Your doctor should know what kinds of medicines–and herbal supplements–are safe for you to take if you’re breastfeeding. That said, some doctors make mistakes and prescribe medicines that could endanger the baby of a breastfeeding mom.
In order to stay safe from a problematic prescription, it would behoove breastfeeding mothers to ask as many questions as they can concerning the medications their doctors prescribe. They should also consider undertaking some independent investigation of their own.
Factors breastfeeding mothers should keep in mind about medication
Here’s what breastfeeding mothers need to take into account before they agree to take any kind of medication, herbal supplement or “natural” product:
- Is the medication or supplement required? Or, can you postpone taking the item until after your child is no longer breastfeeding?
- How old is your child and what is the health of your child? Premature babies, newly born babies and babies with fragile health conditions are more vulnerable to suffering the ill-effects of a potentially dangerous drug.
- How much breastmilk is your child consuming? The more breastmilk, the more of the medication your child will receive.
- Does the medication have a record of safety for breastfeeding mothers and their babies, or does it have a record of causing harm?
