Breastfeeding Mom

I have two babies (ages 1 and 2) and have been breastfeeding for almost three years straight now. I am still breastfeeding the one year old. I always take Tylenol Cold Head Congestion Day and Night. It works very well and is safe. Hope this helps you. I know it isn't fun to feel miserable with a cold and taking care of kids.

Ask Le Leche League. They will know. I would recommend something homeopathic from Whole Foods or HEB Central Market or a health food store. Also, try using a Neti-Pot in the shower. It works wonders to clear congestion.

I am a breastfeeding mom too!! My son is 9 months old. You can take Claritin over the counter. Saline nasal spray. Just do not take anything that has a decongestant in it. That will make you have a low milk supply. Good luck and I hope you feel better!!!

Actifed is what I was allowed to take during my pregnancy, as I had terrible allergies. If you deal with allergies on a daily basis, Flonase is also another possiblity.

Good luck!

I find that nasal irrigation works really well. You can get a can of saline nasal spray for this purpose pretty much anywhere; it's called Simply Saline.

I am 10 weeks pregnant. I just went to "webmd" and there is a list of what you can and can't take, for all kinds of ailments. Then I went to the pharmacist and clarified with her. I took Sudafed and it helped with the congestion. Now, remember: there are two Sudafeds one on the shelf in the store, and one behind the pharmacy counter which they check you driver's license. Use the one behind the counter "because that's the one we've had the most experience with" as said by the pharmacist. Hope you feel better.

I took regular Sudafed 10 years ago.

You can take sudafed. Same as the stuff you could take when you were pregnant.

I assume it is for you, not the kids, since you wrote "I".

Mucinex works. Also, Sudafed. If you want to go the natural route, crush up fresh garlic about 2 cloves into a spoon and pour honey over it and eat it in one fell swoop. Hold your nose so you don't taste it. Do that once a day for two days.

Google toxnet and search for sudafed (psuedoephedrine). scroll down to lactmed-lacation database. It also mentions oxymetazolone which is a nasal spray. I suggest a quick call to the pediatrician for advice since there has recently been a lot of concern about the administration of cough and cold formulas to pediatric patients.You may have noticed that many OTC drugs for pediatric patients have been pulled off the shelves in recent months. You cannot find cough and cold remedies for infants anymore unless you have a prescription. So double check with the pedi dr. Hope this helps a little! By the way, normal saline-Ocean spray or Ayr should be perfectly safe since its only water and it may help clear your nasal passages a little.

There is nothing you can "take" for congestion in the way of an antihistamine that will not decrease milk production. That said - saline spray is awesome, inoffensive, cheap and doesn't pass through to breast milk. Additionally, spicey foods (especially wasabi) and/or fresh ginger are standards when one is feeling sinusie (the baby may not react well, though). You can also try hot tea with LOTS of lemon and enough honey to cut the bitter, a hot shower/bath, a humidifier in your room when you are sleeping - if you are truly miserable, a decongestant (like sudafed)is not as offensive as an antihistamine. Try to start with a half dose and see how that does you.

~J.

Hi A.,
I am a wellness consultant with a certification in detoxification. I work 3 to 4 days at Cost Plus Nutrition here in San Antonio. Usually, I would recommend eliminating all dairy products and wheat from your diet. A good product to keep on hand that can be used daily is "Xlear", pronounced "Clear". It is a nasal spray, but unlike saline nasal sprays, which are helpful, Xlear can be used as often as necessary. Saline solutions can dry up the sinuses if utilized too often. Xlear can be purchased at health food stores, or a nutrition store such as the one where I work. Our supplement prices are very competetive, and many times less than other stores. Call first for pricing and compare. I would need to know a bit more about your diet and medications (if any), in order to really get at the bottom of your problem. Sometimes environmental chemicals in your house can cause problems. Have you bought any new furniture, or have you had any new flooring put in your living area? There are many reasons for congestion, not to mention the allergens in the air like cedar. If congestion is a chronic complaint, it would be helpful to support your adrenal glands. If you would like to discuss this further, e-mail me at ____@____.com and I will be glad to give you my phone number so we can talk.

Hi A.,

My doctor said that I could take sudafed(the real stuff not PE). It is what I take and is the only medicine that helps me. But if you are unsure what to take ask your doctor or a pharmacist. If the over the counter stuff doesn't work your doctor may prescribe you something stronger.

stay away form antihistamines. They will dry up your milk!!!

Try the neti nasal pot .
It is like a teapot that you pour warm salt water into your nasal passages. They usually have an herbal formula that they sell next to it that boosts the effect even more.
It's not so much about what to take as what not to take.
Eliminate:
wheat
meat
dairy
sugar
as much as possible avoid refined foods.

If it is allergy related try local honey!
-A. Peace

Hello, I am so glad to read that you nurse your babies!! For congestion there is always vicks vapor rub and they make a baby formula as well...but the flu is going around and it is a respiratory flu so you may want to go to the doctor! You are doing a great job!

Sudafed is safe for breastfeeding moms. It is a decongestant only. And drink LOTS of extra water.

Word on the neti-pot. Its a little weird, but it works. You can google it and find a video on how to do it. For me, the video wasn't much help as I have to lean way over the sink in order to avoid saline water in my mouth and the lady in the video was showed standing more upright. It takes some practice, but its been a huge help for me as I have bad allergies and get stopped up all the time (at least I used to). You can usually find neti-pots at health living stores (like Whole Foods or Trader Joes).

I have a 5 month old....recently my doctor told me that I could take Mucinex D....he said only very small amounts get into the baby through the breast milk and that mine was old neouch to tolerate it.

Anything Tylenol (Tylenol Allergy, sinus, flu, etc)

Besides saline you can also do a steam treatment. Boil some water, remove the pan from the stove and put it somewhere you can sit with you head over it, take a light towel and lean over the steamy pot with the towel draped over your head & breath in the steam, you can also add some menthalatum to it. Another thing I do is make a lemon tea with honey to help clear mucus in my throat.

Benedryl and Sudafed. Watch out though because they could dry up your milk supply. You can always use a saline apray or neti pot. They help alot for seasonal allergies that last in the air for a while.

no decongestants! :) You can try boiling rosemary leaves and breathing the steam, but the best thing I have found is mixing warm salt water and squirting it up your nose until it comes through your mouth. :) Hope this helps, some mothers can take decongestants just fine and for others their milk supply can take a huge drop.

If you want to try non-medicinal routes, you can get menthol or minty aromatics from a health food store and put it on your upper lip and forehead. Steam bath helps too. I used to go into the shower, and do a breathing exercise I learned from a yoga instructor: put your finger on one nostril, breathe in the other nostril to the count of ten, out to the count of 20. That plus menthol will help with congestion. If it's in your chest, that's another story; I'd see if Mucinex would be okay.

At three months old, you are your baby's sole source of nutrients... but you should be able to take Benadryl or other decongestants. Just be aware that you're passing some of it to your baby and h/she may get sleepy or hyper as a result of ingesting these medicine's too.
You should probably talk to your pediatric nurse. They have a medical book that has the exact amount that has been found to be excreted in breastmilk from each medicine.
Feel better!

I've seen a couple moms recommend the neti pot.

I have one and have used it, but I've found, what works even better. . . use the lavage bottle (of course, a clean one) that you got when you had your daughter. If you don't have one, you can probably find something similar at a pharmacy or medical supply.

Just add 1/8 teaspoon non-iodized salt to WARM water, and flush. If it's REALLY bad (I had a sinus infection a month ago, an this REALLY helped), hot-pack your face before you do it - as hot as you can stand it. (I just use a washcloth and turn the faucet all the way hot.) I don't know if it shrinks the sinuses, or melts what's up in there, but it allowed the saline (neti-water) to actually travel through my sinuses, when it wouldn't before.

For those unfamiliar with "flushing" (whether with the neti-pot or lavage bottle): look at yourself in the mirror (over the sink), cock your head to the side just a little, and while breathing through your mouth, pour/gently squeeze the water into the "upper" nostril. It'll travel up through your sinuses and come out the other nostril. Just be careful not to tip your head back to far, because the water will run down your throat - yuck!

Happy flushing!

M.
SAHM of a 4-year old and a still-nursing 19-month old
(I'm sure I'll soon be writing for weaning advice)

Try saline drops and a humidifier, or if it's allergies, you can take Claritan or Allegra.

BEWARE of anything with a "D" -- it can dramatically reduce your breastmilk supply....

Personally, I learned the value of doing saline rinses or a neti-pot while breastfeeding #1. Or try doing menthalatum or putting tea tree oil under your nose. Doesn't hurt breastfeeding, and sometimes helps congestion.

My baby's ped. said any of the Tylenol products are fine.

Same stuff you can take while pregnant...I used Sudafed. Happy Nursing...God bless!

Nasal irrigation is the best thing I've found. It works for both colds and allergies. You do it 3-4 times / day when symptoms are bad; within 3 treatments my sore throat was gone. It's basically free--and I haven't had to take any drugs at all this allergy season. I never liked taking drugs when pregnant and nursing, and so many of them just mask the symptoms. This actually addresses the problem. Video and instructions at http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nasal-lavage/MM00552. Similar ideas would be a neti pot or using sea spray nasal inhalant.

Alavert and Afrin are both safe. I spoke with my doctor about these, and hardly anything is excreeted into the breast milk. Hope you feel better. I've taken them quite a few times while breast feeding. I don't think I would take Benedryl.

Shower Soothers.
They are menthol tablets you put in the shower with you!
They are NON medicated and awesome.
My husband just used the last of our when he woke up at 5 am and could not breath. It clears you up and you feel rested and great. We have used the with our kids too. 5 and 3 years old.
You can buy them right next to the cold stuff like the Vicks vapor rub.
Good showering!!

There's nothing too great you can take. Just use Saline nose drops that you would use on babies. Also you can do a steam inhale using some form of decongestant such as vicks. To be 100% sure though I would check with a lactation consultant. Methodist and Baptist hospitals both have good ones. I can highly recommend Mary Beth at North Central Baptist in San Antonio.
Hope this helps.
S.

I second what Belynda said
Be aware that anything made to dry up your congestion and mucous membranes, will/can also dry up your milk. Some women can take OTC meds and be fine - either their milk supplies can take the hit, or the meds just don't affect them this way.
You may or may not be one of those women. If you've struggled with supply issues at all, I would really really recommend against otc-decongestants.
The neti pot is good, tho awkward if you're not used to that type of thing.
Eucalyptus oil and menthol work wonders with just a drop or 2 under your nose.
Cut some onions or peppers!Think about how much you cry and sniff while cutting these...Use it to your advantage and cut extra to freeze for later when you don't want to clear your sinuses.
For more information, your local LLL might have some advice
http://www.lllaustin.org/

hth and happy nursing

K. H, mama to
Catherine, 4yrs (nursed for 2.5yrs)
Samuel, 1yr (and going strong)