Hey moms - I am having such a rough go of it!! My daughter is two weeks old and it's been pretty tough. She will not latch, lost 2lbs her first 4 days of life. She was very jaundice. I have been pumping and feeding her that way. She will take a bottle. She will not take a breast, even with the nipple shield!! I have been to see at least 5 lactation specialist...she just wont nurse. I am not giving up though!
But,here's the kicker. A week ago I broke out in hives...all over my body. They turned into weepy, nasty, itchy grossness. I actually went to the ER and was given perscription strength prednisone, pepcid, and benadryl and told that I can continue to "breastfeed" while taking those. But then I had to go back to the doctor two days later because it wasn't getting any better, but worse. The doctor said that the perscriptions that were perscribed were good, but she upped my prednisone dose. She told me that I can't breastfeed, but need to pump and dump. Unfortunately for me, that means that my baby is taking in formula. (I know it's not the end of the world, but I fought so hard to have her only drink breastmilk to now have to "pump and dump")
So here's the question. I got online and started looking up prednisone, which is the drug the one doctor told me would go through to her, and it says that prednisone is compatible with breastfeeding. So, does that mean the ER doc was right and I can breastfeed, or that the regular doctor is right and I can't? I really want to get back to trying to teach her how to breastfeed or at the very least pump and have her take that from a bottle.
(I don't know if it matters, but I started off at 60mg, and have come down to 50mg for the next 4 days, then go down to 40 for 3 days, 30 for 2 days and 20 for the last day) I have to taper off of the prednisone.
Thanks for your input!
Dump the doctors and the emergency room. Go to a homeopath whose been in practice full time for 10 years and get a remedy. Nothing poisonous will enter your system. Your rash will go away.
First thing, give yourself a big pat on the back and cheer for being such a good, concerned mom. Then give yourself a little room and try not to stress out about whether your baby is getting breast milk from the source right now or even getting formula for the short term. Being a great mom is cumulative: one thing doesn't make or break it. What matters most is ALL the stuff that you do to be a good mom to your baby.
Both my babies were in the NICU for a short time after they were born. Both were given the opportunity to breastfeed and both were given bottles too. My eldest wouldn't ever make the transition to feeding from the breast. I got to be great pals with my breast pump and lovingly fed him breast milk with a bottle. My youngest did take to the breast. I didn't do anything different with either of them. They both got some formula in the hospital because they needed it until my milk came in. (Both were induced and since they were in the NICU, I wasn't with them 24/7 to feed on demand the first few days.)
I also took several medications while breastfeeding. I relied on what the NICU nurses and pharmasists were able to tell me about whether the medications were compatible with breastfeeding. Unlike you, I had to take my medications for the long term. If I didn't feel comfortable that they were compatible with breastfeeding, I would have had to stop breastfeeding entirely. Ultimately, you are the only one who can decide whether you feel comfortable with the risk of the medicine being present in your breast milk.
What is the worst that can happen if you pump and dump? You don't get to give your daughter breast milk from the breast for a couple of weeks and she doesn't nurse from the breast. I can tell you, I feel like just as good a mom to my eldest as I do to my youngest. They are both my beautiful, wonderful little babies. Looking back, I don't care at all that my eldest drank breast milk from a bottle rather than from the breast. We cuddled and had wonderful, loving bottle feeding sessions just like I cuddle and love my youngest when feeding from the breast. Plus, my wonderful husband would actually get up and do a middle of the night feeding with my eldest, so I got a little more sleep!
No matter what, you are a winner at this. You have a wonderful little baby and are working hard at all the things that make a great mom. :)
Do not breastfeed that baby until you speak with a pharmacist and then double check his information with another pharmacist. Docs know some stuff but a pharmacist knows medications.
I would think you could not breastfeed with steroids or even Benadryl. They can cause serious side effects and the baby could have serious side effects.
Wow! I had hives for about 2-3 weeks after I had my baby too. It was from all the medication they gave me after my C-Section. I have a ton of allergies to medicine and they had to give me all new drugs for my C-Section. I knew they gave me pain meds, anti-nausea meds and antibiotics but I was shocked when they sent me home with 3 pages worth of medications they gave me. They didn't tell me either, just put it in my IV's I guess. Well, I itched like you wouldn't believe and had hives for two weeks or so. I also had very high doses of prednesone WHILE I was pregnant with my 2nd child. I was involved in a study prodical to see if prednisone will help with my baby's platelet count since I had antibodies destroying the platelets. They had me on 60mg for 3 weeks, then 20 mg for 3 months then it took a very long time to slowly wean me off. I was still taking it when I delivered AND they had to give me 100 mg of it in my IV to get me through a C-Section since I had been on so much of it for so long. I do not remember pumping and dumping. I couldn't sleep that night because of all the prednisone they gave me so I just sat there awake all night waiting for them to bring me my baby to nurse. When I had hernia surgery after my 4th baby, they had me pump and dump. Then after my 5th I thought I was going to have to have another hernia repair after my C-Section (turned out I didn't need it) and I asked the doctor if they can some how prevent me from having to pump and dump this time. She said, realistically, you didn't need to pump and dump with your last surgery. She said, You don't really need to do it as often as they once thought. I would definately get a second opinion or else, just hang in there with the hives and have the doctor wean you down to a lower dose that's safer for baby. I wish you the best!
Oh, sweetie. You poor thing. *Hug*
I've taken prednisone for asthma and breastfed at the same time, with my doctor's assurance that it was OK, and so no adverse reaction (at the time or later). I like the suggestion to check with a pharmacist. They're a wonderful, under-appreciated resource!
BTW -- to help relieve the discomfort of the hives, try some Domeboro solution. It's very soothing and helps dry up the welts. Like you need this with a new-born...
It is an L2 - SAFE - Mother's Milk and Medications by Dr Hale 2008
Prednisone is absolutely safe to breastfeed with. Please never listen to a regular Dr when it comes to breastfeeding friendly drugs - they will ALWAYS say to stop breastfeeding!! If you ever need another answer about medications, please ask me or your local IBCLC/CLC/Lactation Consultant - we have a pharmacy grade drug guide book that lets us know what is safe, hasn't been tested or absolutely contraindicated for breastfeeding.
Get her back on the breast ASAP!!! Also, pump very often and stockpile all you pump. The first 3 months is the only time most women can pump more than just a few ounces - so if you start stocking up now, you'll be good!! As for latching... try the football hold and do the 'nipple sandwich' - which is squeezing the areola between the index and middle fingers with one hand, hold baby in football hold with the other. Tap your nipple to her nose a few times, make sure she is opening WIDE. Once she does, put the nipple/areola 'sandwich' into her mouth and hold it in there until she latches on. Once she does, make sure her lips are flailed out around the areola.
If that doesn't work - have her checked for a tongue tied issue.
Good Luck Momma - you can do it!!
I have had a terrible experience with medicine and pregnancy. Breastfeeding just the same. I was given (according to the doctors) a not harmful to the baby (fetus) demoral. Well, when my baby came she had drug withdrawal horribly. The doctor did not recognize it as such (this was back in the 70's) and said everything was normal. Well I will tell you that you know if something is wrong and this was not my first child so I knew something was wrong. She has had health problems as a child because of this. I would be VERY CAREFUL about using any kind of medicine and breatfeeding my baby or being pregnant. Look up the deadly side effects of using drugs (and yes you can die from SOME of these drugs) and see if you want your child to have the same side effects that you could possibly have. I am not saying medicine is not a necessity but what I am saying is be very, very careful with what you put in your body to transfer over to your childs.
N.
In regards to breast feeding difficulties. I urge you to pick one lactation specialist and stick with her. Each time you change specialists they're starting from scratch in finding ways to help you. By having one specialist they are able to continue from where they started to suggest new things to help.
You may also be able to find some help from the LaLeche League. You can find one locally on the Internet or ask the lactation specialist.
I am also nursing and had prednisone earlier this year. My doc advised pump and dump. When in doubt it's the best option so we don't pass on anything we don't want the kids to have.
