Why is choosing safe pain pills so important for a nursing mother?
Breast-feeding a baby is a special period in a woman’s life. In addition to the fact that she needs to monitor her diet, a nursing mother should also be more careful about the medications that she has to take. In this article, we will talk about painkillers during breastfeeding.
Any mom who has actually breastfed will inform you about a specific food that she ate that made her baby fussy or gassy. If something as innocuous as eating a green pepper has an unfavorable impact on your baby, you may believe taking a pain medication is out of the question. Talk to your physician before using any medication during pregnancy, but numerous pain killers are thought about safe when breastfeeding.
Ibuprofen
A typical non-prescription medication utilized to deal with a variety of ailments, ibuprofen is a good option for pain when breastfeeding. The American Academy of Pediatrics deemed it safe due to the low quantities measured in breast milk. A research study by R.J. Townsend in the “American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology” showed that mothers who took the advised dose transferred less than 1 mg of the drug to their children.
Codeine
Codeine is a stronger pain reliever that is sometimes prescribed in conjunction with acetaminophen. If non-prescription medication does not assist a breastfeeding mom, a medical professional might suggest codeine. This drug does end up in a mom’s milk, but for most women, a low dose considered a short time is safe to a baby. However, some women have a gene that rapidly metabolizes codeine into morphine. These mothers risk of moving morphine to their babies through breast milk. Uncommon sleepiness, trouble feeding and breathing problems are signs that your baby has ingested excessive codeine or morphine. Seek immediate medical attention for these symptoms.
Acetaminophen
Another common household pain reliever, acetaminophen can be found on its own or as part of a cold or influenza medicine. The AAP and the World Health Organization Working Group on Drugs and Human Lactation also deemed acetaminophen safe for breastfeeding moms. The Organization of Teratology Information Specialists reports that a breastfed baby will consume less acetaminophen from his mother than the dose a medical professional would prescribe for a baby experiencing pain.
Hydrocodone
The opioid hydrocodone is safe in low doses for breastfeeding mothers. The research study estimated that an infant would ingest a portion of the dosage a physician would prescribe for an older baby, however other experts suggest caution given that the drug might remain in the body of younger babies longer. Just like codeine, non-prescription pain killers should be attempted before turning to the stronger hydrocodone. Similar symptoms of toxicity to those related to codeine must be reported to your doctor right away.
