Breastfeeding and Medications

[mg22]

Hi All-
I am currently breastfeeding my almost 5 week old and I have recently starting developing flare symptoms. My Dr. as suggested a short duration of prednisone - is it okay while breastfeeding? Any advice? My Dr. said it would be okay but just like hearing from some other moms out there who've gone through this. I am just feeling worried about exposing my little to it.

Also have any of you taken probiotics and digestive enzymes while breastfeeding? Or know if it is okay to do so?

Thanks

 

[Eridon2002]

I don't have any personal experience but I know my friend was on prednisone for several weeks while she was 6 months pregnant. No issues, she has a very sweet and healthy 2 year old boy.

 

[mg22]

Thank you for the feedback

 

[Ajmomma]

Here trying to get the same answer. How did it go for you. My son is almost 1 and I need to start a high dose taper schedule. Start at 40mg and go down weekly I believe. Worried about bfing.

 

[L_Millas]

I’m due in May and have been having a hard time with this as well. I’m considering trying to come off my remicade so I can nurse and hoping to control crohns with diet Anyway, I have a friend who has a different autoimmune disease and is on a constant dose of prednisone. She remained on it through pregnancy and I believe she went 7 months nursing. Her twin girls are healthy. It’s definitely a personal choice... a very hard personal choice (for me at least).

 

[ihillside]

If you are worried about problems, you can use milk powder.

 

[xmdmom]

I'm not currently a breastfeeding mom (though I was one) nor a person with Crohn's (my son is). I hope it's ok to post this here. If not, forgive me.
I feel for you and understand your concern about exposing your baby to any medicine.

If you are needing high dose corticosteroids, you might want to talk to your doctor about whether prednisolone would be ok as the article below seems to suggest that there could be an advantage with prednisolone vs prednisone for breast feeding. (If so, check to see if prednisolone has other side effects you should know about.)

"Summary of Use during Lactation
Amounts of prednisone in breastmilk are very low. No adverse effect have been reported in breastfed infants with maternal use of any corticosteroid during breastfeeding. With high maternal doses, the use of prednisolone instead of prednisone and avoiding breastfeeding for 4 hours after a dose theoretically should decrease the dose received by the infant. However, these maneuvers are not necessary with short-term use. High doses might occasionally cause temporary loss of milk supply....
The National Transplantation Pregnancy Registry reports that as of December 2013, 124 women with transplants have taken prednisone while breastfeeding 169 infants for periods as long as 48 months, with no apparent infant harm.[10]"
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK501077/ https://www.drugs.com/breastfeeding/prednisone.html

Wishing you and your baby good health!