To take an antihistamine whilst breastfeeding?

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Sorry, posting for traffic as need a quick answer. I have a horrible, sore, itchy skin rash - I have been advised to take an antihistamine and apply cream. Can I take one while breastfeeding?

Can't pump n dump, bottle refusing baby won't take formula.

www.nhs.uk/chq/pages/2460.aspx?categoryid=54&subcategoryid=129 - says loratidine and cetirizine are ok

I think you can take one containing Loratadine. The Breastfeeding Network just updated their info sheet on this so if you google you should find it.

Here is an information sheet written by a pharmacist (who is also a BF expert) on the subject.

I was told yes by a pharmist and my doctor

I took loratadine (clarityn) whilst breastfeeding a few times, it was the only think that would touch my hay fever!

Ds was 11 months old, still bf, when we were going to Greece and I wanted to get an anti-histamine as I sometimes get a bad heat rash.

First pharmacist refused to dispense it to me. Rang friend who is a GP who said if there was an effect unlikely then all it would do was make ds ever slightly sleepy. And my problem was????????

I went back to a different pharmacy and didn't bother saying I was breastfeeding

A word of warning though - avoid piriton. I was told it was ok by a pharmacist, took one and fed dd1. Put her to bed and she slept all night, and was really difficult to wake the next morning. She eventually fed, went back to sleep and didn't wake up for hours. (Totally out of character). I felt awful, like I'd drugged her . I never did it again.

I've got no experience of the non drowsy formulations, I just suffered through after that.

I took them during pregnancy and feeding both kids, I wished it had helped them sleep... They are both now older and fine.

I take anti-histstamines while BFing. However, just be aware they can make you extremely drowsy so don't co-sleep with a tiny baby while using them, just in case they have this effect on you.

Oh, and they have the opposite effect on my child. He goes loopy on them!

Loratidine was my life saver while bf this time as my hay fever was horrendous.

I have taken piriton while feeding ds as I need something for skin allergy and I was advised this was best. I doesn't seem to affect him.

Also I think if you time it so you take it just after last feed you can minimise what is in the milk.