Breastfeeding and Medicine
It's almost impossible to keep breastfeeding and medicine from combining at some stage. If you're breastfeeding your baby until at least 6 months of age –and hopefully on to at least 12 months – It's likely that in that time frame you may need to take some form of medication.
Thankfully, most medicines only pass through to your breast milk in minute amounts…so minute in fact, that they have little to no impact on your baby. Your body naturally limits the medicines from entering your breast milk. Amazing isn't it!!
With that said it's still a great idea to check your medications while breastfeeding, and to let your doctor know that you are breastfeeding so that they can prescribe the best option for you. Sometimes contacting your local poisons information center or breastfeeding support group can also help as they many not rely onthe blanket recommendations that can sometimes be issued by the manufacturers of the drugs.
Small Side Effects
• Some antibiotics can cause your baby to be unsettled or have diarrhoea.
• Medications containing pseudo ephedrine may reduce your breast milk supply.
• Drugs which help you sleep may affect your baby's sleep and make your baby more susceptible to breathing difficulties.
• Cold and flu tablets which help to dry up a runny nose may cause your milk supply to drop as they are designed to dry up mucus cells, hence your milk ducts.
• Taking birth control while breastfeeding may lead to a drop in milk supply as they contain oestragen.
• Medicines containing the hormone prolactin may increase your milk supply as this hormone is what helps your body make breast milk.
Like smoking and alcohol, breastfeeding and medicine can be timed. Taking your medicine just after a breastfeed will give your body time to absorb the drug, so that the levels of it in your breast milk will be at their lowest by the time you feed your baby again.
When it comes to medicine and breastfeeding all you can really do is be informed and decide –sometimes with your doctor– if you really do need to take the medication. I guess it can help to weigh up the effects of not taking the medicine verses the possibly small effects of taking it. Many mums stop breastfeeding because they need to take medicine only find out later that they really didn't need to.
Apart from searching for information on the particular drug you need to take, and speaking to your doctor, you can try and time your breastfeeds and use strategies to increase your breast milk supply if you think the medicines are having a negative effect.
If you find that your baby is more fussy than usual or has diarrhoea, lots of cuddles and resting time together can help. Most antibiotics and temporary medications only last a few days, so take heart that things are likely to get back to normal soon.
Please always remember to consult your health professional to find out information that is relevant to your specific situation.
Do you know someone who may find this article helpful?
If so click 
to SHARE it.
Where do you want to go now:
Return from Breastfeeding and Medicine to Drugs and Breastfeeding
Go to Alcohol and Breastfeeding
Go toBreastfeeding and Marijuana
Go to Smoking While Breastfeeding
Go toCaffeine and Breastfeeding
Return to The Essence of Breastfeeding
