Why am I so thirsty while breastfeeding?

Normally, when we are thirsty, it is okay to drink a glass of water. It is mainly caused by lack of water in the body. However, frequent thirst during breastfeeding is worrying. After all, the child needs to be fed at this time, and any abnormality may affect the child's health. Therefore, we are more concerned about the cause of thirst at this time. So, why are you so thirsty during breastfeeding? Let’s take a look at the reasons below.

Generally speaking, postpartum thirst is a natural physiological phenomenon. From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, after giving birth, women lose too much blood, sweat more, suffer from body fluid damage, and the excess heat generated by liver detoxification is not discharged in time and accumulates in the body, leading to postpartum thirst.

From the perspective of Western medicine, during childbirth, women lose a large amount of water through blood, sweat, saliva, urine, etc. When the water loss is severe, the central nervous system will send signals to the brain, making the mother feel thirsty.

When a mother is breastfeeding, the hormones released in her body can also stimulate the mother's body and cause her to experience dry mouth. At the same time, water and various nutrients are important components of breast milk. A mother can produce about 700-800 ml of milk a day. As the breast milk is discharged, water is also lost. After the water is lost, the central nervous system transmits the signal of water loss to the brain, making the mother feel thirsty.

Disease factors can also cause postpartum thirst. If the mother is suffering from diabetes or hyperthyroidism, she will feel thirsty in her daily life. The main reason is the change of hormones in the body, which affects the internal balance. In addition, if the mother suffers from diseases such as pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis, hydronephrosis, diabetes, brain damage, etc., she may also experience adverse symptoms such as thirst after delivery.

Can I drink more water if I feel thirsty after giving birth?

Many people of the older generation will take Shenghua Tang after giving birth, so they often ask their daughters-in-law and daughters not to drink water after giving birth. In fact, you can drink water after giving birth, especially if you are thirsty. Because thirst is a physiological clue of dehydration in the body, mothers should pay attention to hydration at this time, but it is best to drink warm water after delivery, and it is not advisable to drink cold water.

When you feel thirsty and drink water after giving birth, you should follow the principle of "small amounts, multiple times, and drinking slowly". Mothers can drink some warm water every time they feel thirsty. It is not advisable to drink too much at one time to avoid overburdening the stomach and intestines and affecting the body's recovery. Mothers can drink 6-10 glasses of water every day, each glass containing 250ml.

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