Sore throat and nasty cold - Is there anything you are allowed to take!!

[Sassles]

Sorest throat ever and eating lockets as my trusty throat numbling strepsils and almost everything else I pick up says no if you are breast feeding. Damn!!

Paracetamol?

Its gross but TCP Gargle does the job for me!

Taking paracetamol, but doesn't ease the scratchiness. My poor uvula is all swollen too. Horrid, horrid, horrid.

I'll look for the Difflam, sounds good. Not sure I could cope with the salt water or TCP, but if all else fails...

Thanks guys.

Honey and lemon in hot water, and gargle with soluble paracetomol.

You can take ibuprofen as well when you are BF-ing. Lots of misinformation says you can't. You can.

Helpful links here - www.kellymom.com/health/meds/pain-meds.html

www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/pdfs/Breastfeeding_and_Medication_FAQs_March_2009.pdf

I thought strepsils were ok?

Oops, I have always taken them.

I'll second Ibruprofen.

Also, with my sore throat and general feeling like crap lasting for 2 weeks I went to GP and was prescribed anti-bios.

Sore throat gone within hours.

Still have horrible cough though.

I've been taking lemsip cold and flu tablets. I think the only reason some say you can't take it is the ingredients might affect your milk supply, bit it hasn't had anny effect on mine.

I did think you couldn't take ibuprofen, but can't remember why...

i asked health visitor she reccommended taking both paracetamol and ibuprofen alternately every 2 hrs. worked a treat after 2 days

Thanks for all your help. Will try all of these suggestions.

At the very start of my cold I bought Echinacea and it too said not to take.

Well it actually said it has not been confirmed to be safe whilst breastfeeding. Guess most things err on side of caution.

Most things say 'no BFing' just to be cautious. I'd bet cash that Strepsils are fine (on the principle that they are meant to be working locally, on your throat, not entering your bloodstream, and then going to your boobs), let me have a dig for something more than a hunch though.

While I dig, look at this - the BFN leaflet on cough and cold remedies.

How old is your baby? The older the baby -> the more relaxed you can be about meds.

Oh, wait, it says in there, specifically, that Strepsils are fine. And Echinacea.

Those leaflets are prepared by a pharmacist who specialises in these things, so I would trust them.

Unfortunately, most drugs have not been confirmed to be safe whilst breastfeeding. Quite difficult to do clinical trials (who's going to volunteer?), and tbh not commercially worth it for the drug companies, we're not a big enough market.

Like all the clothes that say hand wash only - it's just cos they can't be bothered to do the machine wash testing.

Notquite cockney - thanks for that. Really helpful. DS is almost 8 months.

RJandA - LOL think you are right about that.