In the final of the sheets on antidepressant / anti anxiety SSRIs is fluoxetine. It is often looked on as the least compatible with breastfeeding because of its long half life and greater passage into milk. However, it is often used in pregnancy because there are a significant number of studies https://www.medicinesinpregnancy.org/leaflets-a-z/fluoxetine/ What is perhaps less well known is that if a mother has taken it throughout pregnancy the baby MAY be very drowsy in the first few days after delivery as it withdraws from the higher levels achieved through placental transfer. My recommendati ..read more

I was very proud to have co written a fact sheet for BfN on anxiety and breastfeeding which affects so many new mothers, with my daughter. Beth is a CBT therapist and approached the treatment with non pharmacological methods available via IAPT and IESO (although with a waiting list sadly for most). https://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/anxiety I looked at the relief of symptoms with long-term treatments such as SSRI drugs e.g. sertraline, citalopram, fluoxetine and paroxetine. Mothers may also be helped with propranolol to relieve palpitations and racing heart. Recently there have been more ..read more

More breastfeeding mums seem to have taken up running again or for the first time. We have all needed to take exercise in this strange world the past few years. This is the information on glucosamine and chondroitin during breastfeeding – enjoy your running. Yes it is safe in breastfeeding : https://kellymom.com/bf/can-i-breastfeed/lifestyle/mom-exercise/ Glucosamine Glucosamine is either derived from shellfish or synthetically produced. The shellfish derived product should be avoided by anyone with a shellfish allergy. It is most commonly used to treat osteoarthritis and joint pain or to prev ..read more

I am often asked about products, usually herbal, to detox and about breastfeeding afterwards. In general these products contain a combination of herbal laxatives and at least one diuretic . Basically the result is to make you pass more urine and develop diarrhoea to “cleanse” the system and usually to lose weight. There is a large risk that in doing so your milk supply will diminish too. The data on the safety of the herbs in breastfeeding is often poor. I cannot provide data that these products are either safe to use and feed as normal or that they are unsafe – there is just is not enough dat ..read more

Collagen seems to be another frequent supplement I get asked about . Collagen is found in connective tissue and can be used during exercise routines but also in the prevention and treatment of wrinkles as well as to strengthen hair I believe. There are no studies on passage into breastmilk and it would therefore be unethical for me to comment. Elactancia however, designates it as very low risk: “A fibrous-protein type which is a component of the mammalian connective tissue forming the attachment fibers of all tissues in the organism (bone, cartilage, tendons, skin, muscles, etc.). It represent ..read more

Several questions have come up recently about caffeine intake and breastfeeding. With spending more time indoors we are probably all drinking more caffeinated beverages. Most of us drink caffeine in one form or another. Women who drink a significant amount of caffeinated drinks who notice that their babies are jittery and restless, may find reduction in caffeine consumption leads to resolution of symptoms. This does not mean that all breastfeeding women need to restrict their consumption of tea and coffee A baby who appears restless may benefit from lowered caffeine intake by the mother but f ..read more

Another of the frequently asked questions is the use of Pepto Bismol for indigestion or nausea Pepto Bismol is marketed to relieve symptoms of upset stomach and diarrhoea. It’s active ingredient is bismuth subsalicylate, so it is related to aspirin which we avoid during breastfeeding at painkilling doses. We are unsure if bismuth subsalicylate passes into a mother’s breast milk. Although bismuth salts are poorly absorbed from the maternal GI tract, significant levels of salicylate could be absorbed in theory. There are currently no reports of Reye’s syndrome in babies exposed to bismuth subsal ..read more

Betahistine (Serc ) is prescribed for dizzines and vestibular problems. There is little research available on it, because it isnt marketed in USA where most of the research studies are conducted. Anecdotally it is quite widely used without apparent problems. Observe the nursing baby for signs of drowsiness/ poor feeding in case This is the entry I made for Breastfeeding and Medication 2018 “Betahistine is prescribed for vertigo, tinnitus and hearing loss associated with Ménière’s disease. There is no data on the amount that passes into breastmilk . It is an analogue of histamine and is believe ..read more

I am not going to pretend that I am an expert on complimentary medicine but I am frequently asked about Agnus Castus for fertility and menstrual issues so am including this information based on the LactMed entry Agnus Castus and Breastfeeding Fact Sheet Other information may be found in : Herbs and Breastfeeding: References. https://kellymom.com/bf/can-ibreastfeed/herbs/herbal-ref/ Herbal safety for nursing moms. https://kellymom.com/bf/can-ibreastfeed/herbs/herbal_safety/ The Nursing Mother’s Herbal 2003 by Shelia Humphrey. Available from Amazon £9.99 Agnus-castus (Chasteberry) is from the ..read more

One of the more frequently asked questions recently relates to nausea and even vomiting when breastfeeding. It may be due to norovirus, pregnancy (see https://breastfeeding-and-medication.co.uk/fact-sheet/vomiting-in-pregnancy-whilst-still-breastfeeding ) or to stop nausea from medication e.g morphine. I hope this factsheet provides some options. The information is taken from my book Breastfeeding and Medication which provides more details and references. Maybe you need to buy a copy? Nausea and Breastfeeding Nausea can be triggered by a variety of factors including food poisoning, motion sick ..read more