After pregnancy and childbirth, a woman's immune system undergoes changes that are accompanied by a deterioration in the health of an already established mother. The recovery period after the birth of a child also includes a program to support / stabilize / strengthen immunity. There are a number of activities that will help the mother not only quickly recover from a difficult process, but also resist infections during this difficult period.

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Reasons why immunity weakened after childbirth

According to the generally accepted norm, immunity should return to its normal state a maximum of 3 months after childbirth. But often the recovery process is hindered by various factors:

1. The consequences of hormonal changes in the body of a woman that occurred during the period of bearing a child.
2. There were complications during childbirth, for example, cervix / vagina / perineum, forced surgical intervention.
3. During pregnancy, the woman suffered from infectious diseases and was forced to take. These drugs have a depressing effect on the immune system, reducing the activity of its cells and making it impossible to produce antibodies.
4. Pregnancy with complications (late, and others).

These factors weaken the immune system even during pregnancy and childbirth, and breastfeeding and constant care of the newborn does not allow a woman to recover quickly.

For full lactation, proteins are needed. They are partially "taken" from the body, and in conditions of their deficiency, immunity cannot produce antibodies in the right amount. To this is added chronic fatigue, lack of proper sleep, anxiety. As a result, metabolic (exchange) processes become slower, protective forces weaken.

Signs of a weakened immune system in a mother

You can understand that after childbirth, the immune system cannot cope with recovery on its own, it needs help, according to the following signs:

• a young mother is constantly tired, even if she slept for several hours in a row before that;
• a woman loses her appetite, she is indifferent to others and performs all her maternal duties “automatically”;
• a slight draft leads to a cold;
• sleep becomes restless, often interrupted;
• the mood is depressed, there is causeless irritation.

Restoring immunity after childbirth

It is possible to increase, strengthen and stabilize immunity after childbirth at home. But there is important rule: only an integrated approach will give a positive result.

Medicines to strengthen the body

Many believe that you just need to take a course of vitamin therapy - and the condition of the young mother will completely stabilize. This is true, but before choosing a specific drug, you should consult your doctor:

• you need to know exactly your immune status;
• drugs must be approved for use during lactation;
• complexes of vitamins and minerals may differ in concentration and presence of individual elements.

Only a doctor can choose best option in each specific case.

If the weakening of immunity after childbirth is manifested by irritation, excessive anxiety, bad mood, then you can drink a decoction of valerian roots. It is prepared simply: half a teaspoon per 300 ml of boiling water, insist for an hour, strain. Use 1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day.

In the same way, a decoction of motherwort is prepared, which has a sedative effect. In order not to bother yourself with the preparation of funds, you should pay attention to ready-made soothing teas.

Watch the video on strengthening the immune system:

Nutrition to restore the body's defenses

The diet of a young mother should be complete and varied. Doctors recommend entering into the menu of a nursing mother:

• dairy products;
• fresh fruits and vegetables;
• lean and fatty fish;
• lean meat;
• cereals;
• pastries from flour of the second grade;
• garlic and onion.

When compiling the menu, you need to take into account the moment of feeding the baby. For example, fruits and vegetables can be consumed only those that are unlikely to provoke the appearance: apples, pears, apricots, peaches. Garlic and onion must be consumed, but in small quantities because these vegetables can change the taste of breast milk and not for the better.

To strengthen the immune system, you need to eat brown rice, buckwheat porridge, bran, rye bread. These products have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the intestines, and ensure the intake of vitamin B. But blackcurrants (including mashed with sugar), sauerkraut and parsley (greens) are well “nourished” with vitamin C.

It is important to regularly consume pumpkin, squash, carrots and zucchini - they contain beta-carotene, which belongs to vitamins and is responsible for the immune response.

A young mother should drink the right amount of liquid - at least 2 liters per day. A decoction of rose hips, non-carbonated mineral water, jelly from fresh berries, dried fruit compote will be useful.

Lifestyle to Boost Immunity Postpartum

A newborn should not become an obstacle to an active lifestyle, although some restrictions cannot be excluded. A healthy and active day will help to quickly, in particular, strengthen the immune system. Doctors recommend:

1. Take walks on fresh air. This should not become "hard labor" and lead to fatigue. 30 - 60 minutes a day of such exercise will be enough.
2. Avoid hypothermia and/or overheating. When going out, dress appropriately for the weather. At high air temperatures, walks should be done in the morning or in the evening. You should always take a small supply of water with you.
3. Regularly ventilate the premises, avoiding drafts. It is advisable to carry out wet cleaning every day.
4. Do not visit crowded places at least in the first 1 - 2 months after childbirth. This is literally a hotbed of infections, and a weakened immune system will not be able to resist them.
5. Avoid any negative/negative emotions. During stress and anxiety, the body actively produces cortisol, a substance that suppresses defenses.
6. Ensure complete sleep. If you have trouble falling asleep, you can use essential oils and make a light massage of the temples.

Immunity will be able to recover only if the body is not disturbed by diseases. A young mother should not only undergo treatment for all pathologies, but also carefully monitor the work of the intestines, since constipation / does not add strength to the protective forces.

Failure of the immune system after childbirth is quite normal. You need to make a little effort, visit a doctor and just carry out a complex effect on the defenses. In this case, the full recovery of the body of a young mother will occur in a maximum of 3 months.

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The body's defenses determine the mood, energy, desire and ability to do something, and this is all - the quality of life. The immunity of a nursing mother may decrease during pregnancy and then throughout breastfeeding. How to identify possible deviations? You can improve your health both with the advice of official medicine and “grandmother's recipes”.

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Signs of a decrease in the body's defenses

Even during pregnancy, a woman's immunity decreases significantly. This is necessary in order to endure the genetic material that is half alien to the body, which is embedded in the baby. That is why all pregnant women are more susceptible to infectious diseases and other manifestations of immunodeficiency.

Childbirth, during which significant blood loss occurs, even during their normal course, and then breastfeeding - all this continues to "test" the woman's defenses. And if you do not feel sorry for yourself, do not take the advice of doctors and loved ones, you can imperceptibly not only worsen your general well-being, but also become seriously ill later.

Immunity is largely determined by blood cells, leukocytes. Some are responsible for an instant reaction to the causative agent of the disease, others contain information about the once transferred pathology. But their work also depends on the hormonal background of a woman (the function of the thyroid gland and adrenal glands is especially important), on the state of the mucous membranes (when they dry out, protection decreases), and many more factors.

It turns out that the immunity of a woman who has given birth is obviously reduced. And whether this will manifest itself depends on the speed of its recovery.

The main signs of immunodeficiency include the following:

It is important even before pregnancy and childbirth to know how to increase the immunity of a nursing mother. In this case, it will be possible to avoid the unpleasant consequences of a decrease in protective forces.

How to boost the immunity of a nursing mother? First of all, you should think about lifestyle, nutrition and those preventive measures that need to be carried out so as not to provoke an even greater decrease in the body's defenses.

Balanced diet

The functions of immunity largely depend on the amount of antibodies formed and their usefulness. And immunoglubulins are proteins, so a woman’s diet during lactation should contain them in sufficient quantities.

The stock can be replenished from dairy products (, cheese, whey, etc.), as well as meat (preferably beef and lean chicken and others). Also, a sufficient amount of iron should be supplied to the body to prevent anemic conditions that reduce immunity.

You should strive for the following ratio of products in the daily diet - 1: 1: 4, respectively, proteins, fats and carbohydrates. The latter are best obtained from coarse fiber, which is found in vegetables, grains, legumes, and not from the easily digestible group.

You should not limit yours to the extremely monotonous, so you can get less vitamins and minerals, which are so necessary during the period of breastfeeding.

To maintain immunity for nursing mothers, it is important to observe the drinking regime - the amount of liquid consumed should be at least 2 - 3 liters. Moreover, the advantage should be given to ordinary water.

Watch the video about the nutrition of a nursing mother:

Work-rest regime

Of course, a new mother is burdened with many tasks and responsibilities. But a properly and rationally organized regimen is the key to health and strong immunity.

The sleep of breastfeeding women should be at least 8 - 10 hours. If you can’t get a full rest at night because of the baby’s anxiety, you should definitely take a day break and take a nap with your baby. Otherwise, there can be no talk of any good immunity. It is good if relatives take over part of the household chores. Only with their support can you organize your time in the most adequate way.

It should be understood that during sleep, the body not only rests, but also a pulsating release of many hormones, especially the thyroid gland, adrenal glands and others, is established. And this determines the state of immunity, and general well-being, and the work of all systems and organs in a woman.

As soon as sleep becomes interrupted, loses some periodic rhythms, there is a dysregulation between the parts of the brain, the body is in a state of chronic stress.

Sufficient exercise

Regular exercise will allow you to cope with several problems at once. Firstly, this way you can easily get rid of a few extra pounds. Secondly, physical activity helps to relieve the accumulated psycho-emotional stress during the day, week. Thirdly, it is the prevention of the progression of chronic diseases and the development of pathologies, as well as strengthening the immune system.

Fresh air

A sufficient supply of oxygen is the prevention of hypoxia and the guarantee of the full functioning of all body cells and good immunity. But for relaxation it is better to choose places not crowded, especially if the time coincides with seasonal exacerbations infectious diseases. Fresh air is the only thing that is possible for the immunity of a nursing mother with almost no restrictions.

If you still have to spend some time in the crowd, it is better to use personal protective equipment, for example, apply oxolin ointment to the nasal mucosa.

Any hardening procedures are useful. They increase the body's natural resistance to infectious pathogens.

Medicines

There are many medications available to boost immunity. But still, it is better to take them as prescribed by a doctor who will establish certain regimens. The most commonly used groups are:

• Vitamins for nursing mothers for immunity. They must necessarily include those components that are involved in antioxidant protection - C, A, E. Vitamins of group B, P and some others are also important for immunity.
• Immunomodulators. The most effective drugs based on interferons. They have an antiviral, antimicrobial effect, and also enhance the protective properties of the body (immunity) in the fight against infection. For example, ruferon, viferon, etc. Sometimes some vitamins are already included in their composition. The drug Kagocel, an inducer of the formation of its own interferon, has also proven itself well.
• Preparations for the restoration of intestinal microflora also help boost immunity levels. Bacteria that live on the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract protect a person from invading pathogens, and also secrete immunoactive substances themselves to maintain good health. It also contains a large number of lymph nodes, where leukocytes are concentrated - guards in the fight against infectious pathogens and the main links of immunity.
• Also, do not forget about various herbal remedies. For example, immunal, made on the basis of echinacea extract. Effectively used to stimulate immunity in the form of subcutaneous injections and some others.
• Preparations based on parts of bacteria proven to be effective in the prevention and treatment various diseases. So, ribomunil is used to increase immunity in chronic tonsillitis, sinusitis and some other pathologies.

Traditional medicine to help mom

Traditional medicine recipes are replete with tips on how to restore immunity after childbirth to a nursing mother. Often they are included in their composition, and other substances that can cause unwanted reactions from the baby - allergies, increased gas formation, etc. Therefore, each new method should be treated with caution, checking not only your own tolerance, but also the baby.

Usually, the diet requires special care in the first three months, after which you can gradually add variety to it. Most popular tips and recipes:

• It is effective to gradually add germinated seeds of wheat, rye, oats, lentils, buckwheat and others to your diet to strengthen immunity. The fact is that when sprouts appear in these cultures, useful substances, vitamins and trace elements are concentrated. It is not necessary to use such products in in large numbers, quite enough about 3 - 5 tbsp. l. per day. In order to germinate cereals, it is enough to place them in warm clean water for 12-18 hours. After that the product is ready for use.
• A large number of useful substances contains ginger. It can be added to cooked dishes, and various drinks are also often made with it. Recipe to improve immunity: add a teaspoon of ginger, chicken and honey to a glass of hot milk. Regular consumption of the drink will increase the protective properties of the body in the fight against colds.
• Royal jelly is a storehouse of vitamins and nutrients. It can be purchased at a pharmacy, from beekeepers. Royal jelly (about 10-15 g) to stimulate immunity should be placed under the tongue and absorbed 2-4 times a day.
• Also rich medicinal properties and propolis. In order to increase immunity, you can use the following recipe. It is necessary to take propolis and finely grate, and then pour alcohol or vodka. Let it brew in a dark, cool place for about two weeks. After that, you can add 5-10 drops to tea, milk and other drinks.
• Rich in vitamins and In season, you can prepare its fruits, and then prepare useful infusions and decoctions. For example, 100 - 150 g of dry fruits can be brought to a boil in a liter of water, and then let it brew for about 3 - 4 hours in a thermos. Ready solution can be consumed half a cup before each meal.
• Everyone knows that garlic boosts immunity.- one of the best means. It can be eaten in its pure form, as well as prepare healing mixtures. For example, 10-15 g of freshly squeezed garlic juice is added to a glass of milk and taken at night. It is especially useful for stimulating the immune system during the period of illness. You can also mix honey, lemon juice and finely chopped garlic. Use a teaspoon 2-3 times a day.
• Since ancient times, radish has been used to boost immunity. To do this, grate the necessary root crop and squeeze the juice out of it. Then prepare honey in approximately the same amount, mix the ingredients and consume 20-30 minutes before meals.

The body's defenses in a woman after childbirth are obviously reduced. Depending on individual properties, the presence of chronic diseases and living conditions, immunodeficiency can manifest itself in different ways - from periodic rashes of herpes on the lips to serious diseases and disturbances in normal life.

It is important to surround a woman with care after childbirth, to provide her with a balanced diet and good sleep. If necessary, you can undergo an examination and get a doctor's advice on how to strengthen the immunity of a nursing mother with medicines. Their independent use can not only not bring the desired effect, but also affect the baby.

During the mother's body's defense mechanisms often fail because all of its resources are redirected to the growth of the fetus. The immunity of a nursing mother is reduced due to another shift in the hormonal background, designed to ensure lactation, and an equally important task of the body after injuries received during childbirth.

What happens to the immune system during lactation?

Normally, the human body creates a supply of many substances. But during the period of active growth of the fetus, the mother barely has time to absorb them with food in an amount just sufficient to sustain life. Both during gestation and during the synthesis of breast milk, cholesterol and proteins are most actively consumed. They are also necessary for the immune system to synthesize its agents.

Nursing food should remain plentiful and saturated with animals. And this often contradicts her plans to quickly regain her good physical form. Other inevitability of the past gestational period also affects the protective status:

• hormonal fluctuations - since different hormones are responsible for different stages of pregnancy, childbirth, the start of milk synthesis, and even maternal instinct;
• diseases suffered at this time - not only respiratory, but also sexually transmitted, viral, including those dangerous to the fetus or requiring therapy;
• physiological harm of pregnancy itself - its weight, pressing on the veins of the legs and pelvic tissues, excessive stretching of the muscles of the press and skin of the abdomen / chest, divergence of the pelvic bones to the sides before childbirth, the load of a double diet on the digestive system, an increase in pressure inside the abdominal cavity;
• birth injuries - tears, incisions, caesarean section.

Breast milk contains protective bodies and proteins. They are also synthesized by the mother's body, and with them the so-called baby is transmitted. passive immunity - basic resistance for a period while its own in his body has not yet “turned on”, and there is already a threat of infection. Among the agents transmitted through it:

• immunoglobulins of all 3 types;
• lymphocytes;
• macrophages;
• interferons.

It also contains bifido-lactobacilli. They are necessary to maintain intestinal digestion and create its microflora. And the load from their production falls entirely on the endocrine glands, cells and bone marrow of the mother's body.

How to improve the immunity of a nursing mother

What is definitely not suitable here, even with a strong one, is this. Medical act quickly and noticeably. But the long-term consequences of flirting with them are the hardest to predict. Due to their synthetic nature, they are often perceived "with hostility" even by the adult resistance system. And the nursing mother is better at first with the help of natural remedies.

dietary supplements

The secret of their immunostimulating action lies in the ability to irritate the defense system and at the same time serve as a source of the substances it needs.

• mineral, vegetable and animal - as part of drops "". There are extracts of plants both from other countries (Ginkgo biloba, cordyceps mushroom) and from the domestic climate (elderberry, elecampane). The animal "part" is also represented by a purified beaver stream, and the mineral one - by a white mummy. The intake schedule is: 10 drops, between meals, 2 times a day, for 1 month;
• mineral, vegetable and animal - represented by Mega Immunity. Compared to the previous one, the preparation is enriched with bee pollen and propolis, includes elements of algotherapy due to the addition of brown algae. BAA is indicated to drink only half a month, 5 drops, 2 times a day;
• plants and animals - in the preparation "Immunetika". Extracts of more than 20 plants in it complement the products of beekeeping (the most interesting is dead bees), badger fat and beaver musk. It is taken 10 drops up to 4 times a day, half an hour before meals, for 20 days;
• vegetable - presented by "Immunale". are herbs of Tibetan medicine that allow. It is enough to drink them once a day, 8 drops, for 1 month;
• vegetable and animal - as in the ZDOROV apielixir. Its basis is formed by an oil extract, but fresh cedar resin and oil, an adaptogen and choleretic milk thistle are added to it.

The cost of each of the listed dietary supplements on the Internet is a little less than 1000 rubles. They are not sold in pharmacies.

Vitamin complexes

The digestive system of any person cannot contain and digest an infinite number of dishes. nursing mothers contain the same substances as the food they eat, only in a compact volume and chemically pure form. This allows you to significantly ease the load on the gastrointestinal tract and accelerate the "retraction" of the abdomen.

Among them:

• "Vitrum Prenatal" and "Vitrum Prenatal Plus" are complete complexes, even in the absence of pregnancy, costing from 500 to 1650 rubles;
• Elevit Pronatal is not as comprehensive as the previous ones (19 components instead of almost 30), but meets the basic needs of a nursing woman. Its price is 675-1775 rubles;
• "Mama" - a Russian complex of 18 components, eliminates major deficiencies with a relatively complete diet. 30 funds can be purchased for about 195 rubles, twice as much - for about 275 rubles.

Folk remedies

Care must be taken in selecting ethnoscience tends to confuse their stimulating and toxic properties. The regular intake of poisons in the body also encourages the immune system to fight them, creating the appearance of its activation.

Among the most safe ways breastfeeding women include the following recipes:

• homemade vinegar - for external rubbing (dilute with water in a 1: 1 ratio) and internal use, dessert spoon per glass of water, twice a day, for 3 weeks. The secret is in the ability to well stimulate capillary circulation when wiping, disinfect and whiten the skin. Internal use improves peristalsis and eliminates dysbacteriosis, gives the body a daily norm of trivalent (digestible, as in meat) iron and food acids;
• 3 herbs - the colors of chestnut, mint and willow-tea. They need to be taken in a tablespoon each, add 1 liter of water, bring to a boil and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Then cool, drain the herbal sediment and drink 2 weeks in a tablespoon, 3 times a day, with honey;
• - cranberry paste - the principle of action of which is the same as that of vinegar, but with the addition of benefits from, rich in minerals and polyunsaturated. To make it, a glass of peeled walnut kernels is passed through a meat grinder with 0.5 kg of cranberries and 4 large apples with skin, but without seeds and stalks. The finished mixture is poured into 0.3-0.5 kg of honey (to a paste-like consistency) and taken in a tablespoon, three times a day, instead of dessert, up to 2 months in a row.

Food

During lactation, it is useful for mothers to increase the percentage and berries in the diet, but not to the detriment of meat and fish.

1. It is better to choose fresh foods and dishes with them - vegetable and fruit salads, dairy products, jellies.
2. Focus on ground fruits (tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini) and leafy vegetables instead of root vegetables, which contain more sugar and less.
3. Eating citrus fruits instead of all other fruits is also not worth it. To obtain a daily dose of the most "pro-immune" vitamin C, only 100 g of citrus per day is enough.

Pickled and canned vegetables are not recommended for consumption, as are fried / stewed. The inclusion of strong adaptogens like onions in the diet is also undesirable when breastfeeding: their taste is transmitted breast milk and the child may refuse to eat.

Indigestible cheeses, sausages with bacon and complex dishes like chicken fingers stuffed with melted cheese with garlic and egg are best replaced with:

• dairy and sour-milk products of medium fat content;
• shrimps, natural (not surimi) crab meat and mussels;
• chicken eggs in any "performance", but separately from other dishes.

Young mothers are also recommended to gradually increase their feasible physical activity after 3 months. after childbirth. To restore the functionality of the muscles and the musculoskeletal system, the best solution is to visit the pool.

The immune system, or immunity (lat. immunitas - “liberation, deliverance”), is the property of the human body not to perceive (or reject) foreign substances and infectious (transmittable), as well as non-infectious agents. An antigen is a substance foreign to the body that causes the formation of antibodies in the blood and other tissues. In turn, an antibody is a protein formed in the body when a foreign agent enters it, which neutralizes its harmful effect. In other words, human immunity is a kind of natural defense mechanism of our body. It is responsible for two most important processes: replacement of spent or damaged, aged cells of various organs of our body; protection of the body from the penetration of various kinds of infections - viruses, bacteria, fungi.

When an infection invades the human body, defense systems come into play, the task of which is to ensure the integrity and functionality of all organs and systems. Macrophages, phagocytes, lymphocytes are cells of the immune system, immunoglobulins are proteins that are produced by cells of the immune system and also fight foreign particles.

Depending on the mechanisms that form the body's immunity to pathogenic agents, two types of immunity are distinguished - hereditary and acquired. Hereditary, like other genetic traits, is inherited. Acquired is the experience of our body in the fight against infections attacking at every step, it is not inherited, but is formed as a result of past infections. While still in the mother's womb, we already receive her antigens through the placenta, which means that we are protected by passively acquired immunity. Therefore, newborns for some time remain immune to a number of infections, to which the mother is immune.

Normally functioning skin and mucous membranes constitute the body's first line of defense against bacterial and viral infections. Bacteria are single-celled microorganisms that reproduce by simple division. They are the causative agents of many infections: cholera, dysentery, typhoid fever, salmonellosis, tuberculosis, whooping cough, tonsillitis, some types of bronchitis, and various skin infections.

Viruses, unlike bacteria, which can adapt to existence in the external environment: water, air, soil, live only in living tissue. That is why scientists could not detect them for so long - after all, they cannot be grown on a nutrient medium suitable for the reproduction of bacteria. Viruses actively multiply only in artificially grown tissue cultures of humans and animals. Influenza, encephalitis, measles, smallpox, polio, chicken pox, rubella, yellow fever and many other diseases are of viral origin.

Microbes try to enter the body through the air we breathe. However, they are met by elements of mucus in the nose and special cells in the lungs (phagocytes) that devour microbes. In most cases, phagocytes cope with the "enemies" in time and take control of the situation. And viruses and bacteria that prefer to enter the body with food are neutralized by hydrochloric acid in the stomach and enzymes in the intestines.

The human immune system includes organs capable of producing or accumulating antibody-producing lymphocytes. Such organs are lymph nodes, red bone marrow, thymus gland, lymphoid tissue of the colon and appendix, palatine tonsils, spleen. In almost all women, since during this period the natural mechanism of its suppression is turned on. First of all, this refers to cellular immunity. The immune system is very complex and diverse: there is general immunity (blood, lymph contain a huge amount of immune proteins and cells that circulate throughout the body), as well as local tissue immunity in all organs; cellular immunity (lymphocytes, macrophages) and humoral (immunoglobulins - proteins of the immune response). For each microorganism or foreign cell (antigen), unique immunoglobulins (antibodies) of four classes A, E, G, M are produced.

So, while waiting for the baby, the number of T-lymphocytes that remove foreign or their own cells that have viral or other antigens on the surface in the body future mother significantly reduced.

Mysteries of the nature of immunity
The female body, placenta and fetus produce special protein factors and substances that inhibit the immune response to the presence of a foreign organism and prevent the rejection of the embryo. Although pregnancy is considered a natural process, it is fraught with many mysteries. One of them is that the mother's immune system "tolerates" the presence of a half-foreign fetus in her body. The human embryo receives from the father 50% of the genetic information that does not match the maternal. The other half of the fetal proteins is common to him and his mother. Despite the genetic semi-compatibility, not only does the rejection of the embryo normally occur, but, on the contrary, especially favorable conditions are created for its development. Paradoxically, the difference between the child and the mother in terms of antigens becomes a signal to turn on the mechanisms for maintaining and supporting pregnancy. The more the spouses differ in tissue antigens, the less likely it is to develop problems during the bearing of the crumbs.

Factors that reduce immunity after childbirth are:

• general depletion of a woman's body during pregnancy,. For nine months, the mother's organs and systems have been working at the limit of what is possible. They do not wear out like the placenta, but require a recovery period;
• hormonal shift, disorder. Some hormones produced by the fetal membranes have a pronounced inhibitory effect on the immune system. This is chorionic gonadotropin (pregnancy hormone), placental lactogen. A similar effect is given by glucocorticoids, progesterone and estrogens, which are produced in increasing amounts by the placenta during pregnancy. In addition to hormones, for example, fetoprotein contributes to the suppression of the immune response of the mother's body. This protein is produced by the embryonic liver cells;
• loss of blood during childbirth;
• damage to the barrier protective shells (wound site remaining in place of the separated placenta in the uterus,);
• exacerbations of chronic diseases: they can occur as a result of a general decrease in immunity after childbirth and weaken it even more, adding other pathologies.
• We should not forget about the psychological factors of a decrease in immunity after childbirth, such as postpartum apathy, lack of proper sleep, etc. They are not only causes, but also a consequence of a decrease in immune defense. The physiological decline in immunity after childbirth is influenced by the fact that the body has yet to mobilize its forces for breastfeeding. In addition, the difficult rhythm of life of a nursing mother baby is also a factor in the suppression of the immune system.

The consequences of a decrease in immunity after childbirth

A decrease in immunity after childbirth leads to susceptibility to viral infections, exacerbation of chronic diseases, and a tendency to allergic reactions.

Health after childbirth: how to increase immunity?

1. From the very beginning, give yourself an attitude: for the good of your baby, you need strength and health. Feel free to ask relatives for help. It's good if someone from your loved ones can help you at first. But if you are deprived of such an opportunity, do not despair. The main thing is to correctly prioritize. In the first place - the health of you and your child.
2. Even in the hospital, you need to properly organize your food. Pay special attention to proteins (their deficiency negatively affects the state of immunity). Also take a multivitamin recommended by your doctor.
3. Adequate sleep is no less important for maintaining health after childbirth than a balanced diet. Try to distribute responsibilities in such a way that you can sleep at least eight hours a day. Do not try to have time to redo all the things on your own: stress is the enemy of your immunity. There is nothing to worry about if you fail to do something. Plan your time in a way that makes you comfortable. Make it a habit to rest when your baby sleeps. A couple of months after giving birth, you can resume playing sports, giving preference to gymnastic exercises (it is better to start with light stretching exercises), running in the fresh air and swimming. Over time, hardening procedures can begin. Going in for sports will not only provide you with a charge of positive emotions, help you relax and get away from home problems - they mobilize the body's defenses.
4. Walking in the fresh air is useful for restoring immunity after childbirth. Therefore, walking with the baby, you will also contribute to the activation of the body's defenses. In addition, it has been proven that bright Sun rays contribute not only to the absorption of vitamin D and calcium, but also to improve mood and overall well-being.
5. If possible, avoid situations of stress, conflicts in your family: stress and negative emotions depress the immune system. If problems still arise, it is best to contact a specialist psychologist. But to prevent the development of depression, there are enough natural remedies available: relaxing massage, aromatherapy, taking herbal infusions (chamomile, motherwort, mint, valerian have a slight sedative effect). Outdoor games with a child will also help (of course, they will be more mobile for a mother who carries a baby, telling him about the environment).
6. Neither you nor the child, whose immunity has not yet been strengthened, should not be in stuffy or smoky rooms, in crowded places, in shops, transport, especially during periods of seasonal epidemics. After all, the respiratory tract is the gateway for infection to enter our body.

Medicine, of course, does not stand still and offers a choice of many different drugs to increase immunity, but, as in any business, the problem must be addressed comprehensively. With a physiological decrease in immunity after childbirth, in most cases it is enough to do without medication.

Making an immunogram

If six months have passed since the birth of your baby, and you still feel out of shape: you feel weak, weak, constantly catch a cold, fungal lesions of the skin and nails appear, or chronic diseases continue to remind you of yourself, you should consult a doctor. The doctor will prescribe the necessary examination. The state of immunity can be judged by a special blood test - an immunogram, in which the components of the immune system are examined. It takes into account the number of cells (leukocytes, macrophages or phagocytes), their percentage and the degree of readiness to protect the body, as well as the substances that these cells produce. Only a qualified specialist will be able to choose the right strategy for intervening in the immune system.

It is important to remember that in this matter, both your own inattentive attitude to the alarming “calls” that your own body gives you, and possible self-treatment are dangerous, especially if you continue breastfeeding.

Fetal cells contain two types of genes - mother's and father's. The body of a woman perceives men as alien and is preparing to fight them. There's nothing you can do about it, such a reaction is inherent in nature. It flashes every time "strangers" invade - viruses, bacteria, allergens, and any other, including friendly objects.

Why does immunity decrease after childbirth?

The confrontation is always "headed" by the immune system. If you give her free rein, the baby will not be able to form. The only way out is to put the “zealous defender” to sleep for 9 months. And so it happens: under the influence of pregnancy hormones - chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and placental lactogen - the defenses decrease and remain depressed until hormonal background will not return to pre-pregnancy. And this will not happen soon - at least in six months.

After childbirth, physical and emotional stress increases like a snowball, and immunity after childbirth continues to function not too actively. Now his “pacification” is helped (though not so actively, but still) by prolactin, a hormone that stimulates lactation. For each representative of the fair sex, he acts in his own way. Some people constantly catch a cold, blow their nose and cough, while others begin to malfunction in the gastrointestinal tract, chronic gastritis and other problems worsen. In others, the skin condition worsens, acne breaks out and hair falls out.

So that the body, with a decrease in immunity, does not break and do not flood the disease, outside help is required. And the sooner a young mother understands this, the better for her, the baby and all family members.

"Digital" picture

Reduced immunity after childbirth is reflected in the results of a blood test. If you see indicators that do not correspond to the norm, do not be alarmed. In a pregnant woman, it is necessary: ​​the total number of leukocytes increases, the level of lymphocytes decreases, the number of neutrophils increases, the ESR accelerates.

Why not get pregnant without a break?

Often, new mothers forget about one important aspect of their lives - contraception. And in vain, a short break between pregnancies will not have the best effect on the state of their body in general and protective system in particular.

For some reason, many people think that it is impossible to get pregnant while breastfeeding. But it is not so. The concentration of prolactin during breastfeeding every 3 hours during the day and 6 hours at night is indeed most often enough to suppress ovulation. But as soon as these intervals increase and the level of hormones that stimulate lactation decreases, fertility is restored, which means that nothing will prevent a young woman from becoming pregnant again and plunging the immune system into deep sleep.

From reduced immunity to depression

Decreased immunity inevitably leads to moral fatigue. Young mothers should not remain depressed for a long time - and not far from postpartum depression. In any case, after childbirth, a very favorable hormonal background is created for its development. There is a lot of estrogen and progesterone in the blood, but little adrenaline, hence increased sensitivity, vulnerability and irritability. The name of this condition is literally translated from English as "a slight insanity of a woman associated with a newborn." Psychologists call it "postpartum blues" or "baby blues."

The main symptoms are tearfulness, inexplicable longing and fatigue from everything in the world, outbursts of rage and irritability, headaches. A woman often changes her mood, she becomes intolerant, too excited. Such a crisis is not always noticeable to others, and they attribute all negative changes to women's whims, excessive demands and poor education. Problems begin on the third or fourth day after childbirth and, under favorable circumstances, disappear in a month. But they can take a long time. One in ten women who have just given birth develop full-fledged postpartum depression, and a third of this group develop psychosis.

And such conditions cannot be overcome without the help of a specialist and medicines.

How to increase immunity: go on the offensive

To increase immunity, a woman must make adjustments in her life. There is no need to take radical measures, it is enough to follow the well-known rules - to harden, to exercise in moderation, to be in the fresh air more often, to get enough sleep, to monitor the diet and maintain a positive attitude. You will have to start small and then slowly and carefully build up momentum. Extreme loads can backfire and cause not the consequences that you expected. Increased loads will turn into full-fledged stress for the body, and all the troubles will get worse.

New Schedule for Boosting Immunity

The schedule of a young mother who wants to boost immunity should look like this:

• hardening: contrast shower or douche - every morning, walking barefoot along the massage path - more often, start - 4 months after childbirth.
• Nutrition: at least 3-4 times a day, preference is given to products that increase the body's defenses, that is, those that contain more vitamins (especially A, B, C, E) and minerals - fish, liver, meat, cereals, legumes, vegetables and fruits.
• Beverages: teas and infusions from natural immunomodulators - rosehip, echinacea, lemongrass, eleutherococcus. Choose after consultation with a pediatrician and gynecologist.
• Dream: a total of at least 8 hours a day, the main rule: the child fell asleep - the mother fell asleep.
• Physical activity: 2 weeks after giving birth, you need to start daily breathing exercises, simple yoga asanas. Dose and increase loads slowly.
• Relaxation: a month after the birth, spa procedures are allowed - floating, back massage, general aqua massage, cold wraps.