Will my baby "turn his nose up" at the breast...?

Question

If he doesn't breast feed for a week while I take antibiotics?

He's almost 6 months. And the nurse said the doctor said it was ok. I also got advice from the pharmacist. The label says do not breastfeed. I don't want to take the chance with my baby's health and I need to get rid of this infection.

Answer 1

Probably not... but you need to pump while your not feeding so your breast will continue to make milk.

Answer 2

it is quite possible, chances are that he will have a time period of readjusting at the very least. I had a client with this same issue (I'm a postpartum Doula) and only one of her twin daughters would nurse after the week was over, so it depends on your son, everyone's baby is different. Talk to your Dr about the risks to baby of the antibiotic and do they outweigh the risk of him losing all the future benefits of breastmilk. Perhaps another, safer antibiotic can be tried first.
If not, here are my tips: spoon or cup feed if possible, it is a hassle but babies readjust to the breast much easier. If you are going to use a bottle, use the slowest flow possible so that he still has to work for his milk and doesn't get spoiled by the ease of a bottle. And when you go back to nursing, be persistant. He may stage nursing strikes or only nurse lying down while you pat his butt, do whatever works. If you're on antibiotics for a week, it may take a week to get back in the swing of things. I hope it all works out.

Answer 3

There are many drugs that have a standard warning on them 'do not take when pregnant or breastfeeding without the advice of your Dr'. This doesnt mean you CANT take them, what it means is you must first consult your Dr who will make sure that it will be OK to take the drug and continue nursing your baby. That really is the best thing to do, to find an antibiotic you can take and continue nursing at the same time. There likely is one!
At 6mths I think he would go back to the breast after taking a bottle for 1wk, but there's the chance he wouldnt. Every baby is different, like you know.

Answer 4

I would insist on finding an antibiotic that is compatible with breastfeeding. I think many physicians aren't experts on this issue. They may not be sure about what is safe and what is not. Dr. Hale, mentioned previously, is the authority in this field. Here is a link to his website - you may be able to do a search on the antibiotic that has already been prescribed to you to see if it is considered safe or not.

http://neonatal.ama.ttuhsc.edu/cgi-bin/discus/discus.cgi?pg=topics&access=guest

For many drugs, only a small amount of the drug will pass into the breastmilk. And some antibiotics are safe to prescribe to babies...of course the amount that the baby will get from your milk would be lower. So I would really look into getting an antibiotic that is compatible with breastfeeding. I would not want to put myself and my baby through the stress of not nursing for a week, and I would not want to risk having my baby develop a preference for the bottle. There should definitely be antibiotics that you can take and still breastfeed! Good luck!

Answer 5

You need to speak to a La Leche League Leader or a Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) about this. Get them to look the medication up in the book "Medications & Mother's Milk" by Thomas Hale. He is *THE* expert on what drugs are safe to take while breastfeeding. Or post the name of the drug and I will look it up for you in my copy of M&MM. You can also check the website I will post below for more information on taking medications while breastfeeding.

Personally, I would go with what the pharmacist/doc/nurse say and NOT what the label says. Basically ALL medications say "if you are PG or BF, don't take this" or "check with your doctor." It is the drug companies way of coving their butts.

Many antibiotics are PERFECTLY SAFE to take while nursing. If, on some off chance, you were prescribed on that is truely not safe, then you need to call your doctor back and INSIST that he prescribe you an antibiotic that is safe for nursing mothers. There are almost ALWAYS alternative prescriptions.

Answer 6

Call a local lactation consultant or La Leche League leader and find out for sure if the medication is ok for breastfeeding. Most antibiotics are safe while breastfeeding, espcially considering that your baby is already almost 6 months old. Most manufacturers just put the warning labels on to protect themselves. Remember that many babies get antibiotics themselves for ear infections!

Here is a partial list of antibiotics approved by the American Academy of Pediatrics for use in breastfeeding moms. http://www.kellymom.com/health/meds/aap-approved-meds.html#Antibiotics Even more than that are safe but that is a good place to start.

There is a book called Medications and Mothers Milk that has research on many many many medications and how much of them get into breast milk and what if any reactions baby may have to them. Most likely a lactation consultant would have this book, possibly your pediatrician too. I have a copy of the book and could look up the antibiotic for you if you need. (you could email me at [e-mail])

Antibiotics put you at risk for thrush, a yeast infection of the breasts. This page has some info on minimizing the chance of getting that. http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/thrush/preventing-thrush.html

And *finally* to answer your question: Your baby will probably go back to breastfeeding. He's older and probably pretty attached to nursing. Be sure you're using slow flow nipples so he doesn't get used to milk coming out really really fast. You could talk to a lactation consultant or La Leche League and get some in person help on getting baby back to breast. This page has some info on that. http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/baby/back-to-breast.html

I hope it goes well. I hope you'll be able to continue to breastfeed while taking the medication. Good luck!

Answer 7

Does your doctor know you're nursing? If so, I'm sure that the antibiotic you've been prescribed is safe for nursing mothers.

My kids were born jaundiced, and, along with light treatment, were "superhydrated." That meant I would nurse them like crazy, and then we'd offer them bottles besides. So they both had bottles from day 1. And we used pacifyers, too. And I didn't have any problems with "nursing confusion." Both kids nursed past their first birthdays.

If you really feel you must pump and dump, make sure you offer other kinds of intimacy to your baby, and get back on the nursing wagon as soon as you can.

Good luck.

Answer 8

Not likely! Babies who have breastfed are usually hard-pressed to give it up, and will welcome it back if it's offered.
I am in the exact same situation as you- and for the second time! I had to stop while I was on antibiotics for 2 weeks after surgery because of a car accident. My son readily took nursing back once the drug was gone and it was safe for him.
Now I'm on them again and my poor son has had to be taken off once more! Although I'm debating on letting my now 5-month-old nurse again once my surgery is over in as much as 2 weeks from now (and risk a 3rd loss and upset him once more), you should be able to nurse your baby again just fine.

Answer 9

Most antibiotics are safe while breastfeeding. I had a UTI and mastitis while nursing and needed antibiotics for both. Both times, they had giant "DO NOT BREASTFEED" labels on them. Both times, I called my doctor and had them look it up. And they were fine.

Definately give your doctor a call.

Answer 10

If the Dr says it is ok, then it should be, however, if you dont want to, you baby should not be put off the breast, it will turn back to the good old times