won't be able to breastfeed my next baby because i am on meds, will my breast hurt?

[truffaut]

Baby due next week, i am on medication that forbids me from breastfeeding, it has just occurred to me that the breast might become engorged if i don't express, or will the milk slowly withdraw if the breast is not stimulated?

Hello, can I ask please which meds you are on? I took some recently that the GP said I couldn't feed with, and he was wrong.

It might hurt for a day or so. Wear a tight, well fitting bra and take some paracetamol

I would express and throw it away if you are considering continuing to feed afterwards.

Its almost always the case that any medication that you can take when pregnant will be OK when breastfeeding.
Really good information here, so please check it out

But if you don't feed, then wearing a tight fitting bra and taking paracetamol will help.

It's an antidepressant, I want to follow my consultant's advice. I don't plan to breastfeed at all, as i am on antidepressants longterm.

Truffaut Go with the tight bra and paracetamol then. You could also talk to your Dr to find out if there is anything that they can give you to dry up your milk quickly. They used to give tablets back in my mum's day.

Good luck

It really is up to you, but the Breastfeeding Network has specialists in breastfeeding and medication, and they say that the majority of the antidepressants are safe to use in breastfeeding mums, and quite a lot of the ladies here have used antidepressants when breastfeeding with no problems.

Unfortunatly, a lot of doctors don't know very much at all about medication and breastfeeding and will always say not to

Hi, if you don't want to BF, perhaps you could try expressing a little every day so that your boobs shrink slowly? (i.e. imagine you were weaning off boob milk - does this make any sense?)

Good luck. Must be awful dealing with depression of any sort.

I take it that you're on something like venlafaxine or mirtazipine which you can't BF with. Its important that you have support ongoing and have made the decision sensibly.

As for preventing sore boobs- a supportive bra, no nipple stimulation and some pain relief if it gets uncomfortable.

Good luck for the birth and I hope you keep well.

emma you can bf on venlafaxine, as i have been bf ds who is 12 weeks old

I am on citalopram, to be honest I am happy not to breastfeed this time round, had the option of changing ads, but the citalopram has changed my life round. Also dp can help out with the night feeds, etc. My main worry is that I will get mastitis, some seem to say no stimulation is fine, others that the milk should be expressed. They don't give tablets anymore apparently cause of side effects being pretty bad.

Truffant Don't feel you have to justify your decision. Lots of people on here are very pro-breastfeeding, including me (I want to train as a BF counsellor) but you need to do what is best for you especially as you are already feeling low. I'm glad you have found something that works for you and I hope you feel better soon.

If BF is established, going cold-turkey can be a nightmare but I've seen friends of mine manage it without getting infections. As you won't be starting at all, it will be less of an issue.

Good luck.

Citalopram is generally considered one of the ADs that is safer to BF with. However, I can understand your reluctance to switch if you have been so well. Its important that you do whatever you feel most comfortable with.

hedgehog1979- I'm amazed. My psychiatrist took me off it as soon as I became pregnant. I also have a friend who had severe PND with a previous pregnancy who was allowed to continue it during this one but was advised that under NO circumstances should she BF. It also seems to be the pattern locally amongst my patients that venlafaxine and BF is a no-no amongst the psychiatrists. I note that the manufacturers of the drug state to avoid it if BF as not enough is know of its long-term safety and that it is present in breastmilk. The BNF advises to use with extreme caution (basically where there is no suitable alternative and the woman is prepared to accept the uncertainty over risk).

Emma - I dropped my dose from 225mg before I knew I was pregnant to 75mg during the pregnancy and am now on 37.5mg. I have been on venlafaxine for over 5 years and I am so stable on it that my psych, maternal psych and consultant discussed with me the other options and I decided that the risks associated with it were far lower than finding something else that I was so compatible with - citalopram made me nauseous, sertraline made me jittery and sleepy and there have been numerous others.

When I googled it there is plenty of evidence that it is safe but the impression I got was that as it is relatively new psychs are happier to prescribe older ad's as more is known

Hi Truffant - just to say i breast fed on agreement with Gp whilst on citalopram with no prob. Ned to weigh up risks. But is generally considered safe.