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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Has anyone had to stop breastfeeding to take antibiotics?

26 replies

Pitmountainpony · 13/09/2013 14:05

If so what did you do? I am dreading stopping to take some strong antibiotics for a week. I will pump every day to keep my supply up so intern to resume a week later. But my daughter still feeds in the middle of the night despite being 17 months. My husband plans to sleep with her but I think we have a tough week ahead of us.
Will try her on a bottle of course but I think she is going to find it hard to under stand the sudden cold turkey.

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 13/09/2013 14:06

Are you sure you need to stop? Can you ask for bfing friendly antibiotics?

Artijoke · 13/09/2013 14:06

A&E you sure you have to stop. Some GPs think you need to stop when the Beitish National Formulary advice is that it's ok to continue. I've had lots of ABs due to repeated mastitis but I have always kept feeding.

noblegiraffe · 13/09/2013 14:07

If she is 17 months I would offer a cup of water rather than a bottle of milk in the night. They shouldn't be drinking from bottles after the age of one.

curlew · 13/09/2013 14:08

I don't think you have to stop for antibiotics, do you?

bundaberg · 13/09/2013 14:09

no, i would ask for an antibiotic that is suitable for use while breastfeeding.

bundaberg · 13/09/2013 14:09

what is it you have to take?

Me23 · 13/09/2013 14:09

What antibiotics are you on a lot of antibiotics are safe to take while bf but a lot of pharmacists and are not very knowledgeable about which ones are so they generally advise against bf with any of them!
Please read this link from breastfeeding network

www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/dibm/antibiotics_and_Breastfeeding_Jan_2013-%20wj.pdf

Original poster
Pitmountainpony · 13/09/2013 15:31

Thanks everyone.
Well this is my fourth lot of anti b s since may to try to get rid of a uti that has been going on all this time. S the pharmacist said that they were really strong..also used for anthrax it says on the instructions!!
Ciprofloxacin 500 mg twice a day for some unusual bacteria not the norm one that causes uti s.....will check the name.About to call the lactation unit to check with them and have e mailed doctor....I know about the bottles being phased out after one year but for one week I will use them to mimic the boob because that is going to be pretty traumatic to suddenly have no boob to suck on...she uses it to get to sleep and for comfort .
She does not do dummies.
When I night weaned my son at 22 months I used a bottle for about ten days and it really helped him to transition......but having breastfeed we have not really used bottles apart from for this purpose.

OP posts:
Original poster
Pitmountainpony · 13/09/2013 15:35

Klebsiella bacteria found in urine hence why they chose this anti biotic I guess. Because I have been breastfeeding every time I have had this uti since may I have had more gentle anti biotics but I guess this Bastia is resistant to them which is why I still have it...have felt wretched for a lot of the summer from it constantly needing the bathroom and one weekend bed ridden with crippling lower back pain and fever and flu like feelings.....but then sometime the urine culture has come back negative even though the anti biotics they gave me just from describing my symptoms made me feel so much better.......so strange for it to keep coming and going like this...I have started to think I have a serious urology type problem from having two kids.

OP posts:
Original poster
Pitmountainpony · 13/09/2013 15:36

Bastia is I pad language for bacteria.

OP posts:
TheProsAndConsOfHitchhiking · 13/09/2013 15:37

I would ask again about this, I was in hospital on intravenous anti biotics and breast fed all the way through. I will admit my ds's nappies were horrendous and he goat terrible sore bum but I was encouraged to keep feeding. He was only 1 1/2- 2 weeks old.

PrimalLass · 13/09/2013 15:39

I did. I needed metronidazole for an infected root filling at 8 months. Nothing else would touch it, and it was like getting sledgehammered in the face. He was already mix-fed so it was fine. I tried to start again afterwards but he wasn't interested.

bundaberg · 13/09/2013 15:42

lactmed is very useful for looking up meds with regard to breastfeeding

from this link i guess it's one of those that just doesn't have enough studies done to say it either is or isn't safe.
the only thing I would say is that generally speaking (and i am not a medical professional) the older your child the better as they will be bigger and potentially not feeding as often

bundaberg · 13/09/2013 15:43

again, metronidazole is generally considered ok for breastfeeding mums.

dutchmam · 13/09/2013 15:44

Ciprofloxacin does appear in breast milk and can cause joint abnormalities in young children. So if that is the only antibiotic that will work for your infection it is better not to breast feed whilst you take it.

LittleMouseontheDairy · 13/09/2013 19:24

I took metronidazole for the same reasons as PrimalLass (worst pain of my life). I carried on feeding 17 mo DS though (16 mo old the time). I'm a bit worried now though Sad.

Original poster
Pitmountainpony · 14/09/2013 03:26

Well I called lactation unit at my hospital and she looked it up and said after four hours it leaves the system or something like that.....only 1 to 2 percent goes in to breast milk.....so I plan to try just to feed at night and take tablets after morning feed then not feed again till much later....take other tablet at 4 so I can feed at 8 but she did say it may give diarrheal.....loading my baby up with more food in the hope she will just breastfeed or comfort in middle of night at the early dawn feed when she will not go back to sleep without some.......thanks everyone. Will be so relieved to be rid of this thing.....it as marred the summer.

OP posts:
snickersnacker · 14/09/2013 21:18

LittleMouse don't worry, metronidazole is fine - I was put on IV metronidazole in the postnatal ward and then an oral course of metronidazole and cefalexin for a postpartum infection.

PrimalLass · 14/09/2013 21:53

No my GP did say afterwards that the dentist had it wrong, and that she could have given me a milder dose. However the pain was so bad and he was 8 months so I just went with it Sad

LittleMouseontheDairy · 14/09/2013 21:55

Thank you snickersnacker I appreciate that reassurance. I slept badly last night as kept thinking about it.

Neonbabyblue · 14/09/2013 21:57

I had to- infected wisdom tooth which after 2 other antibiotics, required metronidazole.

I was dreading it as DD wouldn't take a bottle at all but strangely it was fine. She just started taking the bottle.

Metronidazole can be fine but tbh I didn't feel comfortable risking it as DD had stomach problems anyway and I didn't want to make them worse.

LittleMouseontheDairy · 14/09/2013 21:59

Cross posted! Thanks too PrimalLass. Sympathies - I had an abscess in the root and it was unbelievable pain. Definitely worse than my labour.

PrimalLass · 14/09/2013 23:48

Yes I lost a stone over the three courses I had to take. Was quite useful that way Shock

Bibblebo · 15/09/2013 09:58

I always asked for Antibiotics which would be safe for nursing. Good luck.

NotQuiteCockney · 16/09/2013 08:10

If only a very small amount goes into the milk, then I bet that very small amount is much much less than your child could be given as a therapeutic dose. I wouldn't worry about it at all, particularly with a larger child.