Breastfeeding Safety After Taking Medication (Cabergoline) to Dry up Supply

Updated on July 08, 2011
J.M. asks from Rice Lake, WI
5 answers

Hello everyone. I had been breastfeeding for about 2 and a half months with no problems when I suddenly got some sort of infection... the dr. never said what it was, I suspected thrush... (yeah, I know, that's not a big help, but I'm living abroad and health is way different here). Basically my nipples were red and swollen and developed big cracks, which won't heal. I tried breastfeeding, pumping, using creams, everything for 2 weeks, and finally couldn't take the pain anymore, as they are not healing! It caused a lot of issues with my son as well, as he is getting fairly large amounts of blood with each feeding, you can tell each time he spits up. The doctor put me on an antibiotic (cefalexine) and anti-inflammatory with tylenol. After 4 days trying that, I went back as there was still no improvement, and was given Cabergoline to dry up my supply. Well, I took that last night, and it's been hell with my son ever since...

I had been supplementing with formula since having this problem, but now suddenly he cries and refuses to take it until he's at the point of starvation, then he'll finally drink it. I feel awful- guilty, and worried for him, and still with no improvement to the cracks that I have, which means I've come to dread breastfeeding because it's so painful, but don't want to give it up so early either. I just don't know what to do except see if I can go back to breastfeeding him at least a little so he's not so traumatized, and trying to supplement to try to encourage my nipples to heal, then build up my supply again once they do. I just don't know if it's safe to breastfeed him after taking the Cabergoline yesterday at 7:30 pm, and with the antibiotics I'm on... And I don't know, I've tried everything to heal my nipples, letting them airdry, using the cream, nothing is working. Any suggestions? These aren't just small cracks, they're pretty deep, I think the pumping actually made them worse as the suction pulls right at that same spot, so it's too painful to even pump and give him that milk. Last night I pumped just to relieve the pressure, and it's pretty pink yet! Please, any comments/suggestions will be so appreciated!

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L.K.

answers from Phoenix on

I had the same problem with mine and it is miserable!!!! The only thing that worked for me was to use melaleuca lotion first (this lotion works for all kinds of skin problems where other things don't) and then lanolin on that too. Once I did that it went away within a week. I had messed around with everything for a few weeks and using both those individually didn't help at all. I'm not sure if those things are available where you are or if this helps but I wish you the best!! Hang in there!!

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S.P.

answers from New York on

the pumping may also hurt because your "flanges" are not the right size. I ended up with bruising just from the pumping. You can try "hand expressing". I also found that massaging while taking a shower helped a lot.

Good luck.

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A.D.

answers from Bismarck on

What I had to do to heal majorly cracked nipples was feed using a nipple shield. It was a pain but it allowed me to heal while continuing to nurse. Eventually I was able to quit using them as my baby got a better latch. I also had some gel thingies (sorry, can't remember what they are called) to put in my bra so there was no rubbing.

Good luck!

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C.S.

answers from Minneapolis on

You seem to have some good advice already. I just wanted to add that with my third child I had nerve damage in my nipples. Not much cracking, but hurt like crazy. My lactation consultant told me to take vitamin b6. 200 kilograms for the first 4 days, then 50 milligrams after that. She said it's a natural anti-inflammatory and it really helped!

M.M.

answers from Tampa on

For the cracks... if you still have thrush of the nipples, the creams you are putting on are making it worse. You need to rinse and wash nipples with vinegar after every feeding, and use gentian violet in the baby;s mouth and on the nipples to get rid of thrush.

Blood in the milk the baby suckles if FINE... when a baby unclogs a clogged milk duct, they are ingesting pus - which is ALSO fine.

As for the Cabergoline... pump and dump for 48 hours, while still rinsing with vinegar and applying gentian violet to the nipples every 4 hours - pump every 2 hours.

Most antibiotics are fine and very breastfeeding compatible...

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