Why doesn't the advice change when your baby becomes a toddler?

[beansprout]

Am still breastfeeding 18mo ds three times a day (twice on workdays). I have a sore throat and the pharmacist has said that I can't have so much as a Strepsil, only paracetemol. I understand that we need to be careful when they are under 6 months but do we still really need to be as careful as they get older? At 18m they are allowed to take all sorts themselves but I must not. For example, they can have some anti-histimines (there is some in Medised) but I must not.

Do we just get uniform advice because no-one has done the research? Anyone?

Don't know, but wondered similar myself the other day!

Strongly suspect it's just because there is no research. It's much easier and cheaper for drug companies just to say not suitable if breastfeeding than it is for them to do the research. If something would be safe for your ds to take independently then can't think that it wouldn't be ok for you to take whilst breastfeeding.

My suspicion is the same - that they can't be bothered to do the research, but of course, I still want to do the right thing by ds. Argh, am so sick of being told that paracetomel is the cure-all for everything when it damn well isn't!!

I really don't think that a few strepsils are going to hurt you or him. It was a bit extreme for the pharmacist to say this. I would take them now myself and my son is only ten months.

What's in a strepsil that you're not supposed to have?

I took the advice until 1 year and then figured that extended breastfeeding was better than being spared a tiny amount of strepsil every now and again (and therefore fed lots of bovine antibiotics instead)

That Texan dude has probably done the research.

From what I know, the only drugs you really can't have are some chemo drugs. There are websites that discuss all the ingredients involved.

I agree, you need to be more careful at the beginning, when your baby is more delicate, and drinking more milk, and less so as you go on.

Oh, and I think the BFN or somebody runs a drugs hotline, who are actually knowledgeable.

I would just go to another pharmacist and get some strepsil. As long as you don't live on them, what's the harm?

The LLL are very knowledgeable about this and could give you advice based on individual circumstances, rather than blanket advice. Pharmacists have to say no, they are not qualified to advise in individual cases.

I feed twice a day (morning and night.)
When I needed some immodium the pharmacist said I would be ok to take it after the morning feed because there would be a long gap before the next one.

I'm sure a strepsil would be ok, but you could try taking it at a time as far away as the next feed as poss.

Apparently menthol can affect milk supply, especially in established bfing for some reason. Or so it says on the BFN drugs information bit.

Just seconding the suggestion of contacting the LLL. I emailed with a query about bf and anti-histamines and got a very helpful, lengthy reply which was specific to my circumstances.

It mentioned that in the case of many drugs the potentially harmful effect on your child reduces as they get older, both because they tend to have less milk and because their systems are better able to deal with whatever it is.

I wouldn't hesitate to have strepsils (except on the grounds that they taste foul and don't seem to work for me), but then I am clearly a bit slapdash about these things - I tried to buy a packet of Lockets when 7 months preggers and the chemist very loudly refused to sell them to me.