The safest ways to reduce high blood pressure in a nursing mother

During pregnancy and after the birth of a child, hormonal levels are unstable. The load on the circulatory system increases, because the body is forced to work with double force. If a nursing mother's blood pressure rises, the situation should never be ignored. Such loads can have a negative impact on the formation of the baby’s organs and systems. Blood pressure levels should be constantly monitored.

Causes of high blood pressure

Normal blood pressure ranges from 120/80 mmHg. Art. It is worth sounding the alarm when reaching 140/90 mm Hg. Art. Due to constant changes, lactostasis may develop, and there is a possibility of congestion in the chest. When infection gets into breast milk, the risk to the baby's health increases.

Often, blood pressure increases due to depression, especially if the birth was not easy and the woman spent a lot of effort. The following provoking factors are identified:

• hormonal imbalance;
• cardiovascular diseases;
• pathologies of the endocrine system;
• polycystic ovary syndrome;
• bad habits, abuse of strong tea and coffee;
• constant stress;
• lack of normal sleep;
• heredity;
• long stay in a stuffy room.

Often, blood pressure increases due to an increase in circulating blood volume caused by an increase in the baby's nutritional needs. Thus, more milk begins to flow, the body functions with increased load.

The situation with increased blood pressure cannot be left to chance. If changes occur frequently, you should definitely visit a specialized medical specialist. It is possible that a woman will have to undergo restorative therapy aimed at correcting her hormonal levels.

Common causes of high blood pressure in young mothers

And now to the specifics: imagine that your body has recently experienced a small revolution. Hormones were raging, the cardiovascular system took on an increased load, and the musculoskeletal system adapted to the growing belly. And the peak of this revolution is childbirth. It’s good if they went smoothly, but the percentage of successful births also cannot be called high. And now, about three to five days after giving birth, a woman who has gone through all these stages of big changes in less than a year must adapt to the new regime - now she has a child with whom she is 24/7.

The blood pressure of a nursing young mother may increase due to:

• Abuse of black tea and coffee. Yes, you read everything correctly - many breastfeeding women do not give up coffee because their children do not react negatively to such a component in the mother’s menu. And since there is no bad reaction, it means you can drink liters of coffee, trying to get rid of the obsessive desire to sleep. For many people, black tea replaces the invigorating function of coffee. But, by the way, it’s only the first time that coffee gives you vigor; after an hour and a half, this particular drink will make you drowsy. It turns out that black tea and coffee will not solve the problem of keeping yourself in good shape, but they may well raise your blood pressure thanks to a heavy dose of caffeine.
• Lack of rest and sleep. With this, it would seem, everything is clear. When to sleep if the baby eats, at best, every three hours? Children are different - that's a fact. Children are sensitive creatures, this is also a fact. If, as soon as you arrive home, you constantly carry your baby in your arms, feed him on demand, and even more than that, he will literally be attached to you. Extremes are the enemy of all young mothers. Talk to your pediatrician about how to establish a routine. It's within your power. But if you don’t get enough sleep for a long time, if anxiety and overprotection that is far from normal are added to all this, your exhausted body will fail – quite possibly in the form of increased blood pressure.
• Lack of fresh air. A moment that many people underestimate. Moreover, not only many mothers, but also their husbands. While a woman adapts to her new life, the dad’s task is to provide her with maximum comfort, fresh air, and the opportunity to sleep. There is no single recipe, but walks with a stroller should ideally be long. If it’s summer outside and you have a clean, spacious balcony, put a cradle there - it’s good for the baby and there’s an influx of fresh air in your home. Don’t be afraid to ventilate, open windows and vents (without forgetting about safety, of course). As the famous pediatrician Komarovsky says, drafts are a far-fetched danger. They are dangerous for a baby only if he has been accustomed from birth to tightly closed vents and windows.
• Psycho-emotional stress. Also an important factor and an obvious reason for increased pressure. Hormonal changes can make themselves felt. In addition, as scientists have proven, certain changes occur in the cerebral cortex of a young mother, which are responsible for attachment to the baby, etc. But they also cause anxiety, fear, and panic. If you dig deeper, certain psychosomatic phenomena can lead to the so-called maternal blues, and, what is even more dangerous, postpartum depression. First, the psyche suffers, then the nervous system, heart and blood vessels, and endocrine organs become involved.

As you can see, there are more than enough reasons. But these are the most obvious, common reasons. But we cannot exclude cases when high blood pressure in a nursing mother may indicate serious pathologies.

Other symptoms

As a rule, before the pressure increases, young mothers complain of migraines, dizziness, dark circles before the eyes, nausea and vomiting. During the diagnosis, an increase in the concentration of protein in the urine is detected, and the lower extremities swell. Often the pressure rises and falls.

If an increase in blood pressure is observed within 2-3 months, then, most likely, arterial hypertension of the first or second degree has developed. In this case, an urgent examination is required. The kidneys and urinary system as a whole must be checked. There is a high probability of seizures and accelerated development of heart failure.

Women who have experienced surges in blood pressure during lactation must be under medical supervision for at least 3 months. It is important to be able to reduce pressure in a timely manner and control its indicators, not allowing it to exceed 150/90 mmHg. Art. Due to swollen legs, the lungs may also suffer, but many medications are prohibited for use when breastfeeding. Violation of the prohibition can lead to the baby’s refusal to accept mother’s milk.

Causes of high blood pressure during hepatitis B

The production of a specific hormone is not always at the root of problems with blood pressure.

There are a number of other reasons:

• Severe stress. During childbirth, the body experiences enormous stress and can go into a state of shock.
• Overwork when caring for a newborn. Young mothers sleep very little, because they need to feed the baby every few hours.
• Bad heredity. If any of the immediate family is prone to hypertensive crises, this may also manifest itself in a young mother.
• If a young mother smokes and drinks alcohol, she and her child will definitely have a number of health problems.
• Too many hormones in the blood during pregnancy.
• Problems with the kidneys, adrenal glands, pituitary gland, thyroid gland, heart and blood vessels.
• The use of drugs that increase the tone of the uterus, as well as coffee and cocoa.
• Preeclampsia is a dangerous pathology that manifests itself during pregnancy. The woman develops severe swelling, and the level of protein in the urine is not normal. For severe preeclampsia, doctors recommend a cesarean section. Even after this operation, the pathology can affect the mother's blood pressure.

Development of lactostasis

Often, elevated blood pressure becomes a trigger for the development of lactostasis. This phenomenon is caused by blockage of the thoracic ducts, as a result of which milk can stagnate in the mammary glands. Primipara women often complain of lactostasis; a painful condition is observed in the first week. The provoking factor may be improper feeding and pumping.

Hypothermia and stressful conditions can provoke stagnation of milk, but not so often. Sometimes pathology is caused by the use of underwear of the wrong size, which pinches the milk ducts.

Due to high pressure, swelling occurs, and if the breasts suffer, lactostasis may appear. In this situation, prompt treatment is required, as the likelihood of developing purulent mastitis, which is even more dangerous, increases. When milk remains in the duct for a long time, fermentation begins, and non-purulent inflammation begins. Such conditions are excellent for the development of infectious processes.

The risk of the disease increases if a woman sleeps on her stomach. During the postpartum period, it is very important not to neglect the hygiene of the mammary glands and genital organs. Not only the care itself plays a role, but also extreme attentiveness to unpleasant sensations.

Features of treatment

If a woman suffers from cardiovascular diseases, she should purchase a blood pressure monitor, which should always be at hand. It is important that blood pressure can be measured at any time. After calling an ambulance, you should do the following:

• take the most comfortable position for yourself, do not get up, so as not to cause further harm;
• take medications prescribed by the doctor;
• if you feel chills, take measures to warm up;
• Don’t be nervous so that your blood pressure doesn’t increase even more.

If hypertension is caused by gestosis, the woman is admitted to the hospital, where it is easier to control the situation.
Any medications during lactation are prescribed with great caution. Many of them can enter the baby's body along with milk. In some cases, complete abstinence from taking medications is recommended. If the blood pressure is persistently elevated, Nifedipine or Methyldopa is prescribed. Medicines such as Verapamil and Dopegit are also allowed. If there is a sharp jump in blood pressure, you should take valerian or motherwort. As a rule, in such cases a course of treatment is prescribed.

The following drugs are prohibited during lactation:

• diuretics;
• ACE inhibitors;
• beta blockers;
• No-shpa injections.

If high blood pressure during breastfeeding is accompanied by pain, you should drink meadowsweet tea, mistletoe tincture or hawthorn juice.
You can prepare a healing bath. For example, sea or table salt is added to the water, after which a bottle of valerian is poured into it. The duration of the procedure is 10−15 minutes. You can also soak several handfuls of clay in a small volume of liquid and grind the mixture until a homogeneous mixture is obtained.
Water is poured into the bath, the temperature of which should not exceed 37 degrees. The resulting mass is placed in it, you also need to add a head of crushed garlic. The clay bath should be taken for 25-30 minutes, during the procedure you can massage the body.

Taking Dopegyt by a mother while breastfeeding is safe for the baby

Home › Health › Taking Dopegyt by a mother while breastfeeding is safe for the baby

Dopegit is a drug that is now actively prescribed to nursing mothers suffering from high blood pressure and coronary heart disease. Sometimes used as a diuretic. When taking Dopegit, the frequency of contractions of the heart muscle, the volume of blood pumped per minute and, accordingly, the total peripheral vascular resistance decrease.

Dopegit is a drug of central origin, that is, the metabolite in this case is formed in the central nervous system and reduces the tone of the main muscle of the body.

The drug is prescribed for mild hypertension, including pregnant and nursing mothers. Selection of the dose of Dopegyt (especially during breastfeeding) is the exclusive prerogative of the woman’s attending physician. As a rule, they start with a minimum and increase the dosage every day if necessary. The drug is also gradually withdrawn. At least 2 days should pass between increases and decreases in doses. If you are not taking any concomitant medications that lower blood pressure, then the maximum daily dose of Dopegyt can be 2 g. If other blood pressure-lowering drugs are still used, then the maximum dose of Dopegyt per day should not exceed 50 mg.

Dopegit during feeding: is it still possible?

The instructions for the drug contain no contraindications for use during breastfeeding and pregnancy, but it is indicated that the drug should be taken with extreme caution during these special months of a woman’s life. And this is not without reason: after all, you are responsible not only for your health, but also for the well-being and life of the child.

There are very specific strict indications for taking Dopegyt while breastfeeding. And this despite the fact that, as noted in the same instructions, tests conducted did not reveal any negative effects of the drug on infants.

Dopegit still has side effects. And, if you are breastfeeding, you should be especially attentive to yourself.

Occasionally, the following phenomena were observed while taking Dopegyt:

• facial nerve paralysis;
• dizziness and headache;
• depression;
• psychosis;
• more pronounced manifestation of symptoms of heart failure;
• slow heart rate;
• the appearance of signs of angina pectoris;
• swelling;
• dry mouth;
• dyspeptic disorders;
• liver dysfunction;
• rhinitis;
• inflammation of the salivary glands;
• decreased level of leukocytes/platelet in the blood;
• allergic skin reactions, including Alan Lyell syndrome;
• anemia.

In addition, taking Dopegyt, you can gain significant weight.

These side effects may accompany taking the drug if the dose prescribed by the doctor is exceeded, as well as if you have direct contraindications. These in this case include:

• hypersensitivity to the components of the drug;
• taking antidepressants;
• liver diseases;
• hemolytic anemia;
• acute myocardial infarction;
• depressive states;
• pheochromocytoma and some others.

If you suffer from renal failure and are prescribed Dopegyt, you should also inform your doctor about this: the dose may need to be adjusted.

Although there is no documented information about the negative impact of Dopegit on the child’s condition, it happened that it was while taking this drug that mothers noted “echoes” of some of the listed side effects in their babies. Experts associate the mother's taking Dopegit with the appearance of jaundice in children, and in nursing women themselves - a decrease in milk production.

What to do if you exceed the prescribed dose?

In this case, urgent gastric lavage and stimulation of vomiting are strongly recommended in order to remove Dopegit from the body as much as possible and reduce the absorption of the drug into the blood and, accordingly, into breast milk. This will reduce the risk of undesirable consequences for both the breastfeeding mother and the child.

Even if you managed to do everything correctly and on time, for some time after the incident you need to be especially vigilant and monitor your heart rate, circulating blood volume, kidney and central nervous system function, and electrolyte balance. However, the best thing is to just be more careful.

Increased blood pressure after childbirth and during lactation: how to treat?

In the first few days, increased blood pressure may be due to a purely physiological increase in blood volume. In the future, signs of hypertension may be associated with other disorders in the functioning of your body.

Hypertensive phenomena can occur during pregnancy and persist for some time while the mother’s body adapts to its new status.

Lack of sleep, overwork, stress, which is often characteristic of breastfeeding women, can also cause increased blood pressure.

Other factors for hypertension during breastfeeding include:

• Mommy taking medications that help contract the uterus;
• abuse of tonic drinks (strong tea, coffee, cocoa, licorice root decoctions);
• old hypertension.

What determines the effect of antihypertensive drugs on a child?

When a doctor prescribes antihypertensive drugs to a nursing mother, the main factor here is breastfeeding. The fact is that if the drug gets into breast milk, the degree of its effect on the baby will be greater, the larger the volume of milk he eats. Of no small importance are the time that passed from the moment the mother took the drug to feeding, the ability of the drug to be absorbed by the mother’s body and the ability of the child to be excreted by the child’s body.

If we are talking about Dopigit (the main active ingredient in it is methyldopa), then experts insist that its effect on babies receiving breast milk is not significant and, in general, the medicine is safe.

What do doctors recommend?

If a woman is breastfeeding, then when choosing medications that lower blood pressure, it is better to give preference to the following medications:

• water-soluble, not fat-soluble;
• high-, but not low-molecular;
• with the fastest half-life;
• with rapid achievement of high concentrations in blood plasma;
• with low bioavailability;
• those that form an ionized rather than a non-ionized form.

It’s worth asking your doctor about all these nuances when deciding which blood pressure medication is best for you. There is no need to be shy here, and competent answers from a specialist will keep you and your little one calm and healthy.

And you should always keep in mind that even if a drug is described everywhere as “super-duper,” this does not always mean that everything will go perfectly in your case. If you are a nursing mother, then always be on alert and listen to the seemingly most insignificant, at first glance, signals from your body.

How to reduce blood pressure in a nursing mother during a crisis?

If a nursing woman’s blood pressure has “jumped” and her condition is causing concern - headaches, general weakness, nausea, spots flashing before her eyes (that is, there is a hypertensive crisis), then, first of all, you need to call an ambulance. But before the doctors arrive, you can alleviate the patient’s condition by knowing which medications are safe to take during breastfeeding for mother and baby.

What can be done? Take a sedative. In this case, motherwort or valerian tablets are suitable. Dopegyt (methyldopa) – take one tablet (250 mg) under the tongue and drink one as usual. The pressure will decrease at a moderate pace, possibly over more than one day. If during this time it was not possible to completely normalize the condition, then it is recommended to take Dopegit in a course.

Speaking of ambulance. As a rule, our “savior angels” offer (including nursing mothers) a standard cocktail - no-spa + dibazol + magnesium. If you are lucky and an experienced doctor has arrived, then the ambulance will be limited to an injection of magnesia (to prevent seizures) and recommendations to take tablets for blood pressure (the same Dopegit) for a certain period of time until normal blood pressure levels stabilize.

Once a long-term satisfactory condition has been achieved, antihypertensive drugs during lactation are usually discontinued.

It is also possible to take Nifedipine, but only if your hypertensive crisis is not accompanied by a rapid heart rate at rest (more than 90 beats per minute).

What to do after a crisis?

A necessary and sufficient condition is relief from housework and caring for the baby (except for feeding, of course) until the nursing mother fully recovers her strength.

Summary

If you have been experiencing high blood pressure for some time and the doctor prescribed you Dopegyt, this is not a reason for frustration, but only a reason to be more attentive to yourself and avoid nervous and physical overload.

Is it safe for a mother to take Dopegyt while breastfeeding her baby? Still, yes. But! if you adhere to the established individual doses.

When can you stop taking antihypertensive drugs? When you have been in a consistently satisfactory condition for some time (including blood pressure control values).

Be healthy, dear mothers!

(4 votes, result: 3.00 out of 5)

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Low pressure

A woman with hypotension gets tired quickly; due to emotional instability, she can flare up over anything. During this period, there is a high probability of falling into deep depression, which is an extremely undesirable condition during lactation. Breastfeeding is of great importance for the baby, who not only receives vital substances along with mother's milk, but is also charged with positive emotions and energy.

When a woman suffers from low blood pressure, one can hardly talk about a positive attitude. Taking care of a baby, keeping the house clean and cooking takes a lot of effort. It is necessary to raise blood pressure in such a way as not to harm the child and yourself. First you need to understand exactly how low blood pressure manifests itself.

The disease is diagnosed in cases where the upper level is less than 90 units. The indicator is average, it does not apply to those for whom 80 is the norm. When blood pressure rises in such people, it is no more than 70-120 mm Hg. Art. Such physiological features are usually noticeable even in childhood.

Hypotension in a young mother manifests itself with the following symptoms:

• high irritability;
• constant weakness and drowsiness;
• chronic fatigue;
• dizziness;
• tremor in the limbs;
• loss of appetite;
• numbness of fingertips;
• blueness under the eyes;
• short-term clouding of the mind;
• emotional depression and apathy for no reason;
• sudden weight loss.

Causes of hypotension

During the lactation period, blood pressure may decrease due to iron deficiency anemia, low blood clotting, thyroid insufficiency, and vegetative-vascular dystonia.
Having determined the true cause, you need to take measures to normalize the pressure. The lack of iron in the body of a nursing mother is due to an increased outflow of vitamins and minerals. Hemoglobin decreases and blood vessels lose their tone. An appropriate blood test must be done to confirm anemia.

Blood quickly passes through the veins and arteries, as a result of which its coagulability decreases. Thus, the organs do not receive enough nutrients. The greatest impact falls on the brain. Due to a lack of iodine in the body, hypothyroidism can develop; the disease is diagnosed after a special analysis.

Vegetative-vascular dystonia occurs due to impaired functioning of the central nervous system (due to past infectious diseases or frequent stress).

Having determined the cause of hypotension, measures must be taken to stabilize the pressure. To raise blood pressure, blood volume should be increased, which can be achieved by drinking plenty of fluids. It is worth focusing on green tea, ginseng, lemongrass, eleutherococcus, such drinks help well.

The drug Regidron perfectly stabilizes the water balance; a treatment course is often prescribed for prolonged recovery. Manual therapy allows you to get rid of physical and mental stress; massage helps to disperse blood and raise blood pressure. A visit to the sauna is also recommended, but certain restrictions must be observed.

How to take Dopegit correctly during lactation

Being one of the most popular drugs, Dopegit for breastfeeding is prescribed to mothers with symptoms of mild hypertension, as well as to pregnant women.

Composition and principle of action

The main active ingredient of Dopegit is methyldop, which is safe for the body of a newborn.

The principle of action of the drug is based on the fact that it reduces the tone of the heart muscle. It begins to contract less frequently, and the vessels receive the necessary relaxation. Blood pressure decreases accordingly.

Contraindications and side effects

Dopegit should not be taken while breastfeeding if a woman has:

• problems with the liver and adrenal glands;
• severe stress;
• suffered a heart attack;
• hemolytic anemia;
• treatment with monoamine oxidase inhibitors;
• hypersensitivity to any of the components is observed.

Among the side effects:

• disruption of the heart, edema;
• facial paralysis, problems with blood circulation in the brain;
• swelling of the nasal mucosa;
• vomiting, diarrhea or constipation, flatulence, problems with the pancreas;
• skin rashes;
• muscle swelling and accompanying pain;
• drug-induced lupus, problems with blood vessels;
• gynecomastia;
• sudden weight gain is possible.

Instructions for use during breastfeeding

The dosage is prescribed by the doctor. Typically, women during lactation take 0.25 g of the drug twice a day.

Experts say that Dopegit does not have a negative effect on newborns. But in order to completely protect the baby, you can transfer him to artificial nutrition during the period of treatment with the drug. Milk must be expressed at this time.

Proper nutrition and prevention

To normalize blood pressure, it is important to adhere to proper nutrition.
A nursing mother should limit the consumption of fried, salty, fatty, smoked and spicy foods. She should also give up sweets and seafood. Instead of tea, coffee and alcoholic drinks, it is better to give preference to freshly squeezed juices and water. For high blood pressure, fruits and vegetables are indicated, and minor heat treatment is allowed.

If there is a genetic predisposition to hypertension, you need to constantly measure your blood pressure using a special device. Regular physical activity will stabilize the functioning of the cardiovascular system. But it is important not only to take care of the body, but also to monitor your psychological state. You should be positive and avoid strong emotions.

Recovery should be smooth; things cannot be rushed. A young mother who finds herself at home is not recommended to be confined to a cramped lifestyle when, apart from the baby and the kitchen, she sees nothing else. The following are extremely useful for normalizing blood pressure:

• light jogging in the morning and evening;
• walking and cycling;
• swimming in a pond;
• daily exercise.

Muscular activity relieves the head, improves metabolism, and helps eliminate congestion in the body. During physical activity, hormones are produced that are responsible for a positive attitude. However, it is important to understand that sports only help if nothing bothers you.

Intense activity is contraindicated for a nursing mother with high blood pressure. Physical activity can be considered as a preventive measure, but during an exacerbation it is prohibited.

Help with low and high blood pressure

If your blood pressure rises above the physiological norm, you can use the following tips:

• If you are taking any medications that increase blood pressure (with the exception of uterotonics), the young mother should temporarily stop using them;
• The young mother must be seated in a comfortable position and her blood pressure re-measured. If the indicators remain within high limits, call an ambulance;
• To normalize the functioning of the nervous system, take valerian or motherwort extract in tablet form.

One of the medications that helps lower blood pressure is Nifedipine. The dosage of the drug is 1 tablet sublingually. While taking Nifedipine, blood pressure levels decrease within half an hour. If this condition is accompanied by increased heart rate, then taking this medication is not recommended.

After normalization of the condition, the young mother is advised to rest and sleep.

If the opposite situation occurs, and a nursing woman’s blood pressure drops, then, first of all, she needs to eliminate the provoking factor. The following tips can help with this:

1. If the cause of short-term hypotension is stress and emotional fatigue, then the young mother needs peace and good sleep at least 8 hours a day. In addition, the use of sedative herbal medicines is allowed. Such remedies include valerian and peppermint extract;
2. If a woman is faced with iron deficiency anemia, then nutritional correction will help normalize hemoglobin in the blood. A nursing woman's daily diet should include foods such as beef liver, beef, chicken, offal, fish, and turkey. These food components contain large amounts of iron available to the body. In addition, you can get iron from foods such as spinach, chicken and quail eggs, apples, legumes, buckwheat, and lentils. If a woman has reduced hemoglobin, then daily walks in the fresh air and ventilation of the living space will help her;
3. In case of hypotension caused by a deficiency of thyroid hormones, the lack of iodine is compensated by consuming iodized salt. If the baby and mother are not allergic to seafood, these components are included in the daily diet. Eating sea fish and seaweed is beneficial.

If, against the background of hypotension, a nursing mother is worried about severe malaise or dizziness, it is important for her to take a horizontal position and rest for 30-60 minutes. After your condition improves, you need to drink weak black tea with sugar and eat something nutritious. This extraordinary breakfast will help normalize blood pressure and restore strength.

Both during pregnancy and after childbirth, the hormonal levels in women remain extremely unstable. The body works in an intense mode, which does not have the best effect on the hematopoietic system as a whole. It often happens when high blood pressure is observed during breastfeeding, but the situation, even short-term, should in no case be left to chance. Such loads negatively affect the incompletely formed systems and organs of the infant. The lactation period is important in the life of women, and blood pressure levels need to be constantly monitored, and urgent measures must be taken if increased pressure has become an obsessive, daily occurrence.