not only by nursing women), as it contains a substance that provokes the development of agranulocytosis. If it gets into breast milk, it has an extremely negative effect on the functioning of the baby’s kidneys and circulatory system. Analgin is part of Baralgin, Tempalgin, Spazmalgon, Pentalgin, Spazgan. Approved for use only in the most extreme cases, at high temperatures that are not affected by other medications. Then an intramuscular injection of analgin with diphenhydramine and papaverine is given. However, only a doctor can prescribe such radical methods!
"Nimesil" ("Nise", "Nimid" and other drugs based on nimesulide). Has an almost instant pain relieving effect. But due to the lack of a sufficient number of clinical studies, it is prohibited for use by pregnant and lactating women, as well as children under 12 years of age.
Acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin and citramone). It negatively affects the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract of the baby and contributes to disruption of the kidneys and hematopoietic system.

Reviews

Elena, 29 years old: “Before pregnancy, I often suffered from migraines. When I was pregnant, the headaches didn’t bother me much, but after the birth of my daughter they returned. I immediately turned to the pediatrician asking what remedies could help me so as not to harm my daughter’s health. I was advised to take Paracetamol for children, as well as folk remedies, for example, warm green tea with a spoon of sugar. I don’t want to take strong drugs, because that means I have to stop breastfeeding.”

Olga, 24 years old: “One evening I had a severe toothache. I suffered for half the night, but then I couldn’t stand it and drank half of the Ketanov tablet. I was very worried that the medicine would not get into the milk. In the morning I didn’t feed my son, she offered him formula and expressed the milk. I went to the dentist, where I had to remove the tooth. I also replaced daytime and evening feedings with formula, and took half a Ketanov tablet at night. I consulted with the pediatrician, he allowed me to feed the baby after pumping. I hope such situations will not happen again.”

A nursing mother can get sick with anything: head, stomach, abdomen, tooth, back. Many women experience muscle pain. You cannot endure pain until you lose consciousness, so before visiting a doctor you should take a pain reliever, which is allowed during breastfeeding. And be sure to monitor your baby’s condition after taking the medicine. If it gets worse, seek medical help immediately.

How to reduce the likelihood of developing dental disease after childbirth

In order not to worry once again about dental diseases during the difficult period of recovery of the body after childbirth, it is important to follow the recommendations:

At the pregnancy planning stage, cure all existing oral diseases.
If caries appears, consult a doctor immediately. While the carious cavity is small, it can be treated absolutely painlessly without the use of anesthetics.
Always practice good oral hygiene.
Get routine checkups at your dentist's office twice a year.

Women who care about the health of their smile are much less likely to encounter the need for dental treatment during lactation.