Can you breast feed if you are on medications?

[Saxelby88]

Morning ladies.

DH and I are disagreeing about breastfeeding our baby when he/she arrives. It is causing me quite a lot of upset as I am really not keen on the idea. I have no idea why, I wanted a baby for about 12 months before we started trying. I am so happy we are expecting and we are looking forward to bringing the baby up. But it is me that has the issue.

Anyway, I have always felt uncomfortable with the idea of breastfeeding and I literally have no idea why! I have no issue with other people breastfeeding, I think it is a lovely thing to do if you can/want to. DH is very insistent I BF our baby. I thought I would come around to the idea as my pregnancy progressed and I am still hoping this will change. But the thought of it, makes me want to cry. I am so worried I will dislike it so much, it will cause an issue with bonding with our baby

The other issue I am having, and it sounds like an excuse, is I have a chronic pain condition which is currently un-medicated as you would expect. I am struggling. Badly. I have constant pain which sometimes I can tolerate, and other times I cannot (like today ). I said this to my husband last night, and he said, 'well you can't take pain meds until after you have finished breast feeding then.' Its like he has no idea what I go through every day. I am sat on the sofa now waiting to go to work to cover a lunch break and attend a 30 minute meeting (how crap is that on my day off! 1.5 hours of work!!). He is laying in bed with a cold and you would think he is dying. Lol. Men!

So my question is, if I breastfeed, does this mean I cannot go back on to my pain meds? I was on Codeine, nortriptyline and paracetamol. About a month before we decided to TTC, my doctor suggested changing to tramadol or even going on to gabapentin. This was put on hold when I went to see her about TTC and she said to stop everything. I am having a really hard time.

My worry is, if I breastfeed, I think I will hate it so much that it will have a detrimental effect on my relationship with the baby and if I am in this much pain, with sleep deprivation and a newborn, I am not sure I will be a very good mum. I think that I would be a much better mum if I bottle feed and take my pain meds.

DH doesn't agree so we have decided not to talk about it for now as it upsets me and aggravates my condition.

Sorry for the long post, but I am at a point where I have no idea what to do. DH is normally very understanding but he is insistent on this. I can see why but I feel very pressured.

 

[mum2b410]

Hi hun- v tough situation u are in there
Chronic pain is awful (I used to work as a physio so I dealt with people with it a lot) and that aside from any breastfeeding issue is going to make the early days with a baby hard because of the sleep deprivation as often everything feels worse when u are sleep deprived!
It might be that when baby comes your pain may settle down again because there will be less strain on your body? You may feel you could manage without the strong pain killers? I think paracetomol is fine to take with bf but I don't know if taking it regularly is an issue and I would assume that with the stronger ones bf wouldn't be advised- but I am no expert and you should ask your midwife or consultant.
Is it the actual act of bf that you feel uncomfortable with?? Have you thought about expressing milk? I know some who have been able to keep that up for about 6 weeks or a bit longer? Maybe that could be a compromise with your OH??
I don't think he should be pressuring it with you though and I do believe that if you are coping and happy the baby will benefit, rather than a stressed out mother who cannot stand the thought of the next feed!!
I bf my son exclusively for 6 months and it wasn't easy.....I got PND and refused to take any meds until I had finished bf which maybe in hindsight wasn't the right thing to do but we all got there in the end. Maybe I would have been happier if I had not been so hard on myself and did some formula feeding earlier. What I'm trying to say is if it's not for you, it's not for you- don't pressure yourself and if OH keeps insisting then he may just have to accept that it's your body and you aren't happy to do it and he can't make you.
It could be that this is one of those decisions that you just can't make until baby comes- you may feel different then to how you do now? Maybe you need to look into what it is about bf that makes you feel uncomfortable and see if addressing that makes a difference?
Sorry, I've rambled a bit there! You are if a tough position though and I hope you find a way to move forward with it soon xxx

 

[Saxelby88]

Thank you for responding.

I think I need to speak to my midwife and arm myself with some facts and advice before speaking to my DH. I want to have some information to back up my argument.

However, I shouldn't need to have an argument about it really should I? I understand that he wants the best for his baby, but I want to make sure I can cope. Being on pain meds will make it easier for me to cope with the late nights etc. If I have to breast feed, it will mean I need DH to help a lot more than he is imagining I guess.

Its just the whole idea of breast feeding, both the actual act and pumping. I am very sensitive to touch, sometimes, I can't even stand having a necklace on as the pressure of it on my neck hurts (chronic pain condition is fibromyalgia). I have heard from colleagues and friends who BF, that it can be painful as it is, let alone doing it with fibro.

Basically I am scared

 

[mum2b410]

It's easy to sat don't b scared when u don't have a fear of something but if its a real fear for u no wonder u don't want to do it! It does hurt for a while but once your boobs are used to it its fine! U might struggle with positions for feeding if u get back, neck, shoulder pain- lying down to feed I always found most comfy......but I think your OH needs to realise this isn't about u being 'awkward' (sorry not a great word) its about u bring sensible and thinking ahead about how u will cope! I would def say speak to midwife and get some facts and see what they say- then go back to OH. Xxx

 

[Saxelby88]

Thank you for another reply.

Well we have had another chat and we have decided for now, I am planning to bottle feed formula. I have explained, again, why I feel it won't work for me. I have also explained to him that if we bottle feed, he can help when he can, so he will also gain a bond with the LO. This seems to have caused a realisation. He has said, that if it were simple, he would like me to BF, but as it is my body, I have to make the choice. Like you said, the positions will be difficult to manage.

Also, I have to be back at work 39 weeks after taking mat leave, so at the latest, the baby will be 9 months old. This will cause a problem, as my mum and MIL are taking a day of care each and the other day, I will have to find a nursery. I said to OH, this will mean I have to pump so that baby has some milk when I am not there, this will involve a bottle, so either way, the baby will be bottle fed. I might get a manual pump and see how I feel, I might be able to pump and bottle feed, but it will depend on my medication use.

I am bad for pre-planning and over thinking, and here we have a perfect example, along with a whole bucket load of hormones! Also MIL is a big, big BF supporter and she had very strong opinions of her next door neighbour and her choice of formula feeding. I just dread telling her I plan to!

Thanks again

 

[mum2b410]

That's great you have made some progress hun! I too am a big over thinker and forward planner.......just keep in mind that until bubs is here your hormones may send you back and forth and back again and you will feel a whole host of emotions but at least now you have your default plan! If MIL is going to be judgemental just tell her that if she can't support you then it's best you don't talk about it. If she is negative it really isn't going to help you at all! Fingers crossed she will take it better than you think.....you don't need to tell her unless she asks anyway!!
Hope you are getting some good days with the pain and it's not restricting you completely xxx

 

[l_maclean]

Not quite sure where you are with your decisions. But just thought I'd add a couple of things.

Trying BF is a bit like labour. If you've never done it you can't imagine it iykwim.

Also I noticed your comment about returning to work and expressing. Even if you decided to have a go at BF - that doesn't mean you'd have to do it exclusively for ever. Some people only do the first couple if feeds, first week, first 6weeks. Etc.

Meds - there are a LOT of meds that are perfectly safe for BF. Many more than a lot of drs realise. Codeine has recently been deemed unsafe due to the way it can metabolise but there are lots you can use.

Hope you can sort it out. Xxx