Hives and Breastfeeding
Hives, also known as urticaria, can occur during breastfeeding but are generally not harmful to the baby. They are often caused by an allergic reaction and can be treated with antihistamines, which are safe to use while breastfeeding. It's important to consult a healthcare provider for proper diagnosis and treatment.
What Are Hives?
Hives are also known as urticaria, and they represent an itchy reaction appearing on your skin. Typically, hives are caused by the release of histamine, a chemical present in your body [1]. They are often signs of an allergic reaction but can also be idiopathic (caused by an unknown cause)[2]. Causes can include viral or bacterial infections, foods, medications, environmental factors, bug bites or bee stings, and other allergens. Sometimes, hives can be observed in Hashimoto's disease [3].
Hives can appear anywhere on your body and can also have different sizes. Some are super tiny, whereas others can cover the entire limb [1].
The color of hives can also vary. Typically, it depends on your skin tone. For instance on white skin, they appear red or pink. However, on darker skin, they might be slightly lighter or darker than the surrounding skin [1]. Regardless of their colour, they are all raised, itchy, tender and are typically round, oval or unevenly shaped [1]. You can distinguish them from non-hived skin as they are clearly defined by a border [1].
Hives are quite common and around 15-25% of people have experienced them at least once in their lives [4, 5, 6, 7]. You can experience having hives once or have chronic hives, which are defined as welts that last more than 6 weeks or welts that persist over a period of months or years [4].
Can Hives Appear During Breastfeeding?
Yes. Hives can appear during breastfeeding.
As mentioned previously, they are typically a sign of an allergic reaction, although idiopathic hives are also common. In addition, they can be caused by viral or bacterial infections, foods, medication or insect stings [3].
Therefore it is no surprise that mothers who are breastfeeding may also experience them. In addition to hives, breastfeeding mothers can also experience other skin conditions around the breast such as eczema, psoriasis candida (yeast infection), contact dermatitis, and mastitis (inflammation or infection of breast tissue) [2, 8].
While hives can appear during breastfeeding, they are not exclusively linked to the act of breastfeeding. If you're breastfeeding and notice hives or any other skin changes, it's important to consult with a healthcare provider.
Is It Dangerous to Breastfeed While Having Hives?
No, in general breastfeeding while having hives is not considered dangerous for the mother or the baby. Hives are common allergic reactions which may cause discomfort to the mother but they are typically not harmful to the baby [3, 9].
However, hives might be just a symptom of more serious conditions like anaphylaxis, which require immediate medical treatment [3].
In terms of treating hives, medications called antihistamines are usually used. Antihistamines are considered safe to use during breastfeeding [10]. However, always consult with your doctor before taking any medication while breastfeeding [9].
In conclusion, hives themselves are not dangerous to the breastfeeding infant, however, it's crucial to identify and manage the underlying cause.
Postpartum Hives
Hives can be linked to giving birth and they are known as postpartum hives.
Postpartum hives can occur due to various reasons and may be related to pregnancy and childbirth.
Pregnancy can exacerbate allergies. Interestingly around a third of women experience worsening asthma and allergy symptoms during pregnancy. The reason behind this is the hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy in a woman's body. Such changes can affect the immune system and lead to hives after pregnancy, or postpartum joint pain [9].
However, also bacteria and viruses can lead to postpartum hives. Such infections include urinary tract infections, strep throat and other bacterial and viral infections [9]. Another cause of postpartum hives can be liver imbalance. During pregnancy, the body can cause the liver to slow down its function of filtering toxins from the blood, they can build up and lead to an imbalance in liver enzymes or just a simple buildup of waste in the blood. In turn, this can cause hives. However, this is not that common [9].
Lastly, other factors like physical, mental or emotional stressors can lead to the activation of the immune system. This can be for instance due to lack of sleep, anxiety, depression, stress or changes in the diety and physical activity [9].