Antibiotics and breastfeeding ?????

[beatie]

I won't bore you with the details of why but I am on antibiotics (Amoxcillin - 500mg) during my 40th week of pregnancy.

I'm due on Friday/Saturday and won't have finished the course until Sunday/Monday.

The side effects on the box mention breastfeeding. They say the ABs may alter the normal bacteria in the gut of the breastfed child, sometimes causing stomach upsets or allergic reactions.

This will be my second child and I will be breastfeeding. What should I do? Not taking the ABs is not an option.

How long will it take for the ABs to get out of my system?

If I have the baby early, should I not breastfeed the baby until I have finished the course of ABs and pump and dump my milk/colustrum instead?

If I ingest probiotic yoghurts and yoghurt drinks, can this really help or does it just help me?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

I had to have antibiotics for mastitis(sp?) whilst breast-feeding and only reaction was I got horrendous oral thrush! Baby was fine though she was about 9 months old.
I'd ask midwife/GP but I would have thought that baby getting colostrum was better than any risk from anti-biotic

You'd need to speak to your doctor about it to be perfectly sure. I would imagine it would be OK - those are the possible affects of ABs anyway aren't they? Would the benefits of the breastmilk and colostrum outweigh any potential side affects?

DS2 had ABs of his own immediately following his birth and he had no problems whatsoever.

No you should take them and breastfeed. Antibiotics are fine to take while breastfeeding. Lots of women are given antibiotics for mastitis! And they can be routinely given after caesarians. It is fine. You might, however, want to consider taking probiotics (eg Yakult or probiotic capsules) from now until the baby is born - it helps improve intestinal flora and can even help prevent allergies developing in your baby. Good luck.

Probiotics do help the baby because she will get her intestinal flora from you! Also they are passed on via breastfeeding.

Thanks for the advice. I feel better now. Suddenly all my usual confidence leaves me the week before I'm due. Expect to see a lot of me here as I work my way through the first few weeks of breastfeeding.

It is fine to breastfeed whilst on abs I was on and off strong ones from when DS was 3wks till he was 6 months.Only a minimal ammount appears in the milk.I was told by my HV to eat probiotic yogurts whilst on the abs.Good luck