I am a mom of a newby -3 month old. What can anyone reccomend me to take for flu symptoms that wont affect breastmilk? i already am taking a type of sudifed that the doc told me to take but i am soooooooooooooo miserable! any advice? and of course i would still ask my doc... no effense to anyone... safe than sorry.
and thank you ahead of time for ur help!
netti pot
Listed as "Safe" in the Medications and Mother's Milk drug book.
Safe means not only safe for baby but will not cause a decrease in supply.
--Alavert
"Probably safe"
Means tested and very little went into breastmilk, not enough to cause any reactions and will most likely not cause an issue with supply.
--Entex
--mucinex (guafenesin)
--Robitussin DM
--Sudafed Max non drowsy
--Vicks 44 cough & chest congestion
I would recommend taking Vitamin C to help fight it off (check with your doc about how much). It doesn't have to be EmergenC brand, it can just be pure Vitamin C capsules or gummies.
I usually wind up taking Tylenol Sore Throat (liquid) which provides immediate cooling relief as well as the effects of acetaminophen.
If you are worried about your milk supply, I'd say it's never a bad idea to drink some Mothers Milk tea which helps with milk supply and will sooth your throat in the process.
Feel better soon!
The very safe answer is to just take tylenol.
Sudafed and antihistamines (such as benedryl) aren't harmful to the baby, but can cause a drop in your supply. With my 2nd, I had an abundant supply (too much actually). When I got a bad cold, I took 1 dose of benedryl before bed so that I could sleep, but didn't take any during the day so that my supply wouldn't be affected too much. I found that if I got a little sleep at night, I could deal with the symptoms during the day.
If you are struggling with your supply, you might not want to do this though.
Try taking some Emergen C. This helps you to get over your cold faster. I have taken phytofed HF which is a natural herbal type of product, but you should always research anything you take.
Saline nose drops and Tylenol (you can take ibuprofen if you are desperate). Gargle with salt water several times a day. Take hot showers. Run a humidifier, and stay in bed. Make sure you're being waited on hand and foot! :-) It really sucks being that sick when you have a little one and are breastfeeding-- just take care of you and know that this won't last forever. If you aren't getting better, go to the doctor, because this flu is turning into pneumonia for a lot of people.
I remember dealing with the same thing! I can tell you that what I read online is that anything that will dry up your nose, will also dry up your milk. That's the unfortunate part! In general, it's my understanding that you can take any medications while nursing, that you could take while pregnant. In that regard, I believe Tylenol Cold/Flu is okay. It's actually my medication of choice when I'm not pregnant because it works so well! But of course, like you put in your original statement - ask your OB/GYN first to be sure it's an okay medication. Anyone that would tell you otherwise is just crazy! I believe Tylenol products are okay though.
My nutritionist recommended that I take garlic when I was nursing my infant. I had a pork chop, with gravy, mashed potatoes and a green vegetable. I put 2-3 cloves of garlic chopped up in the gravy and potatoes. I was so stuffed up I could not taste the garlic. That night, I had a lot of covers on me and the baby. I kept him very warm with me......the next morning, I felt almost all better. My baby never got anything!
Stay warm and relax!!!!!!
Actually Sudifed is a huge NO when it comes to breastfeeding. It drys up your supply very quickly. Stick with the Tylenol products. They will not dry up supply. Also, you can try steaming yourself out in the shower, and a neti pot. They both work well, and don't mess with supply at all.
Make sure thru all this, you are drinking plently of water. At least 64oz per day. It is imperative when you are sick, and will help flush everything out of your system quicker.
