Antihistamines

[prettycandles]

What antihistamines can you take while breastfeeding?

I could ask my GP, but it's quicker to ask you!

I was told piriton is OK but it makes me drowsey

I was told not to take any. I used to take Piriton before I was pregnant, but stopped and haven't really needed it since.

I think the best choice may be Claritin (active ingredient=Loratadine)... am looking in my copy of Hales (wouldn't trust your GP to have a clue, to be honest, P'candles).
Hales says...
Chlorpheniramine (active ingredient in Piriton):
(paraphrasing) "Moderately safe...no controlled studies in breastfeeding women, but a risk is possible or controlled studies show only minimal non-threatening adverse effects (no sleepiness in infant has been observed)".

Cetirizine (brand names=Zyrtec, Zirtek or Reactine): "Safer... has been studied in a limited number of breastfeeding women without an increase in adverse effects in the infant"

Loratadine: (brand names=Claritin, Clarityn, Claratyne): "Safer", approved by Amer. Acad. of Pedaetricians for breastfeeding mothers... er, that says it all! Otherwise much like Cetirizine.

Babies themselves can take zytec from 6 months so I would second that suggestion. I also would follow Hales, my GP knows nothing about bfing.

zyrtec even.

Thanks!

Looks like Zirtec is the best choice, but I may go for Claritin because I think I've taken that in the past. I was hoping to get the OK for Piriton, as that was what I used to use 'before'.

I was on my way to check out Dr Hale next after my posting, but my pc crashed and that was that for the night. It says something for Mumsnet that the first chance I get to surf again I come here rather than continue my research at Hales'!