I am breastfeeding mother and on medication. Is it safe for my baby?

Question

I am having chronic peptic ulcer disease and Doctor has given me Aciphex and Tylenol #3. I am avoiding to feed my 61/2 months old daughter. But she is not ready to eat formula with bottle, juicy cup and etc. I have tried with everything. But she eats formula when I mix it with cereals.
She needs breastmilk in the night and if I don't give her she cries badly. So I feed her once at night. I just want to know that how harmful are the drugs for my baby,because I fed her 4 times after taking those medicines.

Answer 1

honey, the only person that can safely answer that question for you is your pediatrician. Not your dr. unless they deal with children, but you need to ask your baby's dr and they should be able to tell you. You could try asking a pharmacist as well...sometimes they can help you with stuff like this. Until you talk to someone, do NOT take your medication if you're going to breast feed because you could be hurting your baby.
good luck!

Answer 2

There is a big difference between what most doctors will say about medication and breastfeeding and what scientists are finding. The evidence would suggest that the only time a mom can't breastfeed is when she is taking certain antipsychotics, antidepressants (just a few though), some antiseizure drugs, and some other random drugs. Doctors have been telling moms that they can't breastfeed while taking antibiotics and other things for a long time. You need to talk with your doctor about what each drug does in the body, what it could do in the baby's body, and what the likelihood that a significant amount will get into the breastmilkd actually is. You have the right to have this information, about every drug prescribed, BEFORE you take it. Don't be afraid to grill the doctor, make him explain the actual biology and how it actually works in the body. You don't have to settle for, "It will make your stomach feel better". Make him tell you how the Aciphex blocks stomach acid and how the codeine works in the body and what each would do inside the baby's body. Best wishes and while I wouldn't nurse the baby until talking with the doctor, I wouldn't fret too much about the feedings that you've already given.

Answer 3

I had a c-section with my third baby. I breast fed the whole time and had huge amounts of pain meds due to having just been cut open. I was perscribed oxycotten, and Vicodin and the even the harsher meds just made my girl a little more sleepy. There were no negative side affects on her end from breast feeding. More than likely you won't have to be on these meds for very long. So if you need them take them. Your doctor would not give you something that would hurt the baby. But if you notice that your baby is not acting right...sick...then call your doctor and ask about not continueing the medacine. The lortab is lighter than even Vicodin and the motrin is actually pretty standard for a woman that has just had a baby. If the cramping doesn't get any better in the next week or so call your doctor and tell them what is going on, they may want to check you out.

Answer 4

Both are fine for a nursing baby, esspecially a 6 month old.

Continue to nurse her as much and as often as she wants. Formula will do more harm to her than nursing while you are on these meds.

Here's Dr Hale's forum on medications and breastfeeding. He is the expert on this stuff. If you want some more peace of mind, contact your hospital, or check your library for the book "medications and mothers milk". Both of those drugs should be listed in there.

Tylenol 3: It's an L3 risk, or "mederately safe". The medication should only be taken if the benefit to the mom outweighs the possible risk.
http://66.230.33.248/discus/messages/48/2337.html

Aciphex:
http://66.230.33.248/discus/messages/53/754.html

Answer 5

The only single person that can answer this is your babies doctor....we don't have a clue and if someone on here tells you it is safe and it isnt and then you end up harming your baby, you wouldn't forgive yourself. You need to call someone right now. Also why at 6 and a half months old is she not ready to use a bottle to have formula, there are newborn babies that use bottles, when women choose not to breast feed. I am just worried that your baby might not be getting enough to eat right now. Call someone right away.

Answer 6

You should check either with a pharmacist or a lactation consultant. Most medications will be safe because our bodies are made to protect our babies, but there are some medications that are very harmful, so you should really check. Doctors don't always keep up with the latest info, so that's why it is best to check with a pharmacist or lactation consultant. I know there are medication books that are specifically about what is safe to take while breastfeeding, but I don't know any specific names of them. I'm sure La Leche League would know. You can also look at www.kellymom.com. I think they have a database of drugs.

Answer 7

Thats a question for your doctor. If he says its good then its ok. Some medications can come through the breast milk but they come in very low doses. Mostly they are worried about severe allergic reactions to those new and foriegn things in the breastmilk. Other times it can make the milk taste bad or decrease and suppress your supply. Always as a doctor about medications BEFORE you take them if your breastfeeding a baby. I had a sinus infection which they gave me penicillin based antibotic called Augmentum, and told me it was fine to breastfeed with it. I ened up in the hospital for 2 days with a severe allergic reaction and my baby also had one to it and was in the ER for 6 hours. She got it from my milk.

Answer 8

its best to make sure by asking ur baby's doctor.. u dont want to take the risk of passing soemthing when it could of been avoided... i would stop breastfeeding just till you find out.. better safe then sorry right??

when u feed her wid the bottle.. try holding her like you would breastfeeding.. and sneak in the bottle nipple.. she might not even notice.. if that doesnt work.. theres not much u can do.. trust me.. when they are hungry they will drink anything... shes just trying to give u a hard time... thats all... but do find out asap..

Answer 9

I am an IBCLC (lactation consultant). I can't give you individual advice here but I can quote the information from Medication and Mother's Milk, one of the most trusted sources of info. Usually providers won't give you anything they are uncomfortable with if they know you are nursing. If anything, generally providers tend to not prescribe things when they could safely do so. There really are not that many drugs that are abosolutely contraindicated with breastfeeding. Usually the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh medicine risks but it does depend on the med and the situation.

Aciphex (rabeprazole), an antacid, is listed as lactation risk category L3, which means "Moderately safe: There are no controlled studies in breastfeeding women, however, the risk of untoward effects to a breastfed infant is possible; or, controlled studies show only minimal non-threatening adverse effects. Drugs should be given only if the potential benefits justifies the potential risk to the infant. (new medications that have absolutely no published data are automatically categorized in this category, regardless of how safe they may be).

Rabeprazole is an antisecretory proton pump inhibitor similar to omeprazole (Prilosec). Rodent studies suggest a high milk/plasma ratio, but as we know, these do not correlate well with humans. No data are available in humans. Further, rabeprazole is only 52% bioavailable in adults when enteric coated due to its instability in gastric acids. As presented in milk, it would be virtually destroyed in the infants stomach prior to absorption.
Pediatric concerns: None reported via milk.
Drug interaction: Non are reported.
Alternatives: Omeprazole" (which is listed as an L2: safer category)
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Tylenol #3 - Codeine, an analgesic, the American Academy of Pediatrics says "maternal medication usually compatible with breastfeeding"
(we give this all the time to new mothers in the L&D unit where I work)
"Lactation risk category L3.
Codeine is considered a mild opiate analgesic whose action is probably due to its metabolism to small amounts of morphine. The amount of codeine secreted into milk is low and dose dependant. Infant response is higher during neonatal period (first or second week). Four cases of neonatal apnea have been reported following administration of 60mg codeine every 4-6hours to bf mothers althoug codeine was not detected in serum of the infants tested. Apnea resolved after discontinuation of maternal codeine. Number #3 tablets contain 30mg.

In another study, following a dose of 60mg, milk concentrations averaged 140micrograms/L of milk with a peak of 455 mcg's/L at one hour. Following 12 doses in 48 hours , the authors estimate the dose of codeine in milk (2000 mL milk) was 0.7mg. There are few reported side effects following codeine doses of 30mg, and it is believed to produce only minimal side effects in newborns. But some infants may be sedated and infants should be closely monitored for sedation and apnea.
Pediatric concern: several rare cases of neonatal apnea have been reported, but at higher doses. Codeine analgesics are so commonly used postpartum, that side effect are extremely rare and seldom reported. Observe for sedation, apnea in premature or weakened infants.
Drug interactions: cigarette smoking increases the effect of codeine. Increased toxicity when used with CNS depressants, phenothiazines, tricyclic antidepressants, other opiates, guanabenz, MAO inhibitors, neuromuscular blockers."

Answer 10

Consult the pediatrictian.
My best advice is if it is not necessary to take the medication, then avoid doing so.
I breastfed both my children, and had to take various meds. while I was breastfeeding.
Low dosage, i believe is okay...but again, a doctor knows for certain.