Linseed oil during pregnancy and breastfeeding: why it is useful and how to use?

About the benefits of flaxseed oil, especially for the female body, there are legends.This article will tell you whether it is possible to use this product during responsible periods of pregnancy and breastfeeding, how to avoid possible harm.

Flaxseed oil is a liquid oily product with a pleasant, slightly nutty, aroma. Oil color is usually yellow. At the same time, it can be both fairly light and saturated.

Flaxseed oil can be obtained by hot or cold pressing, but only the last product demonstrates the beneficial properties for the human body. It is produced by grinding dried flax seeds and squeezing healing oil from them. The finished product can be bottled or sold in encapsulated form. It is taken to treat and prevent a number of diseases, strengthen the immune system, saturate the body with essential fatty acids.

Flaxseed oil is considered particularly beneficial for the female body. This is due to its composition, in which there are unsaturated fatty acids Omega 3, Omega 6 and Omega 9. Moreover, the first component is not synthesized by the human body, so it must necessarily come from food in the right dosage. In addition, the oil contains antioxidants (vitamins E and C).

These fatty acids, like all fats, act as a source of energy, and also serve as "building material" for cell membranes and membranes, contributing to the mobility and necessary permeability of the latter. In addition, Omega 3 helps to normalize cholesterol levels and prevents the formation of cholesterol plaques on the walls of blood vessels.

Of course, such an effect is useful for every person, but it is especially valuable for the body of a pregnant woman. During this period, the blood may already have a higher viscosity, which makes it difficult for it to pass through the vessels. The presence of obstacles in the form of plaques only exacerbates the situation and may result in insufficient saturation of the tissues of the mother and fetus with oxygen and useful elements.

By itself, the deficiency leads to the gluing of blood cells (red blood cells). As a result, blood viscosity increases and, as a result, the risk of thrombosis. Thus, one of the useful functions of flax seed oil during pregnancy is to improve the blood flow in the woman’s body, as well as between the mother and the fetus. This, in turn, reduces the likelihood of fetal hypoxia, severe mental and neuralgic disorders.

Due to the ability of the oil to improve the nutrition of cells and increase the elasticity of the vascular walls, as well as the presence of powerful antioxidants in the composition, we can speak about the strengthening, immunostimulating effect of the product on the pregnant woman's body. Resistance to viral and catarrhal diseases and the effects of negative environmental factors are increasing.

One of the main properties of the oil - the ability to normalize hormones. This is due to the presence in the composition of the product of phytoestrogens, similar to female hormones (estrogens). The lack of this hormone complicates the process of conception, and also increases the risk of miscarriage of the child. Replacing the missing hormones, phytoestrogens allow you to stabilize the hormones of a woman, which develops favorably during pregnancy and the formation of the fetus. It is worth noting that the use of phytoestrogens in the oil helps to get pregnant if difficulties with conception are caused by failures in the hormonal background.

Flaxseed oil and fatty acids contained in it, notably Omega 3, also benefit the fetus. It is proved that the components penetrate the placenta and are used by the child’s body to form certain parts of the brain and organs of vision. Omega 3 and 6 are especially necessary for a child born prematurely or with a severe pregnancy, because in this case the fetus is deficient in these fatty acids.

In later periods, the use of a small amount of products allows you to prepare certain organs for childbirth, in particular - to soften the cervix. It provides the best disclosure during childbirth.

During lactation, it is recommended to use the oil not in its pure form, but adding to the cereals, salads. This will allow the baby to transfer beneficial Omega-fatty acids and vitamin E. The latter is believed to improve the taste of milk. However, when it comes to recommendations regarding the intake of a particular product during HB, it is necessary to take into account the state of health of the infant.

Flaxseed oil is contraindicated for its individual intolerance, as well as for problems with the intestines (tendency to diarrhea). Despite the beneficial effects on the digestive system, the product should not be taken during exacerbation of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. It is forbidden to drink it in gallstone and urolithiasis, acute cholecystitis and pancreatitis.

Due to some risk of contraction of the walls of the uterus, oil may be harmful in the later stages of pregnancy. With an overdose of oil, side effects are also possible: nausea, vomiting, upset stools, in severe cases - intestinal obstruction. Do not use the product expired, and also exposing it to heat treatment.

It is undesirable to use oil from flax seeds together with hormonal drugs, since this may cause unexpected results of consumption of the latter. Oil consumption together with anticoagulants is undesirable, as this may cause bleeding. For the same reason, it should not be taken in case of problems with blood clotting. Finally, the product is prohibited in the first 2-3 months after cesarean section.

Before taking the product, be sure to consult an obstetrician-gynecologist. The specialist must determine the dosage.

• For preventive purposes, as well as to strengthen the body, the drug is taken 2 times a day, 1 tablespoon. In this case, the first reception is made in the morning, on an empty stomach. The course duration is 30 days, after which the oil intake should be repeated only after 3 months.
• On late terms a single dosage is usually reduced to 1 tablespoon, also taken twice a day. The first reception - on an empty stomach.
• At all stages of pregnancy Flaxseed oil is effective against stretch marks. Judging by the reviews, the product should be rubbed in the early stages, when the stomach is just starting to grow. The oil will increase the elasticity of the skin, which will prevent the formation of stretch marks.
• For the prevention and control of the first stretch marks Oil is recommended to rub into clean skin 2-3 times a day. It is best to apply it on a slightly moist skin after a shower, avoiding intense rubbing. Oil should be a pleasant room temperature. First, it should be applied in a small amount on the hands, wait a bit, and then rub it into the stretch of the skin with soft massage movements.

A nursing mother should not take oil in any form in the first month after giving birth. Firstly, the intestines of the newborn during this period function imperfectly, therefore, it will be difficult to avoid failures in its work. Secondly, during this period, the woman still has spotting, and oil intake can aggravate the situation, triggering dangerous bleeding.

Do not overestimate the benefits of oil for the body of the child. Today, many pediatricians, including Dr. Komarovsky, are inclined to believe that mother’s milk is enough for a healthy child for about 4-5 months. With a balanced nutrition of the mother, it contains everything necessary for the development of the baby. However, this does not prevent the use of oil as an external agent for breastfeeding.

In some ways, HB is a natural contraception - with active feeding of a child, the possibility of a woman getting pregnant is significantly reduced. This allows the body to recover from childbirth. Reception of flax seed oil, increasing the level of estrogen, levels this GW feature and can provoke pregnancy too early in the absence of its planning.

Oil has a rather specific taste, which not every woman can tolerate without a gag reflex. If the product is unpleasant, do not torment the body. In this case, it is better to take the oil in capsules. The dosage is selected by the doctor.

Benefit is possible only thanks to the high quality natural product. It is worth recalling that only cold-pressed linseed oil is allowed to be eaten. The composition of the product should not be additives and preservatives, vegetable or olive oil. It should contain a single ingredient - unrefined flaxseed oil.

It is desirable that the oil was sold in a dark glass bottle. When using plastic containers, the product undergoes certain chemical reactions that level some of its properties. If the oil was purchased in such a package, then at home it is recommended to pour into a suitable bottle.

Store the product in the refrigerator, for example, in the door. Do not allow direct sunlight on the product. After such an impact, it will thicken and stop benefiting. It is unacceptable to heat and freeze the oil.

The shelf life of the product in a sealed original package is 12 months. It is not recommended to store the oil in open form for more than a month. Precipitation during storage is considered normal and indicates the natural composition.

Butter goes well with salads, it can be added as a cold sauce. Pleasant taste when adding butter get dishes from cottage cheese and dried fruit.

All about the benefits of flaxseed oil, see the following video.