Medications and Breastfeeding What’s Okay, What Isn’t
So much leaches into your breast milk – making medications and breastfeeding a top concern for many mothers.
Sure, and you thought you didn’t have to worry about watching what you ingested now that you’re not pregnant anymore!
You may notice that a lot of medications and treatments – even over-the-counter ones – will have a warning to consult your doctor “if you’re pregnant or nursing.”
Yes, when it comes to medications and breastfeeding, you do still have to keep being careful of what you’re eating and drinking, even now that your little one is on the outside.
How about
smoking and breastfeeding?
Are you thinking of smoking while breastfeeding? Here are the facts you need to be informed before nursing your baby and continuing to smoke.
But do you really have to tough it out through that awful cold, or snuffle through allergy season without any relief? What about chronic conditions, or more serious illnesses?
And what about herbal remedies, especially ones that address nursing needs such as boosting your milk’s supply and quality?
All right, I’ll admit this is a tricky subject. And remember, I’m not a doctor, so I’ll be checking in with current medical resources to keep you up-to-date to tide you over until you talk to your doctor and confirm that it’s okay for your specific situation. (You will talk to your doctor first, right??)
First off, you should know that there are plenty of FDA-approved medications for nursing mothers. So in most cases, you don’t have to suffer through most illnesses if you don’t want to – but you do still have to speak with your doctor to see what’s okay for your specific case.
Here’s one example: When I was five months pregnant, I had a urinary tract infection – a common health issue during pregnancy. My doctor prescribed a medication that was safe for developing fetuses, and all was well. Flash forward a year and a half later, and I had another UTI; my doctor prescribed a different medication, one that wasn’t okay during pregnancy but was okay for breast milk.
The most important thing here is that I notified my doctor that I was still nursing – otherwise, my daughter could have ingested a level of medicine in my milk that could have made her sick.
Even if it’s for something you don’t think would be a big deal, like an over-the-counter pain reliever or cough syrup, at least talk with the drug store pharmacist about it – it’s always better to be extra careful when it comes to medications and breastfeeding.
And now, on another level, there are also supplements you might consider taking to improve your nursing efforts.
Fenugreek
is often taken to help boost your milk supply; it is generally considered safe for most people, but it’s not a good idea to take it unless you have genuine concerns about how much milk you’re producing.
There are also more underrated herbals, including fennel and blessed thistle, that often become part of the nursing mother’s medicine cabinet – although, again, you’ll want to assess the need for these on a case-by-case basis, and review the different effects these supplements have to make sure it provides the right results.
As mothers, we now have many new responsibilities – and as breastfeeding mothers, an understanding of which are the safe medications is among the top priorities to ensure we’re still providing a pure source of nutrition for our children, even after birth.
I hope this helps you – and let me know what other medical concerns are at the top of your list; I would be glad to help point you in the right direction as often as I can!
Safe Medication List
- Askdrsears.com lays out this useful list of safe medications. I hope this helps!
Complete-Guide-to-Natural-Healing
- Our friends at Natural-Pregnancy-Mentor.com have a lot of great herbal remedies for things (aromatherapy, etc.) Check out their herbal/ natural healing articles, essential oils, and Sitz bath suggestions.
Email me if you have any more questions! Contact Us
All right, I’ll admit this is a tricky subject. And remember, I’m not a doctor, so I’ll be checking in with current medical resources to keep you up-to-date to tide you over until you talk to your doctor and confirm that it’s okay for your specific situation. (You will talk to your doctor first, right??)
