Monday, October 22, 2012

Safe and unsafe medications during breastfeeding


Make sure the medicine is safe to take when breastfeeding.
Watch your baby for side effects such as poor feeding, drowsiness and irritability. Stop taking the medicine if your baby gets side effects.
For more advices, speak to your pharmacist.
To treat constipation during breastfeeding:
• First choice: Eat more fiber or Bulk laxatives that contain ispaghula or lactulose.
• Second choice:  bisacodyl or senna
To treat Cough during breastfeeding:
• First choice: Honey and lemon in hot water or Simple linctus.
• Do not use:  Medicines that contain codeine or guaifenesin.
To treat Diarrhea during breastfeeding:
• First choice: Oral rehydration sachets.
• Second choice: occasional doses of Loperamide
To treat Hemorrhoids (piles) during breastfeeding
• First choice: Soothing creams, ointments or suppositories.
• Second choice: Ice pack.
To treat Hayfever, house dust mite and animal hair allergy during breastfeeding
• First choice: Antihistamine nasal sprays and eye drops or Steroid nasal sprays.
• Second choice: antihistamines cetirizine or loratadine.
• Do not use: Other antihistamines unless advised by your doctor.
To treat Head lice during breastfeeding
• First choice: Wet combing or Dimeticone lotion.
• Second choice: If ineffective, then head lice lotions that contain permethrin.
To treat Indigestion during breastfeeding
• First choice: Antacids (indigestion mixtures).
• Second choice: On your doctor’s advice: medicines that reduce acid production, e.g. omeprazole.
To treat Nasal congestion (stuffy or runny nose) during breastfeeding
• First choice: Steam inhalation (e.g. over a bowl of hot water) or a hot shower.
• Second choice: oxymetazoline or xylometazoline nasal sprays. Occasional doses of pseudoephedrine
• Do not use: Medicines that contain Phenylephrine.
To treat Pain (e.g. headache, mastitis, toothache) during breastfeeding
• First choice: Paracetamol.
• Second choice: Ibuprofen.
• Do not use: Medicines that contain aspirin or Medicines that contain codeine (e.g. co-codamol, co-dydramol), unless advised by your doctor.
To treat Threadworms during breastfeeding
• First choice: Mebendazole.
To treat vaginal thrush during breastfeeding
• First choice: Clotrimazole pessaries or cream.
• Second choice: Fluconazole.

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