Medications Okay with Breastfeeding

I wouldn't worry about the amoxicillan. This is the same stuff that they prescribe to small children for ear infections and such. Also, it would only be very small amounts. However, as I said, it is a medication commonly used with babies and small children so not really one to be overly concerned about.

I'm not sure about the other. You may want to check with the local leader of your La Leche League. She may be able to tell you where it falls on the different lists as to how dangerous it is to take. If you are very concerned, why not go the more inconvenient route of using the 3 or 7 day creams? I'd check on the pill first (which, by the way, I inadvertently took while pregnant with my son with no adverse affects... Don't take that as an endorsement of the drug. I don't know how much gets into the milk and what the side effects could be.).

Anyhow, hope this helps. Good luck.

I've had a yeast infection while breastfeeding. My doctor wouldn't allow me to use the 1 day or 3 day concoctions because the medication was too powerful. Instead, I had to use the Monistat 7 day. Its annoying, but I felt it was much safer so I wasn't too bothered. If you feel uncomfortable with medication for the yeast infection, you can buy plain yogurt (MUST BE PLAIN cause it doesn't have sugar) and apply to the infected area. Also, eat plenty of yogurt. It may take a little longer, but it does work.
For the UTI, have you tried cranberries. I would eat craisins, drink nothing but cranberry juice and water with cranberry pills. Be sure to get PLENTY of fluids.
As far as the cough goes, I personally don't feel comfortable with honey because of the potential for botulism in kids under the age of 1. I pulled some of these suggestions of the internet for you. I have NO clue about their effectivity, but others swear by them.
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I remember my grandmother treating our coughs with a green onion concoction. She would take green spring onions and chop them up in a bowl and cover with sugar, then allow it to sit awhile until the juices from the onions and the sugar made a syrup and then make us drink it. If you liked onions it was at least better than some of the cough remedies available at the time. Gerald Byrd

My Grandmother used to put salt in the palm of my hand and I would just get some on my tongue and let it melt there and that would help with a COUGH, and would work for several hours. Dorothy

This isn't and old remedy but my mum gave this to me when i had a really bad chesty cough. She made me drink Honey, lemon and onion! in warm water. It was the worst taste ever! but it did work really well! Atty

My grandmother used margarine mixed with sugar as an edible cough medicine. No particular mix; but enough sugar to make the margarine palatable. Billie

Here is one that works. A slice of raw sweet potato. Suck on it for a cough and the cough will go away or lessen in a few minutes.

You should be fine. Just keep a look out for Thrush, a yeast infection in your 5 month olds mouth little white spots. I had to go on medication while breastfeeding my two young sons, both developed Thrush. You just need to call your doctor and they'll check out your child and give you both medication to treat the Thrush(oinment for you to put on your breasts). Good luck with any decision you make.

I definitely recommend kellymom.com. It has been one of the most valuable resources for breastfeeding.

I would say to take the meds. You can check also with your pediatrician and/or ob for more guidance regarding those particular meds and breastfeeding. Just think of the consequences of not treating the infections, uti's can get serious and lead to kidney damage and the possibility of having to take even stronger drugs that could cause you to have to give up breastfeeding! Better to take the more mild drugs now if you ask me! Good luck! Stay hydrated!

Hi, C.!
I understand your concerns!
The good news is, that there really are only a handfull of medications that you absolutely can NOT take while nursing (ie: chemotherapy drugs).
Does your doctor have a book called "Medications and Mother's Milk" by Dr. Thomas Hale? If not, I do & I'd be happy to look up the meds for you if you can messege me the names of them.

Chances are, they'd be fine.
If, however, you would like to try a natural remedy for the yeast infection, there are several to choose from.

You can use natural, PLAIN yogurt; a garlic clove, inserted at night (which you can make a "tampon" out of w/ gauze & dental floss for easier removal) or you can go to Wegman's or Giant & get a natural remedy from a company called Boiron in the natural food section.

UTI's, if they're mild, can often be treated naturally too, but the only remedy I know off the top of my head is large doses of cranberry extract/pills.

Hope that helps you out some & I hope things clear up soon!

I always check www.safefetus.com while pregnant and nursing, but I do know amox is safe while pregnant and nursing. I hope if goes away soon.

Hi...I am new on this post, and have been mostly reading other Mom's posts...but I felt I had to respond to you....OK, so amoxicillin will make your yeast infection worse......most of the meds the MD will give you for yeast problems can end up in breast milk too...so do your research on the medication your MD prescribed for that problem....I have found through 22 years of personal experience of being prone to UTI, that if at the first sign of discomfort or urgency I flood myself with cranberry juice and water, it usually resolves on it's own within hours to a day....If you have a really bad onset of infection, it may not be enough. If you are prone to UTI, maken sure you really focus on keeping yourself hydrated....the more concentrated your urine is, the more likely you will have problems. You may also want to cut back on acidy foods, like orange juice or tomato products if you find they seem to aggravate the problem. You could also try d-mannos, a natural food supplement that works by attaching itself to the bacteria in your urinary system and then it is just urinated out when you go to the bathroom. For yeast, I would tell you to try a few drops of tea tree oil in a warm bath...swish it around yourself well, and pat off dry. Do this a couple times a day if you can. I have found it to be a life saver, and also perfectly safe, not absorbed into your bloodstream or milk supply. You didn't specify what the medicine was for the yeast infection, but if it is any class of 'antifungal' I would be cautious about using it while you breastfeed. Try to eat less white sugar, if you have a lot in your diet...I used to use so much white sugar in my tea...never realized how much till I counted one day....I used almost 1/3 cup of sugar in tea in one day!!! Yeast 'eats' sugar...so the more sugar in your diet, the more your yeast will 'grow', causing more symptoms..itching, burning, discharge...
Lastly, try Sambucol syrup for the cough, you can buy it at any drugstore for under $15. Totally natural and harmless, but GREAT on coughs and colds. I use it and give it to both my kids. (12 and 6). It boosts your body's defense system and helps you fight off the germies.
I also breastfed both my kids for 14 months each and swore by the above methods. I also had to battle a severe case of pneumonia when breastfeeding my daughter...the MD insisted I take strong oral antibiotics, but I really didn't want to give up nursing, and the medications were too risky. I used a product called 'resp-alj' distributed by Nature's Sunshine at the time..but I think they changed the name of it. I sold for them for a short while several years ago but it got to be too expensive for me to continue. The do have really pure, effective natural products. I would also encourage you to take a look at your total health, because if you have a UTI, yeast infection and are asking about cough remedies.....you may need to take a break and get some rest and relaxation....trust me I know that is easier said than done. Use your support system (whatever it may be) and remember to take time for yourself. It is the best thing you can do for your baby and yourself!! Best wishes.

Contact Le Leche League - they are wonderful, and know everything!!
www.lll.org ? I think - they should also have a rep in your area. Take care *hugs*

Check Kellymom.com, they have great resources for breastfeeding and safe meds to take.
YOu can also call Motherrisk...info below...to check to see what meds are safe during pregnancy and lactation.
They are there M-F- 9a-5p I think...

Motherisk (phone ###-###-####) at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Call or visit their website for evidence-based information about the safety or risk of drugs, chemicals and disease during pregnancy and lactation

I used to have a problem with yeast infections, sometimes during pregnancy but ever since I started using this product http://www.shaklee.net/dudinyak/product/20639 I haven't had a problem. It also helped with other problems as well. I've used acidophilus before from Walmart and other stores but never had the results I've had with this. I've gotten several other people to try it that had some similar problems and they are amazed. It's the science behind it that makes it much more effective than some of the other brands. I wouldn't let your problems go for now as they could get worse but check out the rest of this website for prevention products for down the road. They are really good. Good luck.

Hi,
I was the same way when I was prescribed any kind of medication while I was pregnant and nursing, but the doctors assured me and they won't prescribe you something that will affect your child in any negative way. I know how difficult UTI can be specially when you have a baby to take care of, so take your medication and get better soon to help yourself and your little one.
Hope you get better soon,

Hi.

My two week old baby had an ear infection and the pediatrician put her on Ammoxicillian. I would think if I could give it to her directly that the little amount your son gets through your breast milk should be OK... especially if the doctor doesn't feel it will harm him. Maybe consult with your pediatrician as well before taking the medication.

Amoxicillan is safe during breast feeding. I had been on that a few times during feeding. Not sure about your other med though. I used to always double check what the doc told me with the pharmacist on medications.

For a cough the most basic Robitussin is safe and works well. Look at the back of the bottle to see which is the most basic.

Hope you feel better.

I work with a wellness company and we have a supplement you could use for UTI. These are naturally based and would be better than medicine if you breastfeeding. Let me know if you are interested by providing me with your phone # and time zone. I will then give you a call.

Hi there! I'm a pharmacist so I felt I really had to respond to this one. Call your local pharmacy and ask them about the lactation category of each of your medications. Tell them why and ask them to explain the safety to you. I don't have my references with me at home or I would give you the info myself. There are different categories based on safety to the child, how much gets into the breastmilk, etc. Amoxicillin is a much safer drug for kids than the first line drug for a UTI because that drug (Cipro) can cause bone problems in developing children (I won't go into details). It would be best if you could call the pharmacy that filled your prescription. You can't ignore the infections because they'll get much worse, so please take care of yourself.

I too suffer from UTI's... The amox is fine to take while breastfeeding. The amount that gets into breastmilk is miniscule and you really need to clear up a UTI so it doesn't move to your kidneys and do real damage. As far as the yeast infection pill... Why don't you try the OTC monistat for the yeast infection? They work, and don't get into your breastmilk. You can take any tylenol or ibuprofen product while breastfeeding, so you can take tylenol cold/cough with no problems for your baby. I hope you're feeling better soon!

a few website that you could check out to get more info on what medications are safe to take while breastfeeding:
www.kellymom.com
www.breastfeeding.com
and www.askdrsears.com
good luck!