When to Visit a Doctor and How to Prevent Food Poisoning While Breastfeeding
It is very important to stay healthy when you have food poisoning so that you would look after your baby. Most symptoms tend to resolve in 1 or 2 days and do not require medical attention. Nevertheless, visit a healthcare provider if you notice one of the following problems: severe dehydration, high fever, bloody diarrhea, persistent diarrhea, and inability to keep fluids down. [7]
Below are the four simple steps to help you prevent food poisoning while breastfeeding:
– Cleaning: Make sure to wash high-touch surfaces and your hands regularly. This can help kill germs causing food poisoning and protect other family members from infections. Also, rinse fresh veggies and fruits properly before eating.
– Separating: Keep raw poultry and meat separated from other foods and kitchen tools.
– Cooking: Make sure to cook raw foods to the proper temperature to kill germs causing food poisoning. If necessary, use a food thermometer.
– Chilling: Germs can grow quickly at room temperature. Thus, you should store leftover foods properly in a fridge. Always thaw frozen food in the microwave, cold water, or a fridge instead of on the counter as bacteria would multiply quickly. [8]
