chatwithketch

Q: Good evening Doc, please I want to know if it is healthy for a baby to be breastfed whenever the mother is on her monthly cycle?

A: Hi dear, thanks for writing in.

There are lots of myths about things that women can or cannot do when they are breastfeeding. The simple answer to this is that you can definitely still breastfeed your baby when your menstrual period returns after childbirth. Trust me, the blood does not mix with the breast milk.

Other breastfeeding myths include:

I cannot have sex during the period of breastfeeding. This is so not true! Remember that if you really do breastfeeding right, you should be at it until baby is 2 years old though other foods would have been introduced by 6 months.

I hear a breastfeeding mother cannot get pregnant.  The answer is yes. If you’re exclusively breastfeeding, feeding your baby on demand (every 4 hours), you’re within 6 months of your baby’s birth and your menstrual period has not returned after the birth of your baby, you stand a better chance of not getting pregnant during this period. However, this is not a reliable method.

Breastfeeding mothers should not take contraceptive pills. Birth control pills can help prevent pregnancy at this time. Pills that contain estrogen can lead to reduction in breast milk supply (and yes, combination pills contain estrogen). So, it’s a good idea to avoid such pills at this time. Pills that contain only progestin (like the minipill) is a better idea as it does not affect breast milk supply. It’s usually taken at the same time daily. It’s best to start this discussion before you have your baby or immediately after so that your doctor can advise as to when you should start taking the pills.

Barrier contraceptives like condoms, diaphragms etc can also serve the purpose of preventing pregnancy at this time.

There are, of course, other methods of birth control available eg Intra Uterine Device (IUD), implants, patches etc also exist and you may want to discuss these other options with your doctor as you conclude breastfeeding.

Other tips concerning breastfeeding and diet:

Caffeine in coffee (try decaffeinated and stick with 2 small tea cups), energy drinks, some soft drinks etc. This makes the baby irritable and by extension, makes sleep difficult for the baby. Now, you don’t want that, do you?

Alcohol: This should be avoided at all costs as it does not mix quite well with breastfeeding. The alcohol consumed makes its way into the breast milk in about the same concentration as it does in blood. Though baby is exposed to just a fraction of it, the fact that baby’s liver is unable to excrete this alcohol as well as an adult makes even this small amount a potential problem. This alcohol has been found to affect baby’s sleep and feeding pattern (babies appear to drink less milk after alcohol intake by mother) and also baby’s motor development. Motor development refers to development of baby’s ability to move around and manipulate his/her environment.

Old wives’ tales have it that drinking alcohol increases milk production but there is no scientific evidence. If anything, alcohol causes dehydration and by extension reduces breast milk production.

The length of time the alcohol stays in your breast milk depends on how much you drink and can also vary from person to person. If you take a drink, it could be about 2 to 3 hours before it clears from breast milk.

Cigarette (yeah, yeah, I know it’s not food) should also be avoided as it reduces the production of breast milk.

If baby reacts to what the mother ate, efforts should be made to pinpoint what the mother ate before the incident started and then eliminating that from the diet to see if the diarrhea or allergy stops.

Make sure that you eat well: lots of fruits and vegetables and complex carbohydrates. Cut out the junk which will not help you achieve your weight loss goals and in addition have empty calories. And drink sufficient fluids daily.

Be careful before taking any drug as most find their way into your baby.

I hope this helps.

Enjoy the rest of your day 😀

The color of nasal discharge isn’t enough to determine the cause of nasal distress.

Source: Don’t judge your mucus by its color

Research suggests that the bacteria in your gut may also impact your heart health. Collectively known as the gut microbiota, these microbes assist with digestion, but also make certain vitamins, break down toxins, and train your immune system. These microbes also play a role in obesity and the development of diabetes, both of which can increase your risk of developing heart disease.

Source: Gut reaction: How bacteria in your belly may affect your heart

The overuse of antibiotics has led to an increase in antibiotic resistance. Inappropriate prescribing is one contributor to this problem.

Source: The trouble with antibiotics – Harvard Health Blog

Q: Hello Dr. Ketch. Please what do you recommend for someone with spider veins?

A: Spider veins are a form of varicose veins. They are smaller and found closer to the skin. Most of you must have heard of varicose veins and have an idea how they look. But why do they form and where are they likely to strike? 😀

Varicose veins are enlarged veins and can occur anywhere in the body. However, they are more frequently found in the lower limbs as standing and walking increase the pressure in the veins of the lower body. This pressure may cause the valves that keep the blood flowing towards the heart, to weaken such that blood flows backwards and pools in the lower limbs. They usually appear bluish or purple and are more of an image/cosmetic problem for a lot of people. But in others, this condition presents with symptoms like muscle cramps, itching around the veins, swollen feet and ankles, bleeding from the vein, pain in the legs etc

Older people are more likely to have this condition as the valves in the veins weaken with age; pregnant women are also prone to this because as the uterus (womb) grows, it puts pressure on the veins preventing the proper return of blood to the heart. Other people with a higher risk of developing varicose veins are those who work jobs where they stand or sit for long periods, obese people and those with a family history of varicose veins.

For those who require treatment, pressure stockings may be prescribed in the first instance alongside exercise prescription and advice to elevate the legs when at rest. If this does not work there may be need for the vein to be sealed with heat, special foam or surgery.

To prevent this condition, exercise regularly (150 minutes per week is a great start), lose weight if you are obese, try to avoid standing or sitting for too long without taking breaks.

I hope this helps.

Have a good night, y’all 😀

Q: Good evening Doc, please can a pregnant woman eat snail?

A: Interesting question.

Old wives’ tale has it that if you eat a lot of snails, your baby will spit a lot when born! But this is totally fiction. The fact that the snail is slimy has nothing to do with whether baby drools or not. Remember also that if your baby starts drooling when he’s teething, it has nothing to do the snails you ate when pregnant but everything to do with the process he’s going through…bringing forth teeth!

Sea food is generally healthy containing a good amount of protein and Omega 3 fatty acids which are very heart healthy. They are also rich in a lot of minerals and vitamins like Zinc, Vitamin B12, Selenium etc and they are low in calories. However, snails, crabs, prawns and shrimps are also pretty high in cholesterol.

Other issues to note include:
Shrimps, prawns and crabs are best taken fresh rather than frozen. When frozen, they have a whole lot more sodium…probably from the salt used as a preservative. This could increase blood pressure.

Avoid raw, under-cooked and uncooked seafood and shellfish especially when pregnant. Make sure prawns and shrimps are a milk white colour when cooked.

Generally, when pregnant, the main concern is the amount of mercury in the fish or sea food. Large mackerel, Swordfish, tile fish and Shark contain a large amount of Mercury that could cause defects in the baby’s developing nervous system.

So, there you have it.

Have a good night, y’all 😀

Teenagers and young adults who use marijuana may be messing with their heads in ways they don’t intend. Ongoing research shows a possible link between early use of marijuana and later development of psychosis or schizophrenia.

Source: Teens who smoke pot at risk for later schizophrenia, psychosis

Millions of Americans skip high-cost medications as a way to save money.

Source: Millions of adults skip medications due to their high cost

Summer is the perfect time to kick start your new eating routine.

Source: Summer is the perfect time to fine tune your diet