Antibiotics, baby's reaction, maintaining/increasing supply. Help please

[LuluHB]

Poo bum frog **** wee. After everything that has been going on today I had to take Miss A to the after hours GP because she started coughing last night, was pulling at her ear today and not feeding any longer than a couple of minutes - obviously just long enough to take the hunger edge off but that's it so I was worried she had a sore throat too. The GP says she has a bit of a wheezy chest but ears clear and throat fine, so nothing to worry about particularly. He asked why I wasn't seeing him and I said I was fine, just a cold but I was sure it would clear up soon enough. Apparently not. After being sent next door to the hospital for an xray it seems I have pneumonia. Hmm. Told you I felt like crap DH!!

Anyway, I now have antibiotics to take and a ventolin inhaler, both of which the GP assures me are "safe" for me to take while breastfeeding, but that if Miss A does have any adverse reactions it will most likely be diarrhea and if that happens I should "cut back on breastfeeds" - stressing that under no circumstances should I stop taking the antibiotics. Ignoring the fact that she flat out refuses a bottle, its going to play hell with my supply and I am NOT going to let this end our bfing journey.

So, I would like to be proactive (some might say pessimistic) and begin as if she is going to have a bad reaction, and therefore start doing whatever I have to do to boost my supply so I can pump and dump if needs be until I'm off the drugs. I've seen references to fenugreek - where do I get it and in what form do I take it? Lactation cookies I've read don't actually help but taste good. True or not? Anything else I can do?

Thanks ladies. Any and all advice gratefully received.

[Mum2twoBoys]

Not sure about any of that. But I had to go on antibiotics when DS was only a few weeks old. He got an upset tummy and diarrhoea. But nothing too bad. I didn't stop bf because of it. Or reduce the amount of feeds. And I didn't stop taking the ab til the course was complete. Just letting you know someone else has been in your shoes.

[Barb Glare]

It's rotten that you are feeling so unwell. My advice, take the antibiotics, take your puffer, have an early night- you will be fine. Breastfeeding mums take antibiotics all the time- you need to get well. What else would you feed her?

[onthefly]

Oh god! Hope you're feeling a bit better this morning.
Why on earth would you feed her less if she has the runs? She'd need more, wouldn't she?
I hope you've gotten some rest and you're being well cared for.

[OceanPrincess]

Ah Lulu, more sickness, you poor thing!! Must be really tough feeling as crook as you must be right now and still having to look after everyone else.

Some mums do find fenugreek and lactation cookies help. Some don't. If you want to try, then give it a go. Fenugreek is a herbal supplement - try health food shop. They will advise on dosage.

Cookies - do some googling. You'll find a recipe. If nothing else, they taste good.

There are prescription things you can ask for but you need to see a GP and from the sounds of things your GP might not be happy to help!!

Pumping can help. But the best thing to do is feed DD3 more, which if she gets an upset tummy should be pretty easy to do.

Hope that helps. Hang in there. Your run of sickness should end soon surely!!!

[LuluHB]

Thanks lovelies. I didn't word my post very well - I don't think he was suggesting I feed her less, but that I give her less breastfeeds and give formula/EBM instead. Given I have a total of 150ml of ebm in the freezer that's not going to get her far!!! Good to know that others have got through it even when bubs isn't happy about it and everyone's ok in the end.

OP - I have an appt with my own GP on Tuesday for another issue that has resolved itself now so instead of cancelling it I'll go and see her instead about supply. I don't have a problem with my supply now but was jut concerned that if I had to supplement with formula then just pumping when I would normally feed wouldn't be enough to maintain it ITMS. I found the cookies recipe last night and they sound yum. Might have to wait until my Mum can do some shopping for me though - its hard enough describing to my DH where to find the grain bread I like, let alone where he would find some of the cookie ingredients ;-)

MadB - I feel destined to never meet you. I hope KIngs Park is good today

[*beannaithe*]

Hi Lulu - poo to being sick, hope you are well again soon
Lactation cookies - I keep scoffing them cos they are so yummy and I was quite sceptical about how they would affect my supply but they definitely do seem to influence it. As for the antibiotics, my experience with the girls is all about which one I'm on. Fluclox for mastitis made my lovely little girls absolutely feral, to the point where (and trust me, I am NOT suggesting you do this because I know that is a really bad thing to do) with my second bout, I stopped taking them (I knew all the signs to look for and I had them there if it came back but I felt that I was well enough and my little girls were too unhappy). Then my nephew came down with whooping cough and we were all on prophylactic erythromycin. Girls were absolutely fine on this. So, in my ramble, Miss A may be just fine, depending on antibiotic you are on. I find it annoying when we get told that there will be no effect from drugs on our little ones - mastitis ab's are meant to have no effect at all but both times, we had two little sad sacks on our hands. Hoping you are well soon and Miss A is all good so you don't have any feeding dilemmas

[OceanPrincess]

Ugh fluclox is evil. Almost killed DD's ability to take oral medication until we switched to keflex.

Good luck with the GP hun. Just watch you don't create an oversupply.

[onthefly]

One day! It was a good day, yeah.

I'm still not clear on why you'd do fewer breastfeeds? I guess it made sense to you. Anyway, perhaps she'll be fine with it. Here's hoping something goes right.

[LuluHB]

The impression I got from him was that while my milk was affected by the ABs to give her less of that and more of either formula or any EBM I might have had from before the ABs so she didn't get as much of a flow on affect - only if she had a bad reaction though.

Glad you had a good day. Weather ended up not too bad

[sangie]

Have nothing useful to add but just wanted to give you a cyber hug and I hope you are feeling better soon, pneumonia sucks xoxo

[Barb Glare]

Seriously ther is no need to give formula or ebm. Just breastfeed as normal,

[Mum2twoBoys]

Yep the fluclox is the one that gave my DS diarrhoea and tummy pain. Making him cranky. But he survived. Never crossed my mind to drop number of bf. I'm on fluclox currently so will see if it still affects him, or more when his gut was immature.

[LuluHB]

thanks Barb

[MummyNaomi]

Just thought I'd add that when I was on ABs for mastitis, the main issue for DD was that her poo was much runnier and greener for a few days. To help with the mastitis I was feeding significantly more while on ABs and overall it didn't have much impact on DD, so hopefully Miss A will be the same

[LuluHB]

Thanks Naomi. I started taking them last night - should have been earlier but just couldn't bring myself to start - and she's already had three really runny poos and is pretty grizzly this morning but then she's got a cold too so it could be that as much as an upset tummy. Poor baby girl. Doesn't seem right that she's sick already and her mummy might be adding to her problems.

Each course is 5 days so I might take this first course and see how I'm feeling at the end of it and maybe not take the follow up ones if it works out that it is giving her problems

[MummyNaomi]

When I stopped mine - 5 days also, I noticed it took another good 24hrs for her poo to return to normal

[LuluHB]

thanks lovely. Good to know