To expect not to be told to stop breastfeeding in order to take a drug that has been classified as SAFE for breastfeeding

[BeyondTheLimitsOfAcceptability]

I have a rheum appt coming up and am psyching myself up for it. I have psoriatic arthritis and need to start DMARDs asap, however consultant refuses to prescribe them while I am breastfeeding. The paperwork I was given by the hospital says sulfasalazine is safe for BF, directly contradicting the consultant!

DS2 is 15m and on one feed a day now. I'm half tempted to say I've stopped, I won't as I don't tell lies to HCPs, but IABU to think the consultant is BU? I went in last time saying "but it says its safe" and was told I was wrong

And, what do I do? If it were a GP, I could get a second opinion easily, yes? How do I do that with an NHS specialist?

I know all kids vary, but how do you know

Are you easily confused?

I think "future science" might tell us that buttercup is trolling to make trouble.

Science doesn't change all the time, and the human body has wonderful ways to protect itself, like highly evolved breastmilk filters. A large number of drugs are perfectly safe while feeding.

I've just sent a very longwinded email to Wendy bfn :)

Isabeller, my plan of action is

• get ridiculous amounts of info ready to take with me (have emailed clever drugs lady wendy to ask her help too)
• read up on studies so I know what I'm talking about
• convince consultant
• ask for second opinion if no joy
• PALs if no joy there

This seems to be a common problem among consultants. I wouldn't get the breastfeeding network to give you information because despite it being from a respected pharmacist it tends to be dismissed because it is from a breastfeeding charity. I would ask (demand) the consultant commissions a report from the hospital pharmacist for his area. It will say exactly what the breastfeeding network report will say. Then armed with that he cannot possibly have an objection to the drug. If he does then demand a second opinion which is your entitlement.
FWIW I have never found a second opinion is needed, they always prescribe.

just i understand the health benefits of breastfeeding. But i imagine they were pretty much cancelled out by the tango and the quavers. I wonder if sometimes you have to weigh it up.. ie. surely better little toddler didn't have tango laced breast milk, drank water instead and had maybe some fruit for desert? where is the cut off point on what is healthy?

Oh fgs her breast milk won't have been tango laced as you put it, it doesn't work that way.

Er... the milk doesn't get "laced" with tango Breastmilk isn't made from whatever you happen to have eaten 5 minutes before - the content is pretty much the same regardless.

As for quavers, surely quavers and milk is healthier than quavers and water?

"tango laced breastmilk" oh ffs!

makes me think of DS1 who is convinced that when he poos it is the last thing he ate! Got home from a party and he shouted "mammy, party food poo!"

I'm sure most people know that crisps aren't the healthiest snack ever, but you don't think "well they've had quavers now - might as well forget about a healthy diet and just feed them liquidised mars bars from now on".

i guessed if she was breast-feeding him at lunchtime, that he would also get a feed later that day. Hence tango would definitely be in the system by then. But if the reason one choses extended breastfeeding is for the health benefits, why give quavers at all???? the vitamin content of quavers is limited. I just found it odd that's all, and i think it is odd.

Beautiful - breast milk isn't made from the food you eat. It's made from your blood.

Beautifulbabyboy - what are you talking about?

Under what bodily mechanism does the tango get piped into the breastmilk?

Do please explain that instead of the tango being metabolised by the mother's digestive system, it bypasses this and gets sent to the breasts where it 'laces' the milk?

Quavers for an 18 mth old are ok - I mean not great, but ok. They're not very high in sodium, and I doubt a baby of this age would manage anything like a whole packet, so as an occasional item, I would not lose any sleep over them. They certainly don't 'cancel out' the breastmilk - again, how would that work???

Good plan OP, right behind you

The tango won't affect the milk, even mothers who are malnourished can make milk for their babies. Drinking tango does not mean she will then produce tango breast milk. I suggest you do some research on this issue.

kellymom.com/nutrition/mothers-diet/mom-diet/

Here you go beautifulboy this may enlighten you :)

Why does anyone give quavers ever? You have some odd ideas!

Most children's diets are a mix of healthy stuff and treats. Just because you choose a healthy milk doesn't mean you never let anything but carrot sticks and lentils cross their lips.

Honestly, breasts don't just suck up anything from the stomach and churn out milk. Milk is made from blood, it contains mostly water, fats, protein, vitamins, minerals etc. Regardless of diet (unless the mother is severely malnourished and vitamin deficient) milk content will be pretty much the same.

I once ate a Greggs steak slice with one hand whilst feeding baby in the other

I once had a margarita in one hand, a cheeseburger in the other, and fed a baby while consuming both.
Social services and a medal please.

Jesus some people are so bloody uneducated when it comes to breastfeeding... And that's fine, until you start sprouting your ignorance as gospel.

OP - I'm disabled and suffer from chronic pain too. Often doctors are too concerned about covering up their backsides, frankly. There are safe options for most medications out there; as others have mentioned the BFN Drugsline is a great place to start. Would also see a different doctor is possible. There is a book called "Medications and Mothers Milk" which is well worth having a look at if you can get hold of a copy.

And FWIW I breastfed DS until he self weaned just before turning three. During this time I was on various medications. The minute risk at the percentage that would be passing through vs the long term benefits he continued to gain from breastfeeding was an almost non argument, frankly.

Love the sound of breastmilk laced with Tango. I'd drink that! Is it fizzy?

Maj a errr bm is effected by diet- my DS couldn't tolerate oranges,onions and as for caffeine.

beautifulboy given that she had given him quavers for lunch isn't it even better that she gave him nutritious breast milk along side.

Ps there are many varied reasons why people might breastfeed a toddler. It's not just about health reasons. It should require no more discussion or rationalisation than giving a cup of cows milk.

I just took two paracetamol for a headache, and I'm bfing a toddler who's over two AND I'm pg...Where do I send my 'good mummy' stripes back to?