OT- Suddenly i have b/milk???

[emmabrice]

It is possible for a mum who has never been pregnant, ie adoptive, surrogate etc. to breastfeed, the lactation glands are still there. I used these medications to relactate because I was separated from DS for a while and in hospital so milk dried up and although it's hard work for a few weeks (nearly a month) he's now 7 months old and b/f which is such a great feeling. If you are getting any milk it would be even easier to relactate than for those mums who've never been preg. but it takes time and effort and is not for everyone, but definately an option.

[*~Melinda~*]

Wow, I never knew that! Thanks!

[pips]

I just started on some PND meds and my breasts have been feeling very odd... I dont think I could handle the emotions of lactating again and weaning back to the breast - even if it did succeed. Expressing to feed is a different matter though and is still very rewarding for mum and bub.

[WB]

You shouldn't feed with those medications in your system, they're dangerous!
Other than zoloft, it's unkown what effects these mediactions will have on breastfeeding babies. They accumulate in your system (which is why you increase the dose a bit at a time), which means it DOES transfer into your breastmilk.
Always speak to a health professional before taking any medications while breastfeeding, or breastfeeding while on medication.

[ParasiteEve]

Well.. i'm been on these medication for about 4 months now, so its a bit weird if i'm only feeling these now.

Although.... i have skipped afew days (unintentionally) & then continue taking one again & that's when i felt weird.

[Bek]

Originally Posted by Genie

You shouldn't feed with those medications in your system, they're dangerous!
Other than zoloft, it's unkown what effects these mediactions will have on breastfeeding babies. They accumulate in your system (which is why you increase the dose a bit at a time), which means it DOES transfer into your breastmilk.
Always speak to a health professional before taking any medications while breastfeeding, or breastfeeding while on medication.

actually, there are very few medications that are totally contraindicated when breastfeeding. most just haven't been tested on bf women though, which is why they have the blanket "do not take" line in the packaging - just covering their own butts. most drs don't know anything much about it either.
there are medication hotlines in most states that you can call to get accurate information about drugs and breastfeeding. yes, *it is important to check before taking anything*, but there's more medications that are ok to take than you would think after reading the package inserts... many medications don't go through to the milk in large quantities, and even the ones that do, some aren't able to be absorbed through the baby's gut anyway. having said that, you need to get accurate info from someone who knows what they're talking about, which is why the medications hotlines are usually better than a pharmacist or dr who are just going by what the insert from the company say.

[~*Bron*~]

what bek said

and even some men can lactate!

[WB]

Yep that's right Bek, you should always call a hotline first.
I actually studied medications and breastfeeding a while back and alot of anti D's anti psychotics and benoz's aren't safe to take while breasfeeding in the long run. Sort term they are safe, but long term they do accumulate in the system and go into the breastmilk.
Also, the medications that make you lactate and more like mood stabelizers rather than anit-D's, which are usually perscribed in conjunction with Anti-D's for people with Bi-polar disorder, and other serious mental ilnesses, not just depression.
Zoloft is probably the safest one to take while pregannt or breastfeeding. The other ones' haven't really had enough trials done and personally, I wouldn't want my children being the testers. I also know that effexor can cause babies to get a twitch if the mother takes them while pregnant or breastdfeeding and they do suffer withdrawels when they come off them.

[pips]

There is some new research just out on meds for bipolar and breastfeeding. I dont have the details but have a friend b/feeding and on such meds after lengthy consultation with her obstretric psych.