Becoming a mother is a very stressful and overwhelming time. There are so many new things to learn, and of course you want to make the best decisions for your new baby. One thing you can be sure of, however, is that choosing to breastfeed is the best decision you can make for yourself, your baby, and your entire family. However, a nursing mother needs to take some precautions. Keeping your baby healthy and safe doesn’t just come from the food you eat, it goes into your baby’s milk. Some of the products you use on your body, such as perfume, can also affect your nursing baby. Read on for some ways to reduce your baby’s harmonization with perfume, while still being able to wear her favorite fragrances.
First of all, never spray perfume or put lotion on the nipples. You should probably avoid the entire chest area altogether. It will not only upset the baby, but it can also cause dry and cracked nipples. Also, you should keep your chest area smelling completely natural so your baby doesn’t mistake your scent. This is especially important in the first few months until lactation is well established.
Once you decide to spray yourself with perfume, do so modestly. Use logic. Do not spray perfume just before feeding your baby. It will be too strong for the baby and she will most likely not want to nurse. Do not spray the perfume directly on yourself. Put our clothes on and lightly spray them into place. Or lightly spray on places away from the breast, such as the wrists or even the backs of the legs. The effect will remain the same. You want to be careful and try not to let your baby associate unpleasant odors with nursing, or you may go on a “nursing strike.”
Wear light fragrances. Don’t use strong sensual scents that may be too harsh on the baby. Think light, clean and fresh. channel no 5, for example, it is known for its strong musky tones. While it smells great, you may want to save your bottle of Chanel for a night out with her husband and the baby is home, or when she’s stopped breastfeeding. Something like the one from Clinique Happy it may also be a bit too harsh for the baby. It is too fruity and overpowering and will probably upset the baby. Some examples of light perfumes are those of Vera Wang. truly pink, gold White tea from Bulgari. Both perfumes are subtle and not too sweet, musky, or overpowering.
Even if you wear a light, clean perfume, follow the guidelines above to avoid irritating the baby and possibly interfering with breastfeeding. If your baby shows any allergy symptoms, stop using perfume and take him to the doctor. Your baby may be allergic to something in your perfume.