Curiosity question how much training have you gotten on breastfeeding?

KristaB · Sep 25, 2001

Originally posted by crnasomeday
If you look Naproxen up in the drug book, at least in the 2000 editions, you'll see that it is contraindicated for use during pregnancy and lactation.

Unfortunately, the information provided by the companies that manufacture drugs almost always contraindicate their use during pregnancy and lactation. They're always in CYA mode. I would definitely look at recent studies like the one that Brandy posted, or else I would get the information out of a book like Hale's (which is updated yearly), since they advocate for the breastfeeding mother.

Krista

APinkston · Sep 27, 2001

I am a second year nursing student and currently in my OB clinical rotation. I recently followed a Lactation consultant around on the mother-baby floors. I learned alot about the proper techniques of breast feeding, good positions for latching on such as "football" and cradling the baby across the chest, reasons for sore breasts/nipples, and the usual time of milk secretion (after colustrum secretion for a few days). The only thing I really did not learn was certain medications that could be taken with breastfeeding. I would assume that most medications would not be permitted during breastfeeding (because of the passage to the infant). I also think that maybe training as nursing students would not be so extensive for breastfeeding (as far as specific medications), unless we were training specifically to be lactation consultants. I hope this information is helpful.

KristaB · Sep 27, 2001

Originally posted by APinkston
I would assume that most medications would not be permitted during breastfeeding (because of the passage to the infant)

Not true. It isn't like there is a funnel from the mother's mouth to her breast. Drugs are broken down by the body, and they take some time to make it into the breastmilk, often they are broken down quickly enough to only get there in negligible amounts. It would be more correct to say that most medications are permitted (I hate saying it that way -- it isn't like you need permission to breastfeed!) during breastfeeding, unless otherwise indicated by a physician or a lactation consultant (the latter being the preferable one to ask, as they should have access to literature about particular drugs and breastfeeding). There are only a few that are highly contraindicated, those being things like chemotherapy drugs and some of the drugs for AIDS. Occasionally, the mom does need to take something that isn't compatible with breastfeeding, and in that instance, she can "pump and dump," use a breast pump for usually 24 hours and resume breastfeeding after that. I suppose the bottom line is if there is a choice between taking a drug or not, opt not, but if you have to, you don't have to stop breastfeeding.

I'd recommend the textbook 'Breastfeeding and Human Lactation' by Jan Riordan and Kathleen Auerbach if you're interested in the topic. Subscribing to LACTNET, mentioned above, would also be a good move if you're interested in learning about breastfeeding. :)

Krista

fergus51 · Sep 27, 2001

I always have to laugh about the baby getting meds passed on from the mother thing. I know women who won't take a tylenol when they're breastfeeding but they want as much meperedine as they can get when they're in labor and it actually gets to the babe.