Alternative to Amoxicillin for Breastfeeding Mom

I don't know who told that you had to pump and dump. But that is incorrect. I just finished a week of Amoxicillin while nursing a 4 month old. Your local chapter of La Leche League can help you. To find a local chapter look on the web at Lalecheleague.org . Your doctor can also look in the latest copy of "Medications and Mothers Milk" written by Thomas W. Hale. It is updated every year. Sorry that you got some bad advice. When it comes to breastfeeding. The La Leche League has the most up to date information. I'm, not telling you to go against what your doctor tells you. But I know someone that is a doctor. They do not get much training on breastfeeding. The La Leche League can back up all there advice. Try them out.

1 mom found this helpful

Also look at this. It is great for all sorts of medicines.

http://neonatal.ama.ttuhsc.edu/cgi-bin/discus/discus.cgi?...

I haad the same problem recently and my doctor prescribed augmentin. It cleared up my infection and I eas able to continue nursing.

I am unsure of why you would have to pump and dump?? I was prescribed Amoxicillin and Azithromycin while pregnant and while breastfeeding. Both are class B drugs which make them safe for consumption by you. I would call and ask your pediatrician, and OB to cross reference. I am sure they will tell you it's fine to take these, and resume normal breastfeeding habits. Good Luck!

Ever hear of a Neti pot? Google it, you'll find pictures, testimonials, and even a youtube video showing you how to use on. It looks like a tea pot. You stand over the sink put the spout in one nostril and pour. The water runs through your sinus cavity and out the other nostril. REALLY. It washes out your nasal cavity. And helps with sinus infections. Dr. Oz had one on Oprah a while back.
Make sure you use salted water. Usually the salts are sold right next to the neti pot.
We bought ours at Wild Oats, but you should be able to find them at any health food store.

maybe the z pack? I don't know, I was on amox and the zpack when I was pregnant....I'd think they'd both be safe afterwards...

So I was able to contact them and get the recipe for you:

1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 cup warm water
a pinch of goldenseal for infections only

Hope this helps!

Hi Melissa,

I was in a similar situation - the other posters wrote about a Neti pot, and I would concur. I was given a recipe to use for the nasal rinse, and it worked AMAZINGLY well!

I can't remember the proportions (and I'm at work and can't look them up) but it was using goldenseal powder and maybe salt or baking soda. It might have just been goldenseal.

If you call this shop - they'll be able to tell you exactly.

Useful Weeds
Herb & Tea Shop
42 Oak Street
Manchester, CT 06040
###-###-####
800.742.0631

It really did work QUICKLY and gently. With no affects to my baby...or me (i hate taking antibiotics!).

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
M.

try a netti pot...one of those nasal irrigators (i don't know if that's how you spell it)...you can buy the pot at walmart, it looks like a little tea pot and it's with sinus medicine...you can also get the same thing at any health store and they could help you on how to use it, most likely....it seems wierd because you're pouring a watery solution through one side of your nose and it's coming out the other side...but if you do it correctly, it works amazingly..
p.s. it doesn't feel like you're drowning :)

I am a family nurse practitioner and Amoxacillin is a category B in pregnancy and safe for lactation. Hope this helps let me know if you have any more questions. I am a mom to a 15 month old and I breastfed while taking a similar medication for a sinus infection.

J.

As far as I know Amoxicillin is fine while breastfeeding. Check out KellyMom.com http://www.kellymom.com/health/meds/aap-approved-meds.htm...

I would double-check with your physician or lactation consultant to be sure, but I'm pretty sure I was told that amoxicillin was safe.

Have you tried a neti pot? Apparently sinus infections do not always respond to antibiotics anyway and the neti pot is sometimes more helpful. Also acupuncture can help tremendously.

E., mom to Austin 23 mos

Melissa,

I use to get sinus infections all the time when i was pregnant with my last baby. I was prescribed Amoxicillin all the time. Totally safe. i still stuffer from them so I stared using the neti pot. It works wonders. I also use it when on my kids when they have a cold or their allergies start acting up.

Didn't you talk to your dr. about this? Antibiotics are perfectly safe to take while breastfeeding, with the exception of tetracycline(sp) and sulfa drugs. Amoxicillin is safe.

I do not see the need to pump & dump. What a watse of your precious milk & energy. Try and time it so that you do not feed baby immediately following your dose if you are really bothered by it. For instance, take your meds at bedtime, and just before baby's first nap.

Call your doc. or pharmacist to ease your mind.

A.

Edited: I just found this link. Perhaps this will help.

http://www.babycenter.com/0_drug-safety-during-breastfeed...

you could use a different antibiotic if you are concerned or just stick it out with some tylenol, it will pass. but as far as i can see, short time use of amoxicillin seems fine.

most antibiotics are ok for breastfeeding moms, just check with your local lactation consultant or online at kellymom or lll or dr sear's site.

There are numerous alternative therapies for sinus infections. Homeopathy is fine to take for breastfeeding moms. Also try a neti pot which irrigates the nasal passages and relieves sinus pressure. You should be able to find both things at your local health food store. There are several bodywork techniques that can really help as well; acupuncture, cranial-sacral therapy (www.upledger.com to find a practitioner), or The Bowen Technique (www.bowenwork.com to find a practitioner).

call a la leche league leader and discuss your options. I know I've requested alternative antibiotics and therapies so i could continue to nurse uninteruppted. most primary care md's don't know squat about nursing!

I have never heard of that,

I had amoxicillin when the baby was born,

and for Vaginal strep, and othing ever happend to my children

I breasst fed aswell, I have 3 children,

Check with your doctor again, because when I was breastfeeding, my doctor said amoxocillin is safe in usual doses for breastfeeding. I had timed it so that I would take a dose right after a feeding. I looked it up on a couple medical websights, it is listed with the safe for breastfeeding drugs, and The American Academy of Pediatrics states "amoxocillin is usually compatible with breastfeeding" usually because in usual doses. Ask your doctor if the dosage you are prescribed is within the normal or usual amount prescribed. If so you are probably safe to keep breastfeeding.

Hi! You don't need to pump and dump when taking Amoxicillin--it is acceptable for use during breastfeeding. See below

http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/f?./temp/~6s...

Toxnet is a great place to search meds which affect/do not affect breastfeeding. There are not that many drugs you cannot safely take while breastfeeding.

Best wishes! Share this with your doc. You can also buy Medications and Mother's Milk by Hale from Amazon or local bookstore and it lists most meds and their safety/risks.

A. White S., CLC (Certified Lactation Counselor)
Big Apple Doula

Try saline solution in your nose, irrigate it. I have many sinus infections a year, so does mom. Try wrapping your head in a towel at night, or even wear a hat, that's my moms advise she has dealt with sinus infections over 50 years. Personally, I use a heating pad on my face for about an hour, on low, the heat helps.

Hi Melissa,
I believe I took the 5 day Z-Pack. There are definitely other alternatives. Your PCP should have prescribed a medication they knew would be safe for a breastfeeding mother. There is a medical book which ranks the safety of all medications for breasfeeding mothers. I ALWAYS call my lactation specialist to make sure the meds are safe. If you don't have one, simply look in phone book and call one; they will look it up and tell you over the phone. You should not have to pump and dump.
Best of luck to you. Feel better.....

Talk with a lactation consultant for antibiotic alternatives.

You might want to try a neti pot! It is basically a little teapot that you fill with a saline solution and pour up your nose... I know, it sounds strange, but it can really help with a sinus infection. It doesn't hurt and in fact it feels pretty good. If you do a search on youtube, you can easily find a (pretty hilarious) video that shows you how to use it. They can be purchased at healthfood stores or drug stores. Also, keep yourself healthy by eating plenty of whole grains and veggies, drink plenty of water and lay off the sugar. You can also take a vitamin C supplement. Hope you feel better!

I am curious as to why you have to pump and dump. Did your pediatrician tell you to do so? I had a throat infection when my son was a few months old and was on amoxicillin. I called my pediatrician and she said that it was still safe to breastfeed while taking it. My son never had any problems. Usually this antibiotic is safe to take while breastfeeding.

No need to pump and dump with Amoxicillin. It's safe while breastfeeding, unless there's penicillin allergy in the family history. In that case, you'd need an alternate antibiotic, but antibiotics are almost always safe during breastfeeding. Take probiotics from the health food store whenever on antibiotics to prevent yeast overgrowth due to the antibiotic.
I'm a board certified lactation consultant.

Why do you have to pump and dump? Most medications are safe to use while breastfeeding. Contact your local La Leche League leader and they will most likely have Dr. Hale's Mother's Milk and Medications Guide to look up your particular med you were prescribed. It is very rare that a medication would be contraindicated for breastfeeding. If it is in fact unsafe to use while breastfeeding, then contact your PCP and demand he prescribe one that is! Get a list of safe meds from your LLL leader and show it to your doctor. Most docs arent familiar with meds and breastfeeding. There is ZERO reason for you to pump and dump and to offer your baby anything but your own milk. There are plenty of meds that are safe, and yours might even be one of them. Ironically, I just ordered a copy of the book for myself, but it was just shipped this morning, or else I would just look it up for you! They may even have a copy at your local library you can bring to your doctor. Good luck.

*EDIT* I got my Hale's book today...it is catagorized as an L1 which means it "has been taken by a large number of bfing moms without any observed increase in adverse effects in the infant. Controlled studies in bfing women fail to demonstrate a risk to the infant and the possibility of harm to the infant is remote; or the product is not orally bioavailable in an infant."

Hi Melissa,

I don't have an alternative to amoxicillin, but a something you can do is take about 1/8 of teaspoon of cayenne pepper and put it in a hot cup of water in the morning & drink that, it should help with the infection. Cayenne pepper has antibiotic properties in it and can help clear up the nasal passages.

Good luck!

R.

As far as I know, Amoxicillin is safe while nursing. If you're particularly concerned with it and still want to take an antibiotic, I would ask your dr about Omnicef or other non-penicillin based antibiotics. Then there's all the non-medicine treatment options like homeopathic remedies already mentioned, and chiropractic care (yep, it works. Don't ask me how!). Best of luck and speedy recovery.

Colotial Silver is a Natural Antibiotic that will not interfere with breastfeeding. Most Health Stores carry it. The best I have seen is from Health Thru Nutrition
Their website is: www.gohtn.com/tommieweber
It is listed under products.
There is a spray attachment that you can use for eyes, nose and ears.

I have a 4 month old and I had a terrible sinus infection a few weeks ago (I'm highly allergic to mold and my son's room had some mold in it). My symptoms were: itching throat (very irritated), watering eyes, stuffy and runny nose, and fever - I never had such a bad sinus infection!

My doctor prescribed Cefuroxime Axetil 500mg (general name for CEFTIN) and there was no pumping and dumping.

I tried to do some research online to find out what type of medication I could take that wouldn't go to breast milk but it was very tough. They all made reference to 'ask your doctor'. But all the doctors don't know and don't seem to care if you are breastfeeding or not.

The solution: Call you local La Leche League and ask if someone has the book about safe meds to take while breastfeeding if you ever need to know anything about a specific medication. The medication above had a rating of L2 (L1 being safest, L5 being 'do not take this medication').

I also heard about The Nursing Mother's herbal book by Sheila Humphrey. I don't have this but it got recommended by a girlfriend.

Good luck!
I.

Melissa,
Amoxicillin is safe to take during breastfeeding. I am a mom of 3 and have nursed them all. You can contact your local La Leache League and talk to them my sister in law is a leader with them and anytime i had a concern i would ask her. She told me rule of thumb is if it is safe to take during pregnancy it is safe while nursing. I have taken amoxicillin during my pregnancys and nursing. You need to take care of yourself so you can take care of your baby. My dr has told me to be sure i up my fluid intake while i have a sinus infection. Good luck and i hope you feel better. You can also call your obgyn and ask them about the medicines while nursing.
Sherri

My advice is: do not take the antibiotic. Besides the fact that you are breastfeeding and your baby is ONLY 4 months old, and doesn't take a bottle, taking an antibiotic could put you at risk for chronic sinus infections.
Our friend had recurrent sinus infections for many years, and took antibiotics every winter. My husband suggested he try an alternate route ~ our friend had amazing results with an acupuncturist and has not had a sinus infection since!
There are many avenues to help promote your well-being ~~ homeopathy, herbs, holistic, acupuncture, alignment of the spine/chiropractic, yoga ~~ besides taking an antibiotic. You will need to ask questions and do some research, and in the long run your overall health will improve and your body will be stronger to fight off the next illness it is exposed to~! and drink ALOT of water ! boost your immune system with such supplements as: vitamin C, elderberry syrup, astragalus tincture, seaweed (nature's most amazing food full of vitamins and minerals).

I have never taken antibiotics for something like that. If you eliminate dairy from your diet for the week, you'll cut back on how much musus your body is producing. Increase your water and vitamin c by a lot, and if you can, take some echinacea, an herbal immune system booster, and raw garlic, also an immune system booster. Try to rest and you'll be alright. If you have a vaporizer, put that on by your bed and around the house and put eucalyptus or teatree oil in it, both will open your sinuses, and teatree oil has natural antibacterial elements that will help get rid of germs.
Feel better!

It sounds like the Amoxicillin is OK for breastfeeding -- but I agree with other posters who recommend that you should check in with a lactation consultant. Another safe antibiotic is Omnicef. I've taken a couple courses of that for sinus infections while breastfeeding, and it was fine for the babies (I'm nursing twins) and cleared up my illnesses quickly.