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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

Drugs and breastmilk...

73 replies

mmelody · 30/07/2008 15:29

Im just curious really...anyone know of any studies into illicit drug use and breastfeeding?? I know that women are encouraged to BF even when on a methadone prescription but I was wondering about more casual recreational use of say MDMA, psilocybin (magic mushrooms), cocaine etc

OP posts:

Original poster

mmelody · 30/07/2008 22:36

I was not asking for opinions actually Lady.. just facts! and littlemiss I never said it was no biggie to BF and take drugs.. what I said was its a fact of life that people take drugs and its an emotive subject when BF is added to thre mix... I was merely interested and wondering... thats all

OP posts:

Original poster

mmelody · 30/07/2008 22:40

Lady you are about as patronising as a Daily mail reader.. you are assuming that I want to take drugs just because I am talking about them.. shame

Night ladies

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Guadalupe · 30/07/2008 22:41

well you were fairly unlikely to ask such a question on a parenting forum without getting some opinions tbh.

I don't think there are the facts that you ask for as people have said, it's not ethical to do the studies, therefore most people don't take the risk. Of course it's a fact of life that people take drugs but hopefully most of them wait until they stop bf take them recreationally.

RuffleTheAnimal · 30/07/2008 22:41

i think it would be a good idea to have some actual info on this out there, too mmelody.

no matter how incomprehensible the idea seems to lots of people, fact is, it really isnt for lots of others.

Guadalupe · 30/07/2008 22:43

It would be good to have info but how do you get that, who would come forward for the studies?

RuffleTheAnimal · 30/07/2008 22:43

and there are a number of groups who deal with/help addicts and drug users of varying kinds around the world who may have access to info like this... no? of course noone woulkd deliberately take coke and bf for the sake of a study... but some women do it, no? has no-one ever studied them?

RuffleTheAnimal · 30/07/2008 22:44

people using drugs anyway and happening to have and bf their babies. they could be studied.

Original poster

mmelody · 30/07/2008 22:47

Yes I see that Guadalupe.. I just get frustrated that people seem to think because I am interested in the info that I want to go off and sell my child for crack. Ok so I see there are no facts available and of course it would be unethical to do the studies.. but i bet people do it.. yay for ruffle!

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Original poster

mmelody · 30/07/2008 22:52

Thats what I was thinking Ruffle...

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RuffleTheAnimal · 30/07/2008 22:52

Klaw · 30/07/2008 22:53

when considering any taking a drug of any kind, as well as asking the pharmacist if applicable, you could do your own research here

It is not ethical to do trials on pg or bf women but history has shown the relative safety of many drugs and you could make an infomed choice to take something if the benefits outweighed the risks.

However, I've no idea why anyone would take a drug, prescription or otherwise, if it was not in the 'considered safe' criteria and only if really necessary. But that's just me and I'm not one to judge others.

Just thought I'd share that link to various sites as it may help some who need to nake a decision about certain drugs. I suffered before giving in and taking an antihistamine. And felt so guilty when ABs for infection after childbirth caused dd's skin to erupt in spots on top of spots!

Guadalupe · 30/07/2008 22:58

Of course some people do it, and I expect there are, or seem to be, no obvious effects in some instances, but we can't know this, and there are certain to be bad effects in lots of cases too.

It would be good to have definitive answers but I can't see how that would come about. How would it be advertised? Would someone admit to their HV that they take MDMA and the HV would mention a study? It's different if people are addicts and they are in contact with health professionals already but who would volunteer info about recreational drug use?

Guadalupe · 30/07/2008 23:04

I have read (mostly links on mnet) that the enormous benefits of breastfeeding outweigh even the negative impacts of drug use while bf but I can't back that up with anything or link to the relevant studies and I'm tired.

But obviously it is ideal to avoid any toxin if at all possible, and surely most people would given that they can't be sure it's safe.

tiktok · 30/07/2008 23:38

There are studies about drugs and breastmilk and breastfeeding - what we don't have are randomised controlled trials, which certainly would be unethical. But there are studies which test the milk, and the babies, of known drug users.

The information on what goes into milk, and how long it stays there, and the observable effect on the baby, is out there....do a PubMed search or look on the websites that deal with drugs and lactation (check archives of mumsnet, as a starting point).

LittleMissBliss · 31/07/2008 08:05

*intelligence , how ironic, wish i could spell!

To be honest wouldn't you be shocked if you went into your local dr's and there was a leaflet on illegal drug taking and bf.
If it was proven to be of little harm wouldn't that be seen to be promoting the use of illegal drugs whilst nursing an infant?

I think we all know a little about the adverse affects of drugs. Not only the biological effets but the social too. I'm sure if a mother has drug problem and is still managing to bf their baby (which i doubt, with the soul commitment involved)they should visit their GP.

I don't think posters on the matter or leaflets are the way forward. I think most people have the common sense to realise it's not a smart idea. I do realise that people like you said feel that they need a night off and take drugs..... but i'd like to think that they would choose to bf or take drugs not both.

LittleMissBliss · 31/07/2008 08:10

mmelody Well as far as I am aware.. a lot of medications are perfectly ok to take and then breastfeed and i actually recall an article that I read in relation to cannabis not crossing into breastmilk..

Im just curious really and onwardandupward im sure that most responsible mothers who would like to get off their faces now and again would ensure their baby was cared for appropriately while they did so

I don't think its shocking at all tbh

That's why i presumed you saw it as not being a big deal.

LittleMissBliss · 31/07/2008 08:13

Ruffle mums that are already taking drugs and bf wouldn't it be more ethical to deter the mothers. Instead of using them as guinea pigs?

LadyJogsAlot · 31/07/2008 08:42

morning you lot!
mmelody, sorry if i came across patronising. that wasn't my intent. i just fail to see why if this isn't an issue for you, why you are interested in it. i guess i am a little presumptuous.

you post on a forum you get people's opinions and i have given mine. fair enough i think!

the point i want to make to you is that any kind of guidelines on the aforementioned subject, any leaflets in your hv/gp surgery will obviously inform people of how much they can take/how long not to bf for afterwards which can be seen as a positive. why is it a positive? so that mums can take drugs safely? here is the problem i hve with it. the govnmt cannot be seen to say that taking drugs is safe in any situation.

how can they give guidelines on what is the limit when the strength of drugs vary so greatly? how do you know what you are taking? pills sometimes have speed, k, mdma and lots of other stuff. you don't know what you're taking so how can there be guidelines?!

also, any mum who wants to get off their head, may be detered by not knowing the effects on bf. if you put guidelines out there, is she going to say no? or feel like it's ok to do it because she knows the limits?

NotMeForThisOne · 31/07/2008 09:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

RuffleTheAnimal · 31/07/2008 11:52

really notme?? (the last statement) coz i have known literally hundreds of people who took drugs recreationally regularly for large periods of time without noticeable ill-effects to their lives . of course ive seen people go too far... but hundreds of others, honestly hundreds, have been, and gone on to be absolutely fine.

im sorry you feel such guilt btw. i personally think guilt in most cases is just destructive and no good to anyone. what you should feel, imo, is that you have been through a lot, learned a hard lesson, pulled yourself through some awful stuff and done the best for your baby and yourself. i think you should feel proud of yourself.

Klaw · 31/07/2008 14:04

Notme - Well done for being clean for the last two years! I accept it can't be easy sometimes. We all feel guilt over something with our children so try not to be too hard on yourself. Hold your head up and know that you did somethig about it.

maidezmoi · 31/07/2008 16:02

With regard to cannabis; as far as I understand it the majority of studies with regard to cannabis usage while breastfeeding or pregnant have used primates as study groups rather than human subjects. However there have been more reliable (IMHO) studies done on Jamacian females who use weed while bf-ing/pregnant. Weed usage while pregnant is very common in Jamacia and even considered beneficial to both mother and child. I don't know about other drugs but I get the impression that coke & speed are definately a bad idea. Make you own minds up about cannabis.

TinkerBellesMum · 31/07/2008 17:03

Slashtrophe the difference is the contents of script drugs are guaranteed.

Something that occurred to me reading this is that BM can be used to wean a baby born addicted, so there must be something in the milk.

Pump & dump doesn't do anything but relieve any engorgement.

"local dr's and there was a leaflet on illegal drug taking and bf."

I was reading one at the maternity hospital actually just a few weeks ago. I only read it for the alcohol information as there I was involved in a discussion on FB and I was wondering how accurate it was (it wasn't).

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