What should I do about cold body and cold breast milk during lactation?
Sep 02, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Zhou Xiaofeng
Introduction
Eat more warming ingredients such as chicken, pork ribs, crucian carp, red dates, and longan. Cooking methods should mainly include stewing and braising; warming seasonings such as ginger and a small amount of angelica root (Dang Gui) can be added. Avoid raw and cold fruits, chilled beverages, and cold dishes. Drink 1–2 cups daily of warm brown sugar ginger date tea or millet porridge to nourish the body through dietary therapy, thereby improving a cold body condition.
During lactation, body coldness and cold breast milk can generally be improved through warm-nourishing diets, enhanced body warmth, moderate gentle exercise, regular rest schedules, and applying warm compresses to the breasts with warm water. Specific recommendations are as follows:
1. Warm-nourishing dietary regulation: Consume more warming ingredients such as chicken, pork ribs, crucian carp, red dates, and longan. Cooking methods should focus on stewing and braising, and warming seasonings such as ginger and a small amount of angelica root (Dang Gui) can be added. Avoid raw fruits, cold beverages, and cold dishes. Drink warm brown sugar ginger-red date tea or millet porridge 1-2 times daily to warm the body through dietary therapy and improve cold body conditions.
2. Enhance overall body warmth: Wear loose and warm clothing in daily life, focusing on keeping the waist, abdomen, back, and feet warm. Avoid exposing shoulders and the navel. Cover with a blanket while breastfeeding to prevent chilling. In air-conditioned rooms, maintain the temperature no lower than 26°C, avoid direct exposure to cold air, and reduce cold invasion that may affect breast milk temperature.
3. Moderate gentle exercise: Choose low-intensity activities such as postnatal yoga, slow walking, or postpartum recovery exercises for 20-30 minutes daily. Exercise promotes blood circulation, increases overall body temperature, improves cold body conditions, and does not excessively deplete energy, making it suitable for the recovery phase after childbirth.
4. Ensure regular rest: Try to align your rest schedule with the baby's, avoid staying up late, and aim for 6-7 hours of sleep daily. Nighttime is crucial for restoring the body's yang energy. Maintaining a regular rest pattern reduces yang energy depletion, strengthens physical constitution, and indirectly improves cold body conditions and cold breast milk.
5. Warm compress on the breasts: Before each feeding, apply a warm compress to the breasts with water around 40°C for 5-10 minutes. This promotes local blood circulation, warms the breast milk, helps maintain clear mammary ducts, and reduces discomfort during breastfeeding.
Regulating health during lactation should consider both maternal recovery and breastfeeding safety. Avoid using overly potent medicinal ingredients during dietary therapy. If cold body conditions and cold breast milk are accompanied by insufficient milk supply, abdominal pain, or other discomforts, promptly consult a healthcare professional. Do not self-medicate or excessively warm-nourish without guidance to ensure the health of both mother and baby.
