Is it possible or not to take ginger while breastfeeding, and in what form?

Today's housewives have long been accustomed to the fact that ginger can be used not only as an additive to tea, but also as a medicine. This product is especially interesting for breastfeeding women. After all, not only do you need to diversify the already meager menu, but few medications are allowed during lactation. So young mothers are tormented by the question - is it possible to use ginger while breastfeeding, and if so, in what form.

Ginger root is not only allowed, but also recommended for use by mothers while breastfeeding if the baby does not react to it.

Ginger root and its benefits during lactation

The rich and valuable composition of ginger can definitely bring maximum benefits to the body. After all, it contains substances such as:

1. Vitamins A, C, PP, almost the entire group B.
2. Useful minerals are iron, zinc, phosphorus and calcium.
3. Proteins.
4. Essential amino acids and essential oils.

Together, all the components give ginger many beneficial properties, thanks to which it:

• normalizes appetite, which promotes normal digestion;
• protects against viral diseases, improves immunity;
• increases tone, gives strength and strengthens overall health;
• normalizes metabolism;
• relieves signs of fatigue, improves mood and prevents the development of depression;
• strengthens the walls of blood vessels and increases their elasticity;
• helps relieve minor headaches, menstrual pain in women or muscle pain;
• stops attacks of nausea or vomiting;
• removes unnecessary toxins and waste from the body;
• protects the body from possible parasites;
• copes with wound healing and is also used for a bactericidal effect.

Having so many beneficial properties, ginger is not only allowed for use during breastfeeding, but is also recommended. Penetrating with breast milk to the newborn, beneficial microelements and vitamins also reach him. In addition, ginger helps to cope with one of the most important tasks in caring for a baby - eliminating intestinal colic and gas formation in the baby. Since, when freed from most toxins, breast milk retains its best qualities, it is considered purer and healthier, which means the baby perceives it better.

The iron contained in the root vegetable is considered a means of preventing anemia, a disease that many women suffer after pregnancy and childbirth.

Freshly brewed ginger tea can increase lactation in nursing women. In addition, this drink is also allowed for women who want to restore their figure after childbirth. Ginger as a seasoning can be added to many diet menu recipes for nursing women; this will diversify the diet and give dishes a new taste.

Ginger during breastfeeding - how to use it so as not to harm the baby

Ginger in any form is strictly prohibited if your baby has congenital pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract. The spice is one of the strong allergens, so if you decide to include it in your diet, carefully monitor your child’s reaction - a rash, nervousness, and diarrhea may appear.

Another negative consequence: the spice can cause poor sleep in infants; many babies do not like the taste of ginger milk.

Rules for using ginger during lactation

Rule 1.

Introduce it into your diet no earlier than the baby is six months old.

Rule 2.

Start your intake with 50 ml of ginger drink - thinly chop a small piece of fresh root, pour boiling water over it, add sugar to taste. If the child reacts normally, you can treat yourself to the aromatic drink again after 2 days.

Rule 3.

You can drink a ginger drink 1-2 times a week, 150-200 ml, only homemade from natural raw materials.

Rule 4.

Drinks with fresh root should be consumed in the first half of the day; they have a tonic effect.

It is important to be able to choose the right root. The main indicator of freshness is smooth, wrinkle-free skin. You can store the vegetable in the refrigerator for 6–8 days; when frozen, the beneficial properties are preserved for three months.

What harm can ginger cause when breastfeeding?

You should try the aromatic root with extreme caution only if the young mother had not tried this ingredient before, before breastfeeding. For both the woman and the child, a potential source of danger in this case may be individual intolerance. In a baby, it can manifest itself in the form of allergies or gastrointestinal disorders, which can cause constipation or, conversely, loose stools, colic, increased gas formation, rashes all over the body, and even swelling. Similar symptoms may also appear in the mother herself, if the product was not previously familiar to her.

Breastfeeding mothers are also not recommended to use ginger in case of sleep disturbances in the baby and increased nervous excitability.

If something similar is noticed in a baby, then it is better to refuse drinks and dishes with the addition of ginger.

Rarely, but still, a reaction has been observed in some children in the form of refusal to breastfeed after their mother ate a healthy root vegetable. Ginger may slightly affect the taste of mother's milk, which an overly sensitive baby will notice and may eat without much desire. If such a reaction is noticed in a child, then you should also not introduce the product into your regular diet.

How does it affect lactation?

If consuming ginger does not cause any problems or rashes for the baby, then the spice is a godsend for mothers who need to increase lactation.

Experts have developed a recipe for a drink that increases the amount of breast discharge.

For this you will need:

• grated ginger – 1 tablespoon.
• water – 350 milliliters.

Preparation:

1. The healing root is peeled, washed, and grated on a fine grater. Measure out the specified amount of product, put the rest in a bag and place it in the refrigerator for later use.
2. Pour boiling water over the chopped root in a mug and cover the container with a lid.
3. Infuse the decoction for 10 minutes.

Consume the infusion warm, 150 milliliters, 30 minutes before feeding. For taste and aroma, honey and lemon are added (if the child does not react to these components in any way). Be sure to use the recipe only after consulting a pediatrician to eliminate all possible negative consequences.

To increase the amount of milk, you can add dried root to broth, meat, fish, and vegetable dishes. In addition, the spice will add a piquant taste to any dish.

It is important not to overuse the spice, even if a positive result is noticeable. Anything in moderation is good.

Impact on the baby

Consumption of the product in moderation should not have any negative effect on the baby. In addition, some manufacturers of children's teas include the root in drinks as a cure for indigestion, colic, gas, diarrhea, and bloating. Therefore, entering the child’s body in a minimal amount, the product has a positive effect on the baby’s digestive tract.

If, after the mother consumes ginger, a rash appears and the baby’s stool is disrupted, it is worth temporarily excluding the spice from the diet, identifying the root cause of this reaction. Perhaps the baby is too sensitive to the product or the mother is overzealous in consuming the spice.

What are the contraindications for using ginger root?

In addition to the side effects of consuming the root, there are a number of obvious contraindications for which you should also avoid using it:

• ulcers, gastritis and other gastrointestinal diseases;
• arrhythmia;
• last months of pregnancy;
• hypertension;
• increased and persistent body temperature;
• Botkin's disease;
• liver-related diseases;
• all kinds of bleeding and hemorrhoids.

If a young mother has any diseases or complications from this list, then you should not use ginger root.

Drug compatibility

Since in some cases the aromatic roots are used as a medicine, you should not combine the use of ginger with certain medications. For example, ginger is not compatible with drugs that reduce blood clotting, blood pressure and sugar. Also, you should not combine the root with cardiac stimulants and antiarrhythmic drugs. In combination with such remedies, aromatic spice can either enhance or reduce the effect of these remedies. At best, this will not bring any benefit from taking medications, and at worst, it will aggravate the situation and lead to complications.

With rare exceptions, the use of ginger is compatible with taking medications.

Contraindications

1. 
   Gastritis or ulcer - ginger irritates the mucous membrane.

2. Hypertension – the root vegetable has the property of increasing blood pressure (read about the effect of ginger on blood pressure here).
3. Allergic reaction to the product.
4. Any bleeding - ginger root thins the blood, for the same reason it should not be used if blood clotting is poor.
5. Colds with elevated body temperature.

You can find out more about contraindications to the use of ginger in another article.

What rules for using ginger root should you follow during gw?

If before pregnancy and during pregnancy a woman tried to eat dishes with a healthy root, then you can also use ginger during lactation. But at the same time, you should adhere to some simple rules in order to get only the benefits of a useful product. The main ones:

• After giving birth, at least three months must pass before a nursing mother can eat ginger. This is the case if the product is already well known to the woman’s body;
• If ginger root is a new ingredient for a young mother, then the baby should be introduced to this spice as late as possible. That is, a woman should not try the product before 7 months of breastfeeding. At this age, the child will no longer react so sharply to new ingredients, which means the risk of allergies will be reduced;
• It is better to carry out the first test in the morning, in a small amount, so that by the evening you can notice possible changes in the baby’s condition;
• after the first test, you need to wait a few days, watch the baby and only if the perception is positive, continue to eat the valuable supplement and drink drinks with ginger, and over time increase the portion to the maximum possible;
• If you have the slightest doubts or concerns about the baby’s health, it is better to consult a pediatrician. Only the attending physician will tell you whether mom can try the spice or not.

Is it possible to pickle ginger while breastfeeding?

Pickled root can often be found as a supplement or seasoning for food. But it is better for a nursing woman not to try such food. Since, firstly, it is unknown what substances were used in the marinade, and secondly, pickled products are not recommended for use during lactation. You can replace this spice with dried or fresh ginger. Only a fresh natural product will bring maximum benefit.

Pickled ginger is not recommended for use during breastfeeding.

Can nursing mothers eat ginger?

Yes, but only in fresh or dried form; pickled vegetables should be avoided due to the high content of vinegar, salt and preservatives.

If you are just about to become a mother, then ginger is simply irreplaceable for you - the plant copes well with early toxicosis, eliminates nausea and vomiting, reduces salivation, and replenishes the deficiency of beneficial microelements.

But in the third trimester, consuming this vegetable is dangerous - premature birth and uterine bleeding may begin.

Recipe for making ginger tea while breastfeeding

To prepare healthy ginger tea while breastfeeding, you need to take:

• ginger root;
• boiled water;
• usual tea leaves, sugar, lemon or honey.

The fresh root is peeled, grated, and poured with a small amount of boiling water. Infuse and drink in pure form or with the addition of the above ingredients. A tea break will not only replenish the supply of vitamins, but will give mom a little rest, enjoy the pleasant aroma and spicy taste.

Lifehack! To easily peel the ginger root, you can use a teaspoon and scrape off the top layer of ginger.

Choosing healthy ginger

Everyone knows that the effectiveness of beneficial substances on the body directly depends on the quality of the product itself. Therefore, when buying ginger, you must follow the following recommendations:

1. High-quality ginger root has a golden color and a shiny surface.
2. The skin of fresh ginger should be smooth and smooth, light gray in color.
3. If you break off a small piece from the main root, yellow or light yellow (depending on the variety) pulp with a moist surface will be visible at the break, and a very spicy aroma appears. When a quality root breaks, a crunching sound is heard.
4. Refuse to purchase if you smell damp, musty, or see the presence of mold, white spots, cracks or other damage.
5. It is believed that the larger the root size, the older it is and the more processes it has. This is directly related to the content of biologically active substances - they accumulate over time. But this does not apply to ginger that has lain for a long time at the manufacturer or on store shelves; such a root expires, it dries out, and new shoots appear. There is practically no benefit from this instance.

How to choose ginger - video

If you choose powdered ginger, take it only in its original packaging. At the same time, check its integrity and expiration date. It is better to buy the powder in a transparent jar, then it is easier to see the condition and color of the ground ginger. Shake the jar or bag to make sure the powder does not clump. If you notice lumps, do not take this product. There is a possibility that the storage conditions were violated and the spice may be spoiled.

Ginger as a medicine for breastfeeding

For women who are breastfeeding, any traditional medicine seems to be a salvation during colds or viral diseases, since many medications are not allowed. So, ginger is designed to fight many sources of diseases.

For a cold

The first symptoms of the disease in the form of fever, chills or cough will help eliminate ginger root. Moreover, it can be treated in case of illness in both the mother and the child, who, as a rule, becomes ill along with the mother. Many pediatricians believe that ginger is no worse than other folk remedies - garlic or honey.

How to choose a high-quality and fresh product

The pickled product retains almost all the beneficial qualities, so the root will help improve health. Unlike raw ginger, pickled ginger has many fewer contraindications and is better absorbed. The taste is much more pleasant compared to the raw plant. Therefore, the pickled product is allowed to be included in the diet, but not earlier than the baby is 2 months old.

When choosing ginger, you should pay attention to the following factors:

• the product must have a smooth, dense structure, without wrinkled skin, damage or signs of rot;
• It’s better to look out for long roots, as they contain more essential oils and beneficial microelements;
• the smell should be fresh and spicy. To do this, you can peel off the skin a little with your fingernail - you can immediately feel the fragrant aroma;
• If you choose ginger powder, then pay attention to the expiration date of the product and the integrity of the packaging.

Store fresh root for no more than 7 days, oven-dried for up to 6 months.

The store offers fresh and pickled ginger, as well as dry ginger relish. During lactation, only dried and fresh spices are allowed to be consumed.

Using the product as a treatment

Ginger is used as an anti-inflammatory, antiviral, analgesic, and disinfectant. The benefits of the product have been proven by many years of experience in its use.

During the period of infections and flu, a healing root simply must be in every mother’s medicine cabinet. The medicinal components and essential oils that make up the root are easily absorbed into the mucous membrane, help reduce the influence of harmful microorganisms, and prevent the spread of infection.

A warming ginger drink, rich in many beneficial substances, such as vitamins C, B1, B2, A, microelements: phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, sodium and potassium, is effective in the treatment of sore throat, cough, runny nose, and is also prophylactic against infectious diseases.

We suggest you read: When can you dig potatoes for storage: time, signs

For lactostasis

Lactostasis is a problem that a nursing mother has had to face at least once. But ginger root will help relieve milk stagnation. For this:

• the spine is peeled and grated;
• the ginger mass is poured with hot water, cooled to a temperature of 36-37 degrees;
• terry cloth is soaked in the paste, wrung out, and applied to the sore spot;
• cover the rest of the infusion with a lid so that the mass does not cool down;
• as soon as the compress stops heating, place the towel in the broth again and place it on the chest.

Repeat the process for 10 minutes. Then you need to completely express the milk by attaching the baby or using a breast pump. The complex of procedures is completed with a cold compress made from curd mass. Repeat the procedure three times a day. If no improvement is noticeable 24 hours after using the ginger compress, consult a doctor for qualified help.

If a nursing mother is taking medications, then ginger should be introduced into the diet with caution, because the product does not combine well with:

• sugar-lowering agents;
• tablets that lower blood pressure;
• drugs to reduce blood clotting;
• antiarrhythmic drugs;
• cardiac stimulants.

The product can be combined with almost any medication, but there are exceptions. Ginger should NOT be used when taking:

1. sugar-lowering drugs;
2. medications to lower blood pressure;
3. blood thinners that reduce blood clotting.

It is not advisable to use ginger before taking medications against arrhythmia and for cardiac stimulation - the root vegetable enhances their effect.

Who is not recommended to use ginger?

Root vegetables can be included in the menu when the child is six months old, and his digestive system is ready for new foods. If the baby does not have allergic reactions, the portion can be increased. Experts believe that the use of ginger to increase lactation is indicated in only three cases:

1. Forced break in feeding. Then the lactogenic agent will help restore the feeding regime.
2. Mixed type of feeding. This happens when complementary foods are introduced too early, and lactation is suppressed. Lactogonic tea is designed to restore it.
3. Lack of milk. It is diagnosed by a doctor, and then the nursing mother is prescribed lactic tea and sometimes massage of the mammary glands.

Contraindications to the use of ginger tea as a lactogenic agent are the same as for the general use of ginger (see Contraindications for nursing mothers).

Ingredients:

• 
  2-3 slices of ginger;

• boiling water;
• sugar or honey (to taste);
• lemon.

All products can be used only when the child definitely does not have allergic reactions to them.

Preparation:

1. When choosing ginger root, you must remember that it must be strong and preferably medium in size. It is better to immediately put wilted root vegetables aside.
2. Next, the root must be washed, peeled, doused with boiling water and cut into small slices.
3. Then the slices are brewed for a while (2-3 slices per small teapot), sugar or honey, or lemon if desired, are added to the brewed drink.

Despite all the usefulness of the root, you should not consume ginger if:

• have never tried the product before, including during pregnancy;
• when using spices for food, the baby developed allergic reactions;
• mothers of children with hyperexcitability of the central nervous system;
• for bleeding: ulcers, colitis or hemorrhoids;
• women with hypertension, hypertension.

When it is prohibited

Ginger when feeding can help, but it can also become a source of health problems. Its taste is somewhat unusual, but this is precisely why it attracts most gourmets. But sometimes this spice is contraindicated. Ginger should not be consumed by nursing mothers if:

• the presence of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (gastritis, ulcers, etc.);
• hypertension, arrhythmias;
• liver diseases;
• hemorrhoids;
• bleeding.
• pathologies of the cardiovascular system.

Breastfeeding mothers are strictly prohibited from taking ginger if they are also prescribed medications to improve the functioning of the heart, blood vessels, or high blood pressure.

Sushi and roll lovers cannot imagine a complete delicacy without pickled ginger. However, you should not abuse it - it puts a lot of stress on the liver of mother and child.

Thus, lactation and ginger are quite compatible if the baby responds well to the spice, and also if there are no contraindications from the mother’s body.