When A Mother Has Diarrhea, Is It Okay To Breastfeed?

Diarrhea while breastfeeding is generally safe and advised, as it can be passed on to the baby through the mother’s antibodies. However, it is important to be cautious with hand hygiene, especially after using the toilet and before touching food. Diarrhea usually resolves on its own and doesn’t pose a significant health risk for the mother or her baby.

When dealing with diarrhea, it is essential to increase fluid intake to prevent dehydration. Breastfeeding protects against gastroenteritis, which is a condition where the baby is four times less likely to contract the illness through the mother’s milk. If you have symptoms of gastroenteritis, such as cold or flu, fever, diarrhea, vomiting, or mastitis, you should continue breastfeeding as normal.

Modifying your diet is the easiest and most natural way to treat diarrhea while breastfeeding. Doctors often recommend the BRAT diet, which is a popular and healthy way to treat diarrhea while breastfeeding. Common illnesses like cold or diarrhea can’t be passed to the baby through breast milk, but antibodies can be passed to the baby if the mother is sick.

People can usually continue breastfeeding when they have the stomach flu, as it may protect the baby from the virus. It is important to consult a doctor or call MotherSafe for further advice. In summary, breastfeeding is a safe and beneficial method for managing diarrhea while breastfeeding.

Can a breastfeeding mom pass diarrhea to a baby?

Breastfeeding with travelers’ diarrhea. A nursing mother with diarrhea caused by food or water sources can continue to breastfeed her child. However, she should also increase her own fluid intake to prevent dehydration (loss of too much water in the body). The organisms that cause travelers’ diarrhea do not pass through breast milk. It is safe for mothers and their children to use properly prepared solutions of oral rehydration salts.

Antidiarrheal medications. Breastfeeding mothers should carefully check the labels of over-the-counter antidiarrheal medications to avoid using bismuth subsalicylate. These compounds can lead to the transfer of salicylate to the child through breast milk.

Antibiotics. Fluoroquinolones and macrolides, commonly used to treat travelers’ diarrhea, are excreted in breast milk. Decisions about whether a nursing mother should use these antibiotics should be made in consultation with the child’s primary care provider. Most experts consider short-term use of the antibiotic azithromycin compatible with breastfeeding.

How do breastfeeding moms treat diarrhea?

Medicines For Digestive Problems. When diarrhea has you running for the bathroom every time you turn around, you want fast relief. Doing your research now and putting medicines in your cabinet that you know are safe for your baby means you’ll be able to grab the right remedy when you need it. The U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends kaolin-pectin products (such as Kaopectate) or loperamide products (such as Imodium) for nursing mothers with diarrhea. Bismuth subsalicylate compounds (such as Pepto Bismol) contain enough aspirin ingredients that they may not be safe for your baby.

For a sour stomach or heartburn, Tums and Rolaids are safe to use. Look for the ingredients calcium carbonate or magnesium hydroxide. The heavier duty medicines that actually block acid production, called H2 blockers, contain ingredients that can be concentrated in your breast milk, so don’t take them without checking with your doctor.

Medicines to treat gas and bloating, such as Gas-X, Maalox, Mylanta, and others, are safe to take while breastfeeding. They contain simethicone, which is sometimes given to infants. It is also not absorbed into the mother’s system, so wouldn’t be transmitted in breast milk.

Can a breastfeeding mother take anti diarrhea?

Loperamide and breastfeeding. It’s OK to take loperamide while you’re breastfeeding.

Only tiny amounts of loperamide pass into breast milk, and your baby will not be able to absorb a lot into their body from breastfeeding. It’s not expected to cause any side effects in your baby.

As a precaution, if you notice that your baby is not feeding as well as usual, seems constipated or irritable, or if you have any other concerns about your baby, talk to your health visitor, midwife, doctor or pharmacist.

Loperamide and fertility. There’s no evidence to suggest that loperamide affects fertility in men or women.

Can I feed baby if I have diarrhea?

There is no need to stop breastfeeding if you have diarrhoea but you should be very careful with hand hygiene e. g. after going to the toilet and before you touch food.

A breastfeeding mother with diarrhoea will pass on antibodies to her baby, which will help to combat the risk of infection. Breastfed babies are much less likely to suffer from tummy upsets than formula fed infants.

Symptoms of acute diarrhoea usually settle within a few days as the immune system deals with the infection. Breastfeeding mothers need to ensure that they remain well hydrated by drinking additional water fluids ideally water or rehydration solutions e. g. Dioralyte®. These do not stop the diarrhoea but prevent dehydration.

Can I breastfeed if I have a stomach bug?

• Treatment. Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration – you may only be able to manage a sip at a time whilst the vomiting phase lasts.
• Take paracetamol to reduce your temperature and to relieve any aches and pains.
• Stay at home whilst you have symptoms and for 3 days after because norovirus is contagious.
• Telephone your GP to seek advice if your symptoms last longer than a few days or if you already have a serious illness.
• Wash your hands frequently to prevent the spread of the illness as much as possible. If you feel able you should continue to breastfeed your baby in order to pass on antibodies and protect the baby from developing symptoms (less common in exclusively breastfed babies). You may need another adult to care for the baby between feeds. Even if you have not eaten for several days, you will still make milk for your baby, your breasts may feel softer so you may notice your baby asking to feed more often. Your milk supply will increase again as soon as you start to feel better.

Medication. Some people are prescribed (or buy) prochlorperazine (Buccastem ®, Stemetil ®) tablets to relieve the nausea and vomiting, loperamide (Imodium®) to reduce the symptoms of diarrhoea and rehydrating sachets (Dioralyte ®) to prevent dehydration. These drugs are suitable to take and carry on breastfeeding as normal.

• Preventing the spread of the virus. Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water, particularly after using the toilet and before preparing food. Liquid soap is less likely to spread the virus than a bar of soap. Alcohol hand gels do not seem to be effective protection against norovirus.
• Do not share towels and flannels.
• Disinfect any surfaces or objects that could be contaminated with the virus. It is best to use a bleach-based household cleaner.
• Wash any clothing or bedding that could have become contaminated. Wash the items separately and on a hot wash to ensure that the virus is killed.

Is it OK to give milk to a child with diarrhea?

Mild diarrhea without vomiting. Diarrhea often goes away in a couple of days on its own. Most children with mild diarrhea do not need to change their diet and electrolyte solutions are usually not needed. You can keep giving human (breast) milk, formula, or cow’s milk. However, if your child seems bloated or gassy after drinking formula or cow’s milk, ask your child’s doctor if these should be avoided.

Mild diarrhea with vomiting. Children who have diarrhea and are vomiting will need to stop their usual diets. Electrolyte solutions should be given in small amounts, often until the vomiting stops. In most cases, they’re needed for only 1 to 2 days. Once the vomiting has lessened, slowly return to your child’s usual diet. Some children are not able to tolerate cow’s milk when they have diarrhea and it may briefly be removed from the diet by your child’s doctor. Breastfeeding should continue.

Severe diarrhea. Call your child’s doctor for severe diarrhea. Children who have a watery bowel movement every 1 to 2 hours, or more often, and signs of dehydration may need to stop eating for a short period (such as 1 day or less) to focus on drinking to replenish fluid lost in those stools. They need to avoid liquids that are high in sugar, high in salt, or very low in salt (ie, water and tea). For severe dehydration, children may need to be given fluids through the vein (IV) in the emergency department.

Will having diarrhea harm my baby?

Persistent diarrhea can lead to dehydration and malnutrition. During pregnancy, this can harm the woman and the fetus, and pregnant women with severe or lasting diarrhea should seek immediate medical attention. Other possible causes include a bowel infection or underlying bowel disorder.

In this article, we discuss whether diarrhea is normal during pregnancy and the possible causes. We also describe when to see a doctor, home treatments, and medications.

Diarrhea is a very common condition that can affect anyone, including women who are pregnant. According to the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG), there is no up-to-date research about the prevalence of diarrhea in pregnant women.

When should you not breastfeed?

• An infant who has the metabolic disorder of classic galactosemia (galactose 1-phosphate uridyltransferase deficiency). 1
• A mother living with human T-cell lymphotrophic virus type I or type II. 1

Prevention of HIV Infection in Women Who Are Breastfeeding. Acquiring HIV while breastfeeding significantly increases the chance of perinatal HIV transmission due to the high viral load during acute HIV infection. A plan should be in place for breastfeeding parents who are at significant risk for HIV acquisition to reduce the incidence of acute infection and subsequent transmission to their infants. Risk factors include having a new diagnosis of a sexually-transmitted infection, a partner known to be living with HIV who is not on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and/or is not virally suppressed, or using injection drugs. A discussion of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), which is a biomedical intervention using antiretroviral medications (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine (TDF/FTC)) in individuals without HIV to reduce their risk of acquiring HIV infection, should be included in the plan. Consultation with an HIV specialist regarding frequency of HIV testing for the breastfeeding parent and/or infant is recommended. Evidence to date suggests that the use of TDF is safe during breastfeeding and that PrEP drug exposure to infants through breastmilk is much lower than fetal antiretroviral drug exposures that occurs in utero in women who are on combination antiretroviral drug therapy. 2.

Maternal Conditions Where Breastfeeding Is Not Advisable, but a Mother’s Own Expressed Breastmilk Can Be Provided. Maternal conditions where breastfeeding is not advisable include:

Is it okay to breastfeed when you have an upset stomach?

If you have a cold or flu, fever, diarrhoea and vomiting, or mastitis, keep breastfeeding as normal. Your baby won’t catch the illness through your breast milk – in fact, it will contain antibodies to reduce her risk of getting the same bug. “Not only is it safe, breastfeeding while sick is a good idea.

Should I stop breastfeeding if baby has diarrhea?

If you are nursing, keep breastfeeding your infant. If you are using formula, use it at one half strength for 2 to 3 feedings after the diarrhea starts. Then begin regular formula feedings again.

If your child throws up, give only a little bit of fluid at a time. You can start with as little as 1 teaspoon (5 mL) of fluid every 10 to 15 minutes.

• Apple juice
• Dairy products
• Fried foods
• Full-strength fruit juice

The BRAT diet was recommended by some health care providers in the past. There is not a lot of evidence that it is better than a standard diet for upset stomach, but it probably can’t hurt.

Is breast milk good for baby with diarrhea?

Breastfed Babies with Frequent, Watery Diarrhea: Give your baby breastmilk more often. Also, give extra fluid if breast milk isn’t keeping up with the fluid losses. You can use formula or ORS (Pedialyte). Solid foods: If on baby foods, continue them.

• Is this your child’s symptom?. Sudden increase in the number and looseness of stools
• Diarrhea means 3 or more watery or very loose stools. Reason: 1 or 2 loose stools can be normal with changes in diet.

• Causes of Acute Diarrhea. Virus (such as Rotavirus). An infection of the intestines from a virus is the most common cause.
• Bacteria (such as Salmonella). Less common cause. Diarrhea often contains streaks of blood.
• Giardia (a parasite). More likely in child care center outbreaks.
• Antibiotic Diarrhea. Many antibiotics cause mild diarrhea. This is not an allergic reaction. Keep giving the antibiotic. Call your doctor if any serious symptoms occur.
• Serious Causes. Most bacterial diarrhea goes away on its own. A few can cause a severe large bowel infection (such as Shigella colitis). C. difficile is a serious cause that can occur after being on strong antibiotics.
• Serious Complication: Dehydration. This is the health problem where the body has lost too much fluid. (See below for more on this).

• Causes of Recurrent Diarrhea. Cow’s Milk Allergy. Can cause loose, slimy stools in babies. Can be blood-streaked. Starts within the first 2 months of life. Need to avoid cow’s milk formulas.
• Lactose Intolerance. Lactose is the sugar in milk. Many people cannot absorb lactose. The gut bacteria convert the lactose to gas. The main symptoms are a lot of gas, loose stools and stomach bloating. Onset usually at age 4 or 5. This most often runs in the family (genetic).