Atenalol whilst BF-ing

[rascal1979]

My baby is on SCBU and I am expressing every 3hrs - doing well but I am on Atenalol 100mg daily for high BP (following Pre-Eclampsia. I asked the Dr if it was okay to BF with this medication and he said that it was but a midwife has questioned it.

On top of this baby has been suffering bradycardia - slow heart which picks up within seconds - which apparently can be related to me taking Atenalol but is also common in premature babies.....

I can't stop the Atenalol without seeing my GP probably on Tuesday....

The nurse on SCBU checked with the cons on the ward round today and she said it's fine but i'm just a little worried.....

anyone else on/been on Atenalol and breast feeding?

i breastfed whilst taking labetalol. hope your baby is out of scbu soon.

i was also on atenolol and bfing after pre-eclampsia. Afterward, I read the drugline page on the Breastfeeding Network website which, as I remember it, said was safe to use whilst breastfeeding. I tried to search it tonight but unfortuneately, the website is undergoing significant changes and that page is not up at the moment.

you can however, email the BfN www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/here and confirm (or reject) what I am saying - or someone else will come on soon and do the same on here. Hoping you take your baby home soon.

Have just done the same kiskidee and the website has changed!! I rang the number on the website several times and they are really, really helpful. I took Labetalol whilst breastfeeding but it wasn't controlling my BP that well. The lady I spoke to from the Breastfeeding Network was willing to speak to my consultant with regards to different drugs and breastfeeding. They were also really helpful when I had to take medication for shingles whilst bf. They phoned me back serveral times after finding more information for me. Do ring them rather than wait for an e-mail. Fantastic site. Hope all goes well for you, sounds like you are doing a great job with the expressing.

I've just looked in the BNF (drug "bible") and it says that it is OK whilst breastfeeding, and amount of most beta-blockers present in milk too small to affect infant.

Hope that helps. For further reassurance I would ask a pharmacist. They tend to be far more knowledgeable than midwives/doctors/nurses.

Forgot to say, I hope your baby continues to do well My DD2 was prem and I expressed for her, it's hard work but so worth it

Thanks for all your replies. Just so scary with her being so tiny - 2lbs - and I'm so conscious of not doing anything to hurt her or affect her development/growth etc x

rascal, I am glad you got this sorted....do tell the midwife who (IMO) was wrong to openly question this medication without doing her own checks first. She was wrong to make you so anxious at a time when you are already under pressure.

What would a mother with no access to the internet/mumsnet have done? Maybe stopped expressing out of fear?

I can't seem to get a straight answer but the consensus seems to be that it's best not to be on any medication and Atenalol isn't a great one to be on for BFing BUT the benefits to my health are outweighing the risks to my baby who seems fine and the bradycardia seem to have settled.

I'm going to make an appointment with my GP on Monday to check it out to be absolutely on the safe side.

Kiskedee - what dosage were you on?

Rascal, do ring the drugs in breastfeeding helpline. They are so helpful and not at all scaremongering. When I was having steroid eye drops for my shingles whilst breastfeeding the consultant who prescribed them was muttering that they were OK if you were breastfeeding but if it was his wife and child he wouldn't be very keen. Great, I was worried sick and I had a bouncing, huge 14 week baby. The support from the Breastfeeding Network was fantastic, they really put my mind at rest and just gave me facts and figures not vague mumblings. My GP was also vague when I was prescribed Acyclovir for the shingles, all they did was reach for the drug book and read out what it said. The woman I spoke to on the helpline even asked me to ring back and let her know how I was getting on! I read your birth story on another thread Rascal . What a time of it you are having, your baby girl looks divine by the way, congratulations. You are right about looking at the whole picture. You have to get better and also think of the benefits that your lovely breast milk is giving your baby. Does your hospital have a breastmilk bank? Would that be an option, it may be that you are only on Atenalol a short time. Both of mine were breastfed whilst I was on Labetalol to no ill effects, they may be able to swap you to that fairly soon. Ask for a referal to a cardiologist who will have first hand knowledge of all the BP drugs available to you. Will be thinking of you, you are doing great.

sorry, i don't remember as dd is now 2.8yo.

when you say 'the consensus' who do you mean? health professionals are notoriously underinformed in most things regarding breastfeeding, i am afraid.

please ring the BfN helpline - now. Tiktok, who responded below is an active Breastfeeding Counsellor with the National Childbirth Trust and most if not all of the regulars on the Breast and Bottlefeeding threads trust her advice on things like this.

these are the numbers for the Breastfeeding Charities.

Association of Breastfeeding Mothers 08444 122 949
Breastfeeding Network 0844 412 4664
La Leche League 0845 120 2918
National Childbirth Trust 0870 444 8708

thinking a bit o/s the box, why don't you go to an urgent care clinic now and ask for your bp to be taken to see what it is reading?

I was also put on Atenolol when I was at home and found that by the time I saw my gp, my bp was very low and judging by how lethargic i was feeling, i probably should have come off them earlier.

oh your dd is gorgeous. a good mate of mine had a 30 wk preemie in March. your pics brought a lump to my throat. i understand your worry and concern. my friend also got very unhelpful 'advice' from one or two of the scbu nurses. it is worth looking elsewhere for support as this is surely a very worrying time for you. (whispers) I am an ABM support mum and this is how I met my mate.

It's fine! I've been on it and the DTs weren't affected.

Congratulations.