Caffeine and Breastfeeding
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 […]
Breastfeeding during baby immunisation
As a new mum I remember how hard I found it holding my babies whilst they had their immunisations and hearing them cry. I always breastfed them as soon as I could to comfort them. I recalled a paper which mentioned using sucrose to relieve the pain during painful procedures. I recall it being in […]
Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto Bismol®) and Breastfeeding
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 […]
Betahistine and Breastfeeding
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 […]
Agnus Castus and Breastfeeding
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 : Agnus-castus (Chasteberry) is from the […]
Pain relief after a c section and Breastfeeding
This week I posted a link to a recently published paper which concluded that poor pain relief after a C section affected breastfeeding. https://consultqd.clevelandclinic.org/following-cesarean-delivery-postoperative-pain-affects-likelihood-of-in-hospital-breastfeeding/ I was saddened that we even had to think that pain would not be managed well for any mother, let alone when she was trying to initiate breastfeeding. It isn’t always […]
Ulipristal Acetate (EllaOne) as an emergency hormonal contraceptive and Breastfeeding
Ulipristal is used as an emergency contraceptive for up to 120 hours (5 days) after intercourse. It is a single tablet. The manufacturer (patient information leaflet and SPC) recommends that breastfeeding should be avoided for 1 week after administration as it is present in milk. This does not seem to be justified by pharmacokinetic data […]
Anti epilepsy medication and breastfeeding
A brief introduction to the information on the safety of anti epilepsy medication during breastfeeding. It does not include full information but you can find more in my book or by emailing me. pdf of this factsheet available: Epilepsy and breastfeeding It is difficult to provide all the information on anti-epileptic medication in a fact […]