Medications advice during breastfeeding

05/02/2016

During the breastfeeding period, a situation often arises which makes some women go along to their doctor for advice.

Some mothers may be on medication for their own complaints. Others may develop illnesses that need medication during the early postnatal weeks. Should medication be taken while breastfeeding? Can drugs that women take harm the baby via the breast milk?

Unfortunately, it is not an easy question to answer, and even doctors do not know all the answers. The fewer drugs a nursing mother takes, the better. On no account should she self-medicate, because many commonly used drugs are potentially harmful to the infant.

Most drugs have a toxic action if taken in amounts in excess of which they are prescribed. In many cases, there is a wide margin between the “therapeutic” dose (the one that the doctor prescribes) and the “toxic” (dangerous) dose. These drugs are said to have a high therapeutic ratio.

Several of these may produce adverse effects in the suckling infant. Examples are diazepam (a popular tranquilizer), nalidixic acid (widely used for urinary infections), ergot derivatives (used in migraine and other complaints), sulphonamides (for infections,commonly chest and urinary tract), Phenytoin (used in epilepsy), amantadine (used in Parkinson’s and sometimes also in influenza), lithium (used in psychiatry), and high doses of salicylate (used in analgesics and arthritis medication), or alcohol.

Although many women have a good knowledge of drug therapy these days, and can discuss their medication with their doctor during breastfeeding time.
What is the best advice to the nursing mother?

Here are a few simple tips that may help.

1. Do not self-prescribe drugs of any kind when breastfeeding. Take only medication that has been specifically prescribed by the doctor.
2. lt is essential that the doctor knows that you are breastfeeding if you seek medical help for other complaints which may involve drug therapy. These days a patient may be confined by a doctor and attend another who may be quite unaware she is breastfeeding. Ask the doctor if there would be any risks in taking the medication while breastfeeding.
3. Most doctors prescribe the very minimum amount of medication for the minimum length of time for any woman who is breastfeeding. If the doctor has any doubts about the safety of the drug, he can obtain reliable information from the various drug information centres which are in all capital cities.
4. If you notice any adverse effects either in yourself, or more importantly in the suckling infant report them to the doctor at once.
5. Never be tempted to take “left-overs” from previous illnesses. Do not take medication or drugs prescribed for other members of the family simply because your symptoms seem the same.

Linda is a freelance writer who enjoys writing about baby care tips for first time parents.
She regularly shares health and fitness tips on www.lifetips.top.