Decongestants and breastfeeding

[peppapighastakenovermylife]

Homer Simpson style D'oh coming on I feel!

I have had a sinus infection from hell...finally relented to doctors appointment and antibiotics but had been popping the decongestants to try and get rid of the mind numbing pain. Once I had come out of the fog a little I remembered that although they dont really pass into milk they can reduce supply somewhat and I think they have. DD has been quite cross with me and having longer feeds

Anyway - I presume if I now stop taking them and work on getting the milk supply back up it will most likely increase again? I have been taking them fairly regularly since sunday.

DD is 11 months and only really feeding morning and night so I was taking them around that to reduce the effects on her...but didnt think about the milk production side of things.

It takes about 12 hours for the drugs to be excreted and another 48 for your milk supply to get back to normal - soooooo, I guess Sunday? you will be fine again.

Oh dear, well I hope you at least feel better even if you will be nursing continually for the next few days! Enjoy the lie down!

I was given some on the promise by the chemist that they were suitable for bf mothers (I'll never take their word for it again!) and my milk supply really reduced. Ds was 16 months at the time (cue 'helpful' statements from family such as 'well, maybe it will be a good thing, you have to stop feeding soon' ) so thankfully he wasn't relying on the for survival.

Once I stopped taking the tablets my supply returned. I encouraged ds to feed, feed, feed.

Thank you - it seems alright again now and really was a case of either having to take them or chop my head off

I didnt realise the extent of it though until I googled it a bit - quite scarily only double the amount recommended in a day in the ones I had is used to dry up milk (or reduce supply in major over supply problems). On the back of the packets it just says 'consult your doctor' rather than 'do not take' if breastfeeding so I presumed it was a case of fine but we havent really tested. I think they should have a warning.

What helpful comments from your family gingerwhinge