Hi all. I am trying to be proactive here. I am breastfeeding my 4th child, 4 months old today. I did not nurse my first 3 because of personal reasons, so I almost feel like a first timer all over again with this baby. My question is...my husband came down with a flu bug this week. Luckily it only lasted 2 days, but it involved fever, terrible cramping, indigestion, and diareah (sp). He tried to stay away from the kids and I, and I tried to keep spraying Lysol on everything he might have touched, and Clorox wipes to the bathroom several times a day, but today I just have that blah, gurgly feeling that I am coming down with it. I hope I am just being cautious, but if not, are there any medications that are okay for me to take while nursing? He took Pepto, Gas X with Mylanta, and I am not sure if he took Imodium or anything like that, but I just wanted to know while I still feel like sitting at the computer what I can take. He had it rough. I pray that the kids do not get it. Thanks in advance.
hi..i also breast fed my sons and still am one of them..the best advice anyone can give you is to call the pediatrician..they will tell you what is safe.
C.
Not sure if this is accurate or not, but a pharmacist told me DO NOT take Pepto because it has salicylate (??) in it -- a derivative of aspirin. Definitely check that one.
Hi,
I've had that yuk feeling, where you think your getting it...hope you don't... I took tylnole (sp) and mylanta. They are both safe to take. If you do get it and are cloged up with sinus and stuff. Try a cool mist humidifier. It will help! Best of Luck and I pray you and the kids don't get the flu!!!
S.
Sites like babycenter.com will give you whole lists of medications you can take while you are nursing. Also, try to keep nursing your baby if you do get sick because your antibodies is one of the best things you can give your baby to ensure that he does not catch this flu bug! Good luck!
Hi L.,
I had the stomach flu right after New Years and am breastfeeding my daughter as well. You CANNOT take regular Pepto. It contains salicylate, which can lead to Reye's Syndrome in children. I am paranoid about taking any meds while nursing, so when I got sick I didn't take any. What I did: once I started vomiting, I stopped eating. I drank small amounts of water and chewed ice. When the nausea subsided, I did the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) and some soup in small amounts. I rode out the fever, but it never got that high for me. Just to be safe, you should call your pediatrician's office and ask the nurse. They will advise you on what is safe during breastfeeding. You might also want to ask about the risk of passing on the illness to your baby.
I wish you well!
I had some stomach issues when my baby was around 3-4 weeks old. My doc said it was fine to take Immodium AD and still fine to nurse. Best wishes for not being sick.
L.,
I am not sure about the other things, but you can definitely take the Immodium. I have a 5 month old that I just stopped nursing and I got some of the flu bug and was allowed to take it.
L. B.
It is best not to take anything when you have the flu. The best thing to do is take in plenty of fluids, rest as much as you can, and keep breastfeeding. Most of the OTC remedies for diarrhea are NOT SAFE to take while nursing. Many of them contain asprin in some form that can cause Rye syndrome in your baby. The BRATT diet (Bread, Rice, Applesauce, Toast, Tea) works well; it just takes time. Make sure that you are urinating every 8 hours so that you don't get dehydrated. Good luck and contact your doc or pharmacist if you have any questions!
Hi L.,
Here's a link to an article on the Sears family website. It includes a list of drugs you can safely take while nursing, and ones you should have medical supervision to take while nursing.
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/T028500.asp
If you're not already familiar with their work, you might want to check it out. The parents, Bill and Martha Sears are a doctor and a RN/Lactation Specialist and raised 8 children. They're kind of the king and queen of 'Attachment Parenting.' At least one of their sons is now a doctor and now contributes to their books and the website. They offer some great information on breastfeeding and child rearing.
Good luck!
-Caitlin
I got the flu when I was nursing my son and I just took Acetaminophen to bring down the fever because all the over stuff won't truly help you get over the flu. You need to just make sure you drink as much as possible, water to start and then 7Up or sprite and then hot decaf tea or juice. That is the most important thing when you are breast feeding and sick, just keep up the liquids but take it slow and eat when you can, start with dry toast. The doctor said it was best to keep breast feeding because it would help build immunity in the baby, your milk will actually have antibodies in it for the flu you have. It is also important to keep the milk flowing both for supply and so you don't get blocked milk ducts which will only add to the aches and pains. I hope you feel better soon. Rest as much as you can.
I second the link to kellymom.com. It has a great section on OTC meds that are safe while breastfeeding. Also, you can keep BF through the illness. Your antibodies will pass to baby and help build his immune system.
Hope everyone is better soon.
Yay for breastfeeding!!! What a lucky baby! I have found kellymom.com the best site for finding out what is safe and what is not for taking while breastfeeding (plus any other breastfeeding questions you might have). Sometimes pediatricians and family docs just tell you not to take anything b/c they don't know whether it's safe or not. So, check kellymom or call a lactation consultant or LLL leader in your area instead. They'll give you the best info that they can and are usually much more up-to-date than the docs or pharmacists.
L.,
Congrats on nursing! I nursed my daughter for 16 months and am so glad I did it. Granted the first few weeks were pure hell but I suffered through it and then enjoyed every minute of it afterwards!! My Doc gave me a cheat sheet of things I can take. For colds - Tylenol, Contac and Sinutab; Coughs - Robitussin DM; Congestion - Sudafed or Actifed; Diearrhea - Kaopectate, Pepto or Lomotil, Nausea- unfortunately just flat coke or ginger ale; Hope this helps!
On another note, you sound like a very conscientious mother. Trying to do what's best for your kids. You mentioned using Lysol and Clorox. Just to caution you, in spite clever marketing, both of these are very toxic. In fact, Lysol is a registered Pesticide (yes, you read that right!) and Clorox wipes uses Pesticeds as the ingredients on the cloth that kills germs. Both are very hazardous and dangerous to humans, especially children. You can learn more by going to my website at www.GoGreen4Health.com. There is a 16 min video documentary that shows toxins in the average home. Ironically enough, Clorox wipes is one of the products they test. Definitely worth a look!!
I hope you don't mind me pointing this out. Most people have no idea what they are exposing themselves and their children to on a daily basis. I know I didn't when I had my daughter. Now I am trying to educate consumers so they can make informed choices for their families.
Have a great day! I hope you don't get sick!
There may be things you can take but it's best if you don't. You want that bug OUT not to hang around. If you take some of those things especially Imodium that keeps the bug from passing through you (in the case of a stomach bug and food poisoning). Sleeping is the best thing you can do for yourself. Keep your immune system up. You may get it but the good thing the nursing will keep your baby from getting it (or getting it really bad). You are doing a great thing by nursing. This is my third child and he is 3 months old right now. Good luck with everything. We have had the really bad bug that lasted for a week the day I gave birth to my 3rd. Everyone had it but him.
L. - I sure hope you stay well.
Here's a list (according to kellymom.com, a great breastfeeding resource site) that addresses diarrhea medications. Looks like some are fine, but it does say "Pepto-Bismol & Kaopectate (bismuth subsalicylate is the active ingredient in both) are not recommended for routine use by nursing moms, due to the association of salicylates with Reyes syndrome in children."
http://www.kellymom.com/health/meds/aap-approved-meds.htm...
http://parenting.ivillage.com/baby/bbreastfeed/0,,3x0q,00...
Talk to the nurse at the the Pediatrics office or the hospital or Redi-med. Ask them what you can take if sick. At the very worst, store up some breastmilk for baby in case you're sick and just freeze/dethaw when needed. If you're sick or taking meds, stop breastfeeding baby, but continue to pump to keep your milk stores up. Then when you're better, start breastfeeding again.
Hi L.,
I was just quick reading through and almost did not respond, but then I felt a bond b/c I have twin girls who are 3. Anyway I hope you are enjoying breastfeeding. My all natural approach to this is to drink apple cider vinegar and eat raw garlic. You can mix the cider with warm water and honey to make a tea. I just drink it straight and endure. Two big sips twice a day. The garlic can be as much as you and your little nursling can handle. If you typically eat alot of garlic your little guy should be fine with it. I take at least two cloves and chew it up with cashews or something to disguise that taste. I hope none of you get sick and that your husband is on the mend soon.
Call your doctor....I had the flu last week and my Dr was going to call in a prescription for something for me to take that was safe. I hope you are feeling better! Makle sure to drink plenty of fluids so that you don't get dehydrated. Since you are nursing you can dehydrate a lot faster.
A.
Keep nursing. The baby will get your antibodies. Plus, by the time you are feeling you are getting a cold, chances are you got the bug 2-3 days before you notice the symptoms.
You need to call your doctor. I know of Tamaflu that shortens the flu but a doctor needs to tell you what's okay
I do not think there is really anything like that that you can take while nursing. Check with your doc to be sure, but I breastfed all my kids and I did have the flu at least once. There was nothing that I could take, except fluids. (I did call my doc at the time.) Drink lots of water because if you get sick, plus the baby is nursing, you can get dehydrated very quickly. And you need to keep up your milk supply too. Good luck. I hope you and the kids stay healthy!
Check with your OB and a Lactation Consultant. I got the flu after my son and my OB called in a scrip for an anit-nausia/anti-vomiting med that was safe while I continued to nurse. The only thing you REALLY need to keep in mind is that you can get very dehydrated with the flu so you need to drink loads of water/juice/broth/"sports waters" (Propel).
Your supply may drop for a few days but it will come back up as long as you are nursing on demand and not on a schedule.
Hope you don't catch it!
Hi there! I am a La Leche League leader, and breastfeeding my fourth baby. The most important thing you can do when you're sick is keep breastfeeding. Your milk contains antibodies against the illness you are experiencing, so your baby will most likely not get sick at all if you just keep breastfeeding. If you want some support and encouragement along the way, come to a meeting! I've met some of my best friends at La Leche League meetings. Check out lalecheleague.org for leader names and call the one in your area to get the details for meeting locations and times.
I'm also a mom of four, and have just gone back to work when our little boy reached 3 and a half and graduated from speech therapy. I've nursed all four kids.
Definitely call your pediatrician to check which medications are safe for breastfeeding because there are some out there.
Breast feeding your child while you're sick is the very bast thing you can do since he or she is still dependent on your immune system. You'll be passing on what the baby needs to fight off what ever this crud is and may keep the baby from coming down with it at all.
