Breastfeeding Mums Warned About Pain Killers

[briggsy's girl]

i think at times, you just gotta do what you gotta do. harm minimisation is crucial in everything. i still BF DD, and i take codeine based meds. panadol does nothing for a fractured skull, dislocated wrist etc. i need to be able to function to take care of DD - yes, a small amount of the medication might get to her through my milk, but it's a risk i have to take if i am to be able to care for her. i try to take meds as little as possible, and if i've recently taken them i won't feed her (i try to take them after a feed so that i have several hours to metabolise them before feeding again)

i don't think codeine is necessarily a scary medication - but maybe i feel that way because i have pretty much no relief from panadol, and codeine doesn't knock me on my backside like it does for friends. i look at the benefits (being able to function, take care of DD, stay at work and actually have an income for our family) vs the potential risks (her getting byproducts in my milk) and i do what is in our best interests at the time

[Jellybean29]

I was offered Codeine on day 2 post C-section due to excruciating referred pain in my shoulder. I only took it for 2 days, but the panadol wasn't cutting it at the time and I could barely function with my shoulder until I had the codeine. So I think sometimes it is a necessary evil, but its good to know that no more than 4 days is recommended and I used it less than that.

I hope women don't stop BFing and swap to FF because they read this article and freak out because they have been on codeine...

[onthefly]

I hope women don't stop BFing and swap to FF because they read this article and freak out because they have been on codeine...

Agreed! It's always good to be aware of these things. Codeine isn't something anyone sould take unless they really need to, breastfeeding or otherwise.

[luna moth]

i think at times, you just gotta do what you gotta do. harm minimisation is crucial in everything. i still BF DD, and i take codeine based meds. panadol does nothing for a fractured skull, dislocated wrist etc. i need to be able to function to take care of DD - yes, a small amount of the medication might get to her through my milk, but it's a risk i have to take if i am to be able to care for her. i try to take meds as little as possible, and if i've recently taken them i won't feed her (i try to take them after a feed so that i have several hours to metabolise them before feeding again)

i don't think codeine is necessarily a scary medication - but maybe i feel that way because i have pretty much no relief from panadol, and codeine doesn't knock me on my backside like it does for friends. i look at the benefits (being able to function, take care of DD, stay at work and actually have an income for our family) vs the potential risks (her getting byproducts in my milk) and i do what is in our best interests at the time

Ya know that's why I find it scary. I react like Nae, and yet you react like you do, and there's no test to tell you which way you're gonna go... so I think the warning is wise for BFing mums

[briggsy's girl]

Ya know that's why I find it scary. I react like Nae, and yet you react like you do, and there's no test to tell you which way you're gonna go... so I think the warning is wise for BFing mums

i agree the warning is wise - but i think it is - i dunno - almost irresponsible to put a four day warning on it - if someone is going to react strongly to it, it's going to happen, as it does with Nae, straight away. some people can't function after taking it, some, like me, have no negative functioning reaction kwim? if someone's liver is going to metabolise the drugs to morphine and have a strong reaction straight away, chances are it's going to be in higher doses in their milk whether they've taken it once, or for four days kwim?

FWIW - when i was DD's ONLY source of nutrition, i didn't take anything at all. i was at home, if i had pain that i couldn't manage doing normal daily activities with her, i'd take her to bed. i suffer migraines and also have a wrist that dislocates itself - having DD has put a lot more strain on that joint while i'm holding her etc - so i took us off to bed so i didn't have to hold her weight on that arm at all. generally now, as i am deemed "secondary" carer for DD, if i'm home and the pain becomes too much, again, i take myself to bed - so i only take pain killers when i have to be out and about and really have no choice

i guess it's like anything - you need to be responsible - if you have pain that needs treating, you work out the most appropriate pain relief for you, for the minimal impact for yourself and your baby.