I have always wanted to BF, all my imaginings of having a baby and of my birth were of giving birth and putting my baby straight to the breast. Unfortunately that did't happen as Kyla was born 11 wks early.
When she was old enough I started to try to BF, sue to prem issues (sucking probs, no rooting reflex, low heamogolbin etc) I switched b/w BF and bottling EBM and finally went into a mother baby unit to try to get Kyla BF solely.
Finally it happened and she started to BF! I was ecstatic!!!
I have been on antidepressants for over 6 yrs and also during this time had PND. The following day I saw a psychologist who was 'amazed' that I was BF whilst on effexor. She said that it was known that this went straight through the breastmilk and arranged for me to see a psychiatrist to discuss coming off the effexor.
I saw the psychiatrist who said he thought that due to my current state of mind it would be better to put Kyla onto formula. Either way - Kyla either had to go to formula or I had to come off my medication
I was so upset!! Finally I had my baby BF only to be told that I should go to bottle. They showed me the nursury medication guide that said (if I remember correctly) that about 15% of the medication went through the milk. I was on 300mg daily which meant that my tiny prem bub was getting over 30mg of a mind altering drug. I called the hotline re: medications while BF and they didn't have a clue...just what I was given from the med guide and that there was no study as to the effect of the med on bubs.
I could have gone off the meds but I was so depressed already that I could hardly get out of bed. So I put her to formula and cried for a few days about it.
Had I read this article I don't think I would have put her on formula. Had the doctors been better informed I don't think they would have made me make this decision.
I thought it strange that no one at the RWH commented on it - and that my pead had not said anything.
So I made peace with the fact that I had to FF.
Then I saw the pead weeks later and was told "I knew you were on that! You could have kept BF".
I was sooooooooo angry!!!!
I definately think there needs to be education on BF, especially by the so called experts. I was depressed and stressed and followed the advice of the "expert" psych, only to later be told that I shouldn't have worried by the pead.