The good news is that this information is outdated, and usually incorrect. Most medications used to treat a wide variety of injuries and conditions are perfectly safe for breastfeeding. When you receive advice from your care provider that makes you wonder if it’s correct, ask yourself the following questions:
Did they tell me it was OK to take this medicine while pregnant?
Did I receive this medication while in labor or recovering from the delivery?
Is this drug routinely prescribed to infants with a similar condition?
If the answer to any of these is “yes,” then the likelihood is high that the medicine you have been prescribed is safe for breastfeeding. But since that’s not a guarantee, check out Lact-Med (http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/
The second link takes you to the website of Dr. Thomas Hale, considered the world’s foremost authority on breastfeeding and medicine use. He has a wonderful app which is available for both android and iphone so that you and your doctor can look at medications together to find something that is a good fit. If you are a breastfeeding mother, this app is a MUST. http://www.infantrisk.com/apps
Now, let’s cover some basic categories you might be facing.
Antibiotics
Most are safe for both mom and baby. Not 100% of them are safe, and some are safer than others. Make sure to talk with your care provider and InfantRisk. Sometimes a care provider can give you a few options for antibiotics and you can choose the best for your situation.
Dental Work
Dental work, again, is usually fine. Most of the anesthetics used are local anesthetics, which do not pass into your blood stream as general anesthetics do (or else they would not be local). X-rays, fillings, crowns, even root canals should be fine. Make sure to double check with InfantRisk to double check!
Surgery
Ah, the big one. Most surgeons and anesthesiologists, knowing very little about breastfeeding, will tell you to pump and dump for 24-48 hours after going under general anesthetic. Today however we know that in most cases this information is outdated. Ask your doctor and anesthesiologist what medications they are using and call InfantRisk. They can give you information on how long the medication will be in your system.
The other concerns you may have about the baby are more related to scheduling. If you are nursing frequently during the day, but will be separated from your baby for many hours, you will need to pump or at least hand-express to avoid discomfort and risk of blocked ducts or mastitis. It is best to pump or nurse the baby shortly before your surgery begins, and then afterward as soon as you feel comfortable enough to do so safely. If your surgery will be long or your access to baby and/or pumping will be limited, it may be wise to contact an IBCLC in your area to discuss ways to manage the condition. If your condition is not severe or life-threatening, you may be able to put off the surgery until your supply can accept going several hours without nursing or pumping.
For your care after the surgery, plan to have help on-hand. Depending on the procedure, you may not feel up to caring for your baby or other members of your household for a few days. Arrange to have someone to help make it easy for you to just lay in bed and nurse. If you have residual pain, say from an incision site, be sure to take your pain medications on time. Set a timer if necessary, or ask someone to watch the clock and bring you your dose at the appropriate hour.
Pain meds
Many moms feel uncomfortable taking pain medication, especially prescription ones, while breastfeeding. Often times doctors will flat out tell moms they can not take it. The good news is that in most cases this is NOT true. Discuss with your doctor what kind if pain you can expect and what the recommended pain medications are, and then call InfantRisk to discuss the pros and cons of each. Remember: Many mothers today have c-sections and will nurse immediately after surgery in recovery. These moms are sent home with pain medication to help them recover and continue to breastfeed.
One big thing to consider, especially with strong pain medication, is that you should not bedshare with your baby. These medications often times cause drowsiness which makes bedsharing dangerous. Make sure you have worked out a plan for night time parenting if you typically bedshare.
Having to spend a lot of time caring for your own health can be difficult and frustrating when you have little ones at home. But with some research and planning, you can get the treatment you need and still be able to continue nursing your baby.
