My Gp has told me to reduce breastfeeds for my 7 month old to twice a day

[cafebistro]

How am I supposed to do this when DD has never had a bottle or formula and only has small amounts of solids?
I have PND and told my GP that I needed antidepressants that I could breastfeed with.
The one he has prescibed is Lexapro and he said that I should take it if the benefits outweigh the risks , I wouldnt take them if I didnt feel I really needed them!
He also said that I should reduce the number of times I breastfeed DD to twice a day, she currently feeds 4-5 times day. Surely this advice cant be right. He said there isnt much definitive proof of the effects of AD's on feeding babes as breasfeeding " is rare nowadays." He actually said that!
I dont want to reduce to twice aday as my milk production will reduce, DD NEEDS more milk than that, I enjoy feeding her, she enjoys feeding etc etc.

Help. Anyone any advice??

[JustKeepSwimming]

No experience i'm afraid but i know i've seen others mention ADs that are safe for bf.
Sure someone will come along later with the name.

Your GP doesn't sound pre-bf does he? 'rare' what a comment!
And if bf is going so well i see no reason why you should have to cut down.
Well done you and DD

[cafebistro]

Thanks for comment JustKeepSwimming (Is that in relation to Nemo)?

I know that you can feed on some AD which is why I told him about the BF. Ive read the leaflet and it doesnt say dont BF. Think my GP is just being causious (sp?). The amount of the drug in the BMilk must be tiny surely?

[JustKeepSwimming]

Yes Nemo used to be on repeat here! he's moved on to Cars at the moment but Nemo is still a backup, and i can't change every time he changes fave film!!
plus i sing it to myself when i get fed up
"just keep swimming, just keep swimming"


well i googled Lexapro and it's varied, basically some will get through but small amounts. as your DD is older and you know she is healthy/happy/etc. i think it would be safe from their own website and the other results i read.
I think with a newborn it would be different as you wouldn't be sure of their 'normal' behaviour to know if things changed iykwim?

the name for the other one is Zoloft, i think
here

if it helps, what i read on lexapro is the same as what i read on imodium - which i absolutely HAD to take for my own health a few weeks ago , no reaction at all from ds2.

[LadyLaGore]

your doc sounds like he needs some training

[MrsGokWan]

Just what I was thinking LadyLaGore. I am on Lofrepramine and have been since conception, my baby is now 15 months and is still b/f 4 to 5 times a day.

[LadyLaGore]

wouldnt it be good if there wwere a little red exclamation mark next to the doctors little room? i think this level of confusion and, frankly, ignorance, is a bit scary really. potentially has pretty serious consequences for the health and wellbeing of the patients. we trust our gp's and hcp's to have the knowledge and information we need. and this sounds to me like misinformation all round... a newish mum with pnd is a vulnerable person and ought to be given better care.

if someone good at this stuff and with half a clue/brain can tell me roughly what to write, id be happy to swrite to my mp about this issue. have seen this too many times on here...

[CorpseBrideOfJohnCusack]

oh good lord he is talking absolute bollocks!

I can't tell you about that particular one, but there are plenty of ADs that are completely fine with breasfeeding

How would reducing feeds to twice a day make ANY difference to what gets through to your DD? In any logical way whatsoever?

GPs unfortunately often know slightly less than sod all about breasfeeding. Is there another one you can see

there is a phone number you can ring I think about medication whilst breastfeeding. Hang on, I'll go and search for it (Unless I'm imagining it)

[AnarchyAunt]

Information from BfN

[CorpseBrideOfJohnCusack]

here we go

get armed with the info and then go back to see him or preferably another more sensible person!

[CorpseBrideOfJohnCusack]

oh same site as AnarchyAunt!
anyway, good luck

[AnarchyAunt]

Ah they are the best though!

They have a phone line staffed by a pharmacy worker and BF expert who can advise on the safety of any drug treatment.

[LackaDAISYcal]

another voice echoing the "oh dear " sentiment at your GP. they really do not have much of a clue about BFing on the whole.

You have he links to the BfN; take them along with you and let him know that it isn't necessary to cut out any BFs when on ADs.

It's also the case that some ADs are considered safer than others; I'm under the care of the local neo-natal MH unit and the drug that they prescribe for BFing women is sertraline (Zoloft) due it's very short half life and studies which have shown it in BM in negligible quantities. I was on it and fed my DD for 10 months until getting pregnant again and she stopped wanting my milk, and I will be taking it after this baby is born too. I've taken fluoxetine throughout my pregnancy though.

I would ask for a referral to a pshych who has experience of treating BFing women, or to your local mother and baby unit.

I hope you start to feel better soon

[cafebistro]

Thanks for the advice everyone.
Ive Emailed the breastfeeding people for advice. Unfortunately its not as easy as just popping back to gp for info etc. I live in Ireland and a gp visit cost me 45 euro and the pills cost me 43 euro for a months supply- i do not have a lot of money!

[cafebistro]

Just got a reply back and apparently its fine to breastfeed on this medication .
Thanks for the link guys

[JustKeepSwimming]

Well that's a relief

hope you feel better soon

[CorpseBrideOfJohnCusack]

oh that's brilliant
hope they kick in soon