Medications During BreastfeedingBreastfeeding and nursing a child is a very important part of mother – child bonding. After the baby is born, the primary nutrition that the baby receives is through the milk that is produced in the breasts of the mother. Mothers can never be too careful about what they consume, because they are aware that the food they eat will indirectly become the source for the production of milk in the body. This will subsequently enter the body of their breast fed child.
New mothers need to be especially careful about the medications that they continue to take, while they are breast feeding a child. Most mothers would ask how they would know which medications are safe for consumption during the early days of parenthood. Seeking your doctor’s advice on various medications that you are required to take for a specific reason is advisable. If it is likely to cause complications in the health of your new born child, the doctor will advise you to switch over to an alternative safe medication.
One of the most common warning signs that your child is reacting to medication that you are taking, is by him or her breaking out with allergic reactions. If you are on medication for whatever reason, make sure to look for symptoms of allergies after having breast fed your child. This acts as an indicator to let you know that your child’s body is not agreeing with the medication that you have taken. Drugs that contain
antihistamines and
atenolol should be completely avoided because they regulate and
ease breathing and
blood pressure, and will tend to affect the child that is being nursed. The application of ointments to the skin, nose and eyes do not cause any harm to a child who is breast feeding, but the mother should be careful to ensure that the child does not consume the ointment by sucking on any part of the mother’s hands, or areas of the face where the ointment has been applied.
New mothers who are being immunized against illnesses need not worry about
breast feeding because the immunization will not affect the child in any way. Most often, with immunization, no part of the medication will become the source for the production of milk. If however, tiny amounts of the medical properties are used in the production of milk in the breast, they will help to build the child’s immunity to withstand certain illnesses.
Submitted by P T on July 22, 2010 at 04:59
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