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Infant feeding

Resuming breastfeeding after mother/baby separation

3 replies

lou4791 · 30/07/2011 18:05

I wonder if anyone can give me some advice.
A friend of mine gave birth to a gorgeous baby girl 10 weeks ago and was happily exclusively breastfeeding until 2 weeks ago when they were involved in an awful road traffic accident. Baby and Dad were okay but my friend had to be airlifted to hospital and spent a week in intensive care. The only option available to them was for baby to stay with her aunty, who also has a baby, but lives 70 miles away from the hospital. From the time of the accident, baby was bottlefed formula.
My friend has now been at home and reunited with her daughter for the last few days, but is in a great deal of pain and taking morphine amongst other things. She says she would love to be breastfeeding again and feels the accident has robbed har and her baby of more breastfeeding time together.
She says she still has milk and baby still roots for the breast, but she can't feed while on the medications she is on.
I've advised her to express as much as she can and discard it for a few days in order to build her supply up a little before trying to breastfeed when she no longer needs such strong painkillers.
Have i advised her correctly, and is there anyone with more advice or with experience of resuming breastfeeding after a break? Does anyone know where there is accurate information about the safety of various analgesia when breastfeeding, as most drug companies don't seem to want to commit one way or the other in their safety advice?
Thanks.

OP posts:
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MockingbirdsNotForSale · 30/07/2011 18:51

I had morphine after I gave birth and the mw said it was compatible with bfing. Kellymom has a section on whats safe I think. How horrible for your friend. I hope she gets better soon.

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RitaMorgan · 30/07/2011 19:39

The Breastfeeding Network has a drugline you can call to check if medication is safe - or you can search on Lactmed here

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HarrietJones · 30/07/2011 19:43

She needs to speak to a professional who can sort out the drugs to be compatible with bf. In the meantime you were right to get her to express to keep supply up/increase supply again,

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