Any Mom of Older Children Who Nursed Them While Taking Antidepressants?

I just went through the same conflicting feelings. I have anxiety, have tried 5 different anti-depressants and counseling over the past 5 years. I've found that while counseling has given me great coping skills, I really feel much better when I'm on an SSRI. I stopped taking them before each of my pregnancies, and held off taking them while nursing until things got really bad before starting them back up.

My son was 6 months old when I decided to go back on paxil. I was worrying about everything to the point where I was spending more time with my anxiety than enjoying my kids. Both his pediatrician and my OB said there would be no ill effects, but it worried me that because paxil is such a new drug, there haven't been any long term studies on adults who were nursed by moms on SSRIs. I knew that if I was taking the drug and exclusively breastfeeding, I would be worried about the possibilities (and that would cancel out the effects of the anti-anxiety meds!) I decided to wean him, but keep one breast-feeding a day - that way he would still get the immune system benefits from breastmilk, but less Rx. He recently gave up that one early morning feeding, and is now exclusively formula fed (with solids, too).

Do I feel guilty that I'm not breastfeeding the whole first year? Absolutely. As soon as we weaned he got his first cold, which made me feel like a terrible mom. I think that you need to know yourself and trust your instincts. I know that I'm being a better mommy to my son now that I'm taking the meds. He needs ME - my comfort, my time, my energy - and will be perfectly healthy with formula. Your baby needs a happy mommy, and if the meds are working for you, I feel that need outweighs the nutritional benefits of breastfeeding.

Whichever decision you make, do not allow others to make you feel guilty. You need to do what YOU believe is best for your little one...you're a great mom for taking everything into consideration before you make your choice.

Best of luck!

Hi T.,

I've been on Celexa (or the generic, Citalopram) for many years although I started after I was done nursing. I used to take Paxil but my doctor felt Celexa was less sedating. Since I also have sleep apnea, I didn't need to be any more tired!

After years on anti-depressants, though, I have discovered Reliv International's safe, vegetarian, patented nutritional products. My entire family has had life-changing results. I have reduced my Celexa dosage by half, and plan to go off it altogether very shortly. My cholesterol and blood pressure have also gone down without me making any more changes in my diet. My doctor is absolutely thrilled and told me to stay on Reliv. It is completely safe even as a prenatal. There is also a children's product which is great for infants on up.

If you haven't heard of Reliv, don't worry. They've been around for 20 years, have been highly reviewed by independent business magazines, and have been appointed to the Council for Responsible Nutrition in Washington. I investigated them very thoroughly when I started, and I've also talked to hundreds and hundreds of Reliv users at informational presentations in different parts of Massachusetts, where I live. The results are phenomenal. The products are all food, no drugs, and are totally researched, ingredients quarantined and tested, and so on.

Reliv is coming out with another new product in just a month, which is apparently going to revolutionize some aspect of nutrition,and it will be all over the news. Reliv will be a household word then!

Meantime, you could start on the Reliv products and stay on your medication for a month or so, then start weaning yourself off, in consultation with your doctor. Some doctors don't know a lot about nutrition and will say that non-drug remedies don't work, but all doctors will say that there's nothing in Reliv, nothing in it that can hurt your or your baby. So why not give it a try? Let me know if you would like more info.

I hate to see you give up nursing if you enjoy it, and I hate to see you feeling guilty when you are already battling depression.

Good luck, whatever you decide.

Hi
I used wellbuterin when I was breast feeding. I breast fed for 5 months exclusively and my daughter has been fine. She is four and 3/4. I suggest if you have true concerns to toalk to your doctors and your baby's and see what they say. Good Luck

I just want to respond to the person who suggested you not feed during the peak concentrations of the drug. Although I don't doubt that the drug is at it's peak at 8 hours, you aren't feeding your child your blood. The concentration of the drug in your milk is not related to the time that you feed or pump because your milk is constantly being created and then stored. What you really need to find out is whether or not the drug is absorbed into the milk. Even if there aren't trials yet of the effects of infants ingesting it, I think you might feel more informed to at least find out whether or not the drug is passed to the milk, and that information should be available, even if you have to call the drug company. Good luck - I just didn't want you wasting time trying to create a schedule around the peak concentrations in your bloodstream.

I took Zoloft throughout pregnancy and nursing--exclusive nursing until 6 months old. One of my concerns was withdrawals, because like you, I feel awful if I miss a day. I dealt with it by weaning him slowly, so he never showed any sign of withdrawals. Unfortunately, they don't know for sure that it is absolutely safe, but in the end, for me, the effects of my becoming truly depressed would have been much worse for both of us than taking the Zoloft. Nowadays, though, whenever he has a problem, I wonder if it could be because I took the medication while I was pregnant and nursing. But then again, I tend to feel guilty! Definitely talk to a psychopharmacologist who's up on the latest research, not just your family doctor. S/he can guide you to the least harmful antidepressant that will still work for you. Best of luck, and remember, having a depressed mom is one of the worst things that can happen to a baby.

I took Fluoxetine(generic Prozac), while I was nursing, and I nursed my daughter for about 14months, she was totally fine, and she has been weaned now for over 4months, she is doing wonderful, just the regular toddler stuff. Your doctor might be able to tell you if there is anything different between my anti-depressant and your own. But my doctor told me that my daughter would not be affected by the small amount she would be receiving in my breast milk.
Hope this helps
S. G.

I was told by my OB that celexa is safe/the drug of choice for nursing mothers/breast milk. Double check with your doctor but I think if you need something, this is the best one to take. Good luck.

There really just isn't much info on this unfortunately. On MGH's website there is some info:
http://www.womensmentalhealth.org/specialty-clinics/breas...
and it talks about when medication is at its peak levels and ways around limiting the amount your nursing baby is getting.

I am also struggling currently and my therapist REALLY wants me on medication but my daughter has had some medical issues and I am afraid of having this type of medication (with its unknown side effects on ones so young) in her system. I spoke with a friend who swears by homeopathic remedies and said that she truly believes they work just as well. I am in the process of going through Johnson's Drug in Waltham for some. I can take that and it is COMPLETELY safe for both me and my daughter.

I think with this you just have to trust your gut and do what you feel is best for you and your baby. Either way I wish you the best of luck. (((hugs)))

Talk to your pediatrician

T.,

I have been taking Zoloft for 11 years for anxiety and depression. So when I became pregnant and then wanted to nurse I spoke extensively with my OB and my therapist whom works with a pyschiatrist to research in the medical journals so I could make a sound decision regarding my mental health and the overall health and wellness for my son. He is 14 months old and was breastfed exclusively for 6 months and then until 13 months (along with solids). I felt really good about my decision, because I had done all the research and was backed by my doctors and the benefits of staying on the zoloft outweighed the risks for both of us. I hope this helps, and I would speak to your doctor/s and go with your instincts once you have all the facts- you know what's best for you and your child.

T., at this taxing time in your life (with the older one and homework and the little ones) you should definitely continue with the medication that is ultimately going to help you be the loving parent you desire to be. Have you checked with your doctor about the possible effects on a nursing baby? My thought is that it is minimal, if at all, and that the benefits may far outway the cost... Best wishes and thoughts for you. S.

I took Zoloft because of my major postpartum. I was completely against it. But I could feel, see and knowtice what a difference I was and how badly I was having the postpartum. I talked with my DR's extensively as well as the lalache (spelling?) league and lactation nurses. They all said that our bodies filter our milk and only give them what is good. They had done a lot of research in this and this was the result. I happen to believe God made our bodies to work in wonderous ways and decided to trust in Him to make sure my DD was fine. She is almost 3 now and the only thing I see in her are things that came from her family memebers. She doens't show any signs of dependancy and I went from nursing exclusively to only for naps to only at night and then stopped. She never shows any signs of dependancy or an attifude change at all. I'm assuming your DR's have told you that this is a medication that is okay to take while nursing or pregnant?!? Hope I was helpful.

T.- I went through the same thing as you as far as making such a decision when my daughter was born 16 mo. ago. After reading everything I could get my hands on and meeting with a very good psychiatrist at MGH I ended up holding off until my daughter was about 8 mo. old and was nursing less exclusively- at that point she was on cereal and then we started substituting the nursing with formula if we were out or had a babysitter, etc. I still nursed her pretty regularly until she was 1 yr old.

Supposedly the peak for the medication is around 8 hours (peak concentration in your blood stream). I would take a very low dose (like 15 mg) of Celexa at dinner time (around 6 p.m.) nurse her before bed at 7:30 or 8and then again in the morning- that way it made me feel like at least I wasn't nursing her at the peak...and I was taking a low dosage (I probably could have taken more, but this dosage helped take the edge off and made me feel better about my decision). They say the baby is getting a small fraction of what you are, so this way I figured she was getting as little as possible...

Overall, it's a very personal decision. I am preggo again and would consider taking it sooner this time around (after having the baby) if things get bad, but I'm hoping they won't. I still don't feel like its a great idea to take it when the baby is super little and nursing around the clock...but the Docters claim it is relatively safe- it ultimately comes down to how well you are functioning...if things are really bad, then it is important for you to take it...things felt hard for me, but I had friends, my husband and a good therapist who were at my side to help me through those first few months...

if you have any questions, feel free to send an email.

Hi T.,
I am currently taking Sertraline (the generic of Zoloft) as my sister, who is also a Dr. of pharmacy, says that is the best to be on while nursing. The amount that gets through to the baby is so minute, that she will not ever have adverse effects.

Good luck!

I have not but I have heard (from many nurses) that it is not a good idea to take any kind of antidepressant while breast feeding. So if you need the medicine bad enough I suggest skipping the nursing & bottle feed.

I nursed my daughter while I took Wellbutrin, and she nursed for 4 years - she's absolutely fine, and had no issues when weaning. I'm glad you're taking the ad, because you need to weigh the risks like this: Are you a better mother while taking your AD? I bet you are. :) That's why we take them!