What Meds Can I Take While Breast Feeding?

Some people (babies) are allergic to honey, so I'd do a tiny bit at a time to test it out at first, but supposedly eating local honey helps with allergies. Good luck! C.

Hi,
I am a pharmacist, an allergy sufferer and a breastfeeding mommy. I think that kellymom.com is a great source of information regarding medications that are safe while breastfeeding so you might want to check it out. My recommendations are:
1) use a nasal saline spray (like Ocean Spray)
2) If you need an antihistamine, Claritin is a good one. However, there is a very slight possibility that it might dry your milk supply somewhat. I personally think it does dry my milk a bit so I use it only when I really need it. My milk supply goes back to normal as soon as I stop it. Drink lots of water just in case.
3) If you have itchy eyes try Naphcon-A or Opcon-A, or the new over-the-counter medication called Zaditor (it is also available as a generic). I like Zaditor because it can be used on a regular basis without causing rebound red-eye and it is dosed every 12 hours (vs. every 4 hours with the others).
Beware that, although Sudafed is considered compatible with breastfeeding (no harm to baby), it can definitely dry your milk supply so use it very sparringly, if at all (I stay away from it when breastfeeding because I don't have much milk to begin with).
May you feel better soon!

For the most part, the meds you can take while pregnant are the same ones you can take while breast feeding. Call your doctor, though, and explain that you BF but are having terrible allergies. I nursed my daughter through 3 allergy seasons and found meds I could take.

Hi B..I use all natural NON TOXIC safe products for allergies.Will not effect your milk, the baby etc.
My # is ###-###-####, we can chat if youd like. I am a wellness consultant and would like to help, My grandchildren and my son and daughter in law use these items with wonderful results as they do not take any pharmicuticals or synthetics. K. S. :})

My doctors have always known, I remind them regularly, that I take Mucinex, 24 Hr Sudafed & Claritin 365 days a year. I have never been told to stop taking them, and I nursed my son until he was 4, he is now 6. I am currently 21 weeks pregnant with our 2nd & they still haven't told me to stop taking them, even through fertility treatments.

I've heard that you can take all the medicines that you mentioned. I am also hesitant to take anything while breastfeeding...it's so hard! I love this product called OCEAN. It's a saline rinse that brings quick relief to a stuffy nose and sinus headache. You can buy it at any old drug store ... bought it at Longs. Hope that helps!

Hi. I have heard that if you eat local honey that it will take care of any allergies you have. The reasoning is supposed to be that they carry all the pollen from local trees, plants, flowers, weeds and grasses so when you eat it your getting all of that and it's kind of like getting allergy shots. I haven't done it (but should but I hate honey) so I don't know if it works. But that is completely natural and safer than any medicine for you. Babies cannot have honey until they are 1 or 2 yrs old though. Also I'm not sure how much you need to eat or how long it takes to work. There is a Bee Keepers store on X street and 21st (?) Street near Broadway. I don't know of any other and I don't know the name. sorry, I hope this was a little helpful.

I have had two different doctor's reccomend Claritan while breastfeeding. One said that Claritan D was good too. That said both said the first time to take it first thing in the morning so you know if your baby has any reaction. I also had a doctor tell me the reason they don't give babies antihistamines is that they make them act like they are on speed. It speeds up thier hearts, thier breathing, and makes them jumpy and jittery. That is why he recommended not taking antihistamines and decongestants while pregnant and breastfeeding. We also have been taking local bees pollen to try and prevent allergy symptoms but it must be local and it takes awhile to have effect. You actually start with just a granule or two to watch for allergic reactions. We get ours at Whole Foods. We also have begun trying homeopathics for allergies. So far we have noticed no problems with homepathics and our current nursling.

H.

B.,

I swear by a natural remedy: saline sinus rinse. You can buy it almost anywhere: Walmart, Longs Drugs, Walgreens, etc. It will run about $10 and there are somewhere around 50 saline packets. Pick yourself up a bottle of distilled water to fill, rather than boil, the water. I recommend heating the water for about 30 seconds in the microwave as the warm water works better than the cold water. Some people don't like the feeling of the water up their nose, but about 90% of the people I've told love it! It will wash the allergens that get up your nose out so that you no longer are having reactions to them. It is 100% safe for a breastfeeding mom. I love the stuff! Good luck.
Jackie

Hi B.! NO!! Don't take any of that! You should not NEED to take medications for allergies! Even with these high winds we're having recently! I'm a Certified Nutrition Consultant, in Petaluma. I specialize in Nutritional Support For Health. AND i have a passion for the well-being of children! If you are getting adequate healthy uncooked fats (oils) in your diet, you should be able to eliminate allergic responses to most allergens (pollens, pets, etc.). As a member of MAMMASOURCE, If you contact me, (by phone or email at ____@____.com) I'll give you a no cost half hour phone consultation. Meantime, eat avocados (1/2 to 1 whole daily), Olive Oil (virgin/cold pressed, organic), take vitamin E Supplementation (400 IU's daily) and either eat plenty of fish (cooked at low temperatures - 'low and slow'), or take Omega 3 fish oil supplements. Flax seed, or flax oil supplements are a goodway to get the healthy oils too! Healthy fats and oils will help to cleanse away any cholesterol deposits from cooked fats and oils too! It should NOT be necessary to expose your baby to any of these medications or pharmaceuticals! What you need is ALL available through a healthy dietary approach, and you'll be SO much happier without the allergies! M. Clevenger, CCHT, CNC Office Phone: ###-###-####

I would check kellymom.com for a list of APA approved meds while breastfeeding. This is a great website that pulls together research done on breastfeeding.

Hi B.,

I asked my pharmacist the same thing, as I'm still breastfeeding my toddler and have severe pollen allergies. He stated that Claritin is safe for breastfeeding moms. You can double check with your doctor also. I've been taking Claritin, and it seems to be making a difference -- my eyes don't itch and I'm not sneezing as much. If you have sinus congestion, I think Sudafed is also safe while breastfeeding but check with your doctor. I know Sudafed was safe when I was pregnant. Hope this helps!

B. - if I were you I would call my dr. and check - seems like there was 2 different allergy medicines that they recommended to me when I was in the same position. One was Zyrtec, and the other was Claritan - but I don't think you could get the Claritan D? I really don't remember but you could call your Dr., or even just the local pharmacy would be able to tell you what is safe to take! I know that my pharmacist is awesome!

I have tried and had alot of luck with honey. Local honey found at your local Co-op or Health Food Store. Just a teaspoon everyday. In a week or so you should notice a huge difference in your allergies. And that wont affect your baby.
Good Luck.

I have terrible allergies and i took both Claritin and Benadryl while breastfeding. My kids had no reactions or issues. Doctor said it was ok.
Benadryl has been around forever and is probably the safest. They would know about long term effects etc. because of how many years people have been taking it.

Sudafed can be a dangerous medication. It causes elevated adrenaline levels. Is your problem congestion or itchy eyes and watery nose? For eyes and nose, the best thing to take is a mild antihistamine like Claritin (or generic equivalent). You should be able to get solid answers to this question from your pharmacist.

I am not too sure about the meds. I was able to take Claritin while pregnant but found a much better solution. Have a tsp. of raw LOCAL honey everyday. It must be local as the bees will have an "antibody" to the local pollens, etc. You may want to take the tsp. towards your bedtime because it can also help you sleep.

i had raging hay fever when i was pregnant and did a lot of research (i'm a health researcher by profession), and found that it's best to avoid allergy meds altogether while pregnant and i assume that is also true for breastfeeding. the allergies won't last forever, and the meds aren't worth the risk. there is nothing that is for sure perfectly safe, because the manufacturers cannot test their products on pregnant or nursing women--who would sign up for that experiment? some "experts" say that *maybe* it would be OK to take the older allergy meds, the ones that had been around for years, like benadryl, b/c in all those years the industry has had a chance to figure out if they caused any damage to kids--the way they figure it out is after the fact, getting sued by parents. in the research world this is called a "natural experiment." you don't want to be part of any experiment. claritin is definitely too new; claritin d has sudafed and sudafed is definitely out (methamphetamine can be made from sudafed). i found that it's *probably* OK to use certain nasal sprays that will reduce the allergic reaction to the pollen in your nose, but not ones with steroids in them. the one i've used, only in real emergencies, is nasalcrom. it helps. other things that really help are to regularly flush your eyes, nose and throat with warm water-- if you can stand it, a neti pot that gently pours warm slightly salty water through your sinuses can really help clear the allergens. good luck!

We found mangosteen juice to work wonders for our allergies. It is pricey but you don't have to take much of it and it's all natural juice with antihistamine properties. Look up Xango on the web if you want further info. It's good stuff.

No, not sudafed. Only claritin (not Claritin D),AKA Loaratadine at Sams Club or Costco or benadryl. And, yes tylenol. Just not too much, it causes kidney problems. I would try natural remedies as well. Also put 1/2 tsp betadine (can get at oharmacy), 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp baking soda in one cup of water and irrigate your sinuses!
Good luck, I still have to take claritin. I am a nurse and I have asked a physician.

After suffering with allergies for 18 years and having countless sinus infections and being on a ridiculous number of med's for years, I finally took the advice of my allergist and tried nasal irrigation (it sounded too gross and I just didn't want to do it). It TOTALLY WORKS!! Buy a Neilmed kit at any drugstore (not the netipot - the squeeze bottle) and use it. It's amazing!! And no drugs!

My doctor allowed me to take claritin. I also took it throughtout my whole pregnancy. Benedryl was also ok when I was pregnant, not sure about breastfeeding though. Hope this helped!

Hi B.,
You should always consult a physician before taking anything, that said you can definitely take Benadryl. It will make you sleepy but it with help block the histamines.
Good luck,
V.

Benadrly is fine for you take. I have really sever allergies as well and had to take something or i was just sneezing all dy long. No fun. Plus the bendraly can make your little one a little tired to and nap time might be eaiser. I know it was for me. James would wake up from his long nap happy and ready to go. Yo can also take zyrtec because it is approved for babys as young as 6 month to take on there own.

Here is a website that shows what is OK while breastfeeding and what is not. I found it very useful when I was still breastfeeding. There are other websites out there too.
http://www.kellymom.com/health/meds/cold-remedy.html#anti...

Decongestants and antihistamines can have a negative effect on breastmilk production, so I wouldn't...

The prescription nasal sprays are the safest from what I've read, and won't affect your supply. I have used Nasonex when I need to with no ill effects at all.

The best source for safe medications when breastfeeding is the Hale's guide. I think it's called "Medications and Mother's Milk".

in addition to kellymom.com (love it!!) also check out the articles on drjacknewman.com
good luck to you!!

Sudafed is fine as is Benadryl (sp?) the jury is still out on claratin and allegra. Also nasal sprays are fine since you don't get much of a blood concentration. I use NasalCrom spray during the day and Benadryl at night.

I can share an awesome product with you that is great for allergies! It is called Genesis and it is 100% juice. It can be of great benefit to you for many reasons. I know of people who have suffered with allergies who have been very pleased with the results they get with Genesis. It has no negative side effects, safe for everyone (babies too) and has helped many to get effective results for many, many health needs. One of my family members who has suffered with asthma emergencies, has been stablized and improved since she started on Genesis.

You can check it out at www.symmetrydirect.com/dhendon
One ounce of Genesis provides the benefits of a whole bottle of wine (without the alcohol), a whole pomagranate, aloe vera, apple and 15 other infused herbs. It is an awesome product! We love it! It also helped my husband to get through chemo therapy for colon cancer and recover quickly.

Please don't hesitate to call me with questions after you visit my website. Check out the 3 videos on Genesis and the scientific info. You have everything to gain and nothing to loose!

Victorious Living to you!
D. Hendon
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www.symmetrydirect.com/dhendon

Two things I found that help(ed) me with sinus / allergy issues - one is ASAP Silver (ASAP has a lot of published research): for my daughter and I we diluted the silver with water 50% to drop in our eyes (we get that itchy eye thing that drives us batty). Also, I bought Neti Cups, where you rinse your nasal passages with water and salt, WOW, what a great help (although it takes a while to learn to use it and then it is easy; Thank you to Dr. Oz and Oprah)

I believe when I was pregnant, they told one of the ok allergy meds were Chlortrimeton. I imagine this would also be ok if you nursing. Check with the pedi MD, or you OB. They might be able to offer you some advice.

Trish

I did not read all of the responses, so if this was already said, I apologize. I am not sure which ones are ok...BUT you have to be careful because Sudafed will reduce your milk supply. I know that a lot of the cold medicines will do that. So, if you want to continue breastfeeding, I would check with the pediatrician to see what is ok.

Good luck and I hope you find something to help!
S.

LOVE the kellymom.com site! Here's a link again in case: http://www.kellymom.com/health/meds/cold-remedy.html

And also check out Dr. Thomas Hale's forum (author of Medications & Mothers' Milk): http://66.230.33.248/discus/messages/44/44.html?###-###-####

Just wanted to clarify that not all meds that are ok to take during pregnancy are ok for BFing, and vice versa.

Good luck! HTH!
A.