Are ayurvedic tonics safe during Breastfeeding? | YellowSquash

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Are ayurvedic tonics safe during Breastfeeding?
YellowSquash

• While breastfeeding, we take utmost care to avoid
  alcohol, but in spite of all the efforts, what if
  we are exposed to it and dont even know? I
  previously have discussed the link between
  alcohol and breastfeeding and its importance for
  the new mother and the baby. However, after
  writing it, one of the thoughts that kept
  haunting my mind was what if the new moms are
  consuming alcohol unknowingly?

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Are ayurvedic tonics safe during Breastfeeding?
YellowSquash
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While breastfeeding, we take utmost care to avoid
alcohol, but in spite of all the efforts, what if
we are exposed to it and dont even know? I
previously have discussed the link
between alcohol and breastfeeding and its
importance for the new mother and the baby.
However, after writing it, one of the thoughts
that kept haunting my mind was what if the new
moms are consuming alcohol unknowingly? While
discussing the thought of unknowing alcohol
consumption by new mums with my dear sister, who
is an Ayurvedic doctor, we realized that some of
the Ayurvedic tonics (Kadhas, Asavas and
Arishtas) do have a considerable amount of
alcohol. So, we decided to look deeper into
it.  Ayurvedic preparations are an integral part
of our daily life. If you are feeling a little
under the weather, you will get a lot of advice
from your friends, relatives, next-door
neighbours, and most of them are homemade
Kadhas or some Churna or some
Ayurvedic over-the-counter medications. We dont
even think much before buying these as they are
tried and tested for generations, mostly
considered safe, and free of any side
effects. Where Does The Alcohol Come From? Some
of the Ayurvedic Kadhas or Asavas or Arishtas cont
ain alcohol. Mostly, in such preparations, herbs
are boiled in water or infused in water.
Fermenting agents, spices, jaggery or honey are
added and then the mixture is allowed to ferment
for a specified period of time at a particular
temperature. This is a very generalized version
of the procedure. Each Asava or Arishta has
its own ingredients and time-temperature
combination.
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During fermentation, sugars from honey or jaggery
get converted into alcohol. So, although alcohol
is not intentionally added in these tonics, it
becomes a part of it during the process.
Self-generated alcohol acts as a preservative.
Many active substances from herbs get dissolved
in alcohol.  Most Commonly Consumed Ayurvedic
Tonics Post Delivery Many Kadhas or Asavas or Aris
htas are advised after the delivery. Usually,
these are suggested by the older generation or
the next-door neighbours and are consumed without
much apprehension. Most of the pharmacies or
ayurvedic shops have these tonics. These are
mostly used for rapid post-delivery recovery, to
regain strength, to normalize uterus size, to
fight post-partum depression, and so on. So, here
is the list of tonics commonly taken after
delivery with their benefits, alcohol contents
and dosages. 
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What Are The Concerns? If we consider the
percentage of alcohol (I have taken a percentage
which is on the higher side, 11) and dosage
(20ml), then a mom consumes at least 2.2 ml of
absolute alcohol at a time, which is almost ¼ of
a standard drink! A standard drink in India
contains 10ml of absolute alcohol. Alcohol is
freely transferred from plasma to breastmilk.
Since tonics are taken daily, there is a chance
that the baby might be getting exposed to low
levels of alcohol on a regular basis.
Unfortunately, there is not much information
available on the effect of alcohol in low doses
on babies.    Ayurvedic Kadhas, such
as Balantkadha, are taken for the first
2-months after delivery. During this phase,
babys organs are still not fully developed.
Their enzyme systems are yet to be fully
functional. So, enzymes required to metabolize
alcohol are secreted in very low amounts. Thus,
altogether, a chance of daily alcohol exposure to
babys immature organ systems certainly creates
uneasiness in the mind. Creating A Working
Guideline Ayurveda is a traditional Indian
medicine system which is very popular and
practiced in almost every Indian household. Most
of the time, people buy Ayurvedic tonics without
even consulting a doctor! Since there are no
guidelines available regarding the use of
ayurvedic tonics during breastfeeding, I have
created a working guideline. American Academy of
Pediatrics (AAP) advises waiting for at least 2
hours after having a standard drink to breastfeed
the baby. An American standard drink contains 14g
of alcohol. So, lets calculate, if one has to
wait for 60 minutes after having 14g (which is
17.8ml) of alcohol, then after having 2.2 ml of
alcohol, one needs to wait for at least 10
minutes What Can You Do? Here are some helpful
suggestions, so you can enjoy the wonderful
benefits of the Kadhas orAsavas without worrying
about their alcohol content.
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• Do not immediately breastfeed the baby after
  taking any Ayurvedic tonic. Wait for at least
  1015 minutes before you breastfeed your baby.
• As a precaution, you may consume the tonic
  after feeding the baby so that there is a
  sufficient window between the tonic consumption
  and the next feeding.
• The list given above may not be complete. There
  are many more ayurvedic medications or
  preparations containing alcohol. You must always
  look at the packaging for any alcohol warning or
  ask your Ayurvedic practitioner regarding the
  medicine/ tonics alcohol content. 
• Some of the ayurvedic medications might have
  other non-alcoholic alternatives such as
  capsules or Churna ask your Ayurvedic doctor
  about it. 
•                                                 
          Fresh Kadhas can be made at home. This
  eliminates the fermentation step, so alcohol
  doesnt get generated. Consult your Ayurvedic
  practitioner for the procedure.

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So, it is always helpful if we practice the above
guidelines to prevent regular alcohol exposure to
your little one. Let me know in the comments
below if you know of any other Ayurvedic tonics
or medications given post the delivery which
might contain alcohol. Know about the gap you
need to maintain between having a drink and
breastfeeding here! Read More...Are ayurvedic
tonics safe during Breastfeeding? YellowSquash