Getting sick is a natural part of one’s life—in fact, the average person will get sick with the common flu up to two times a year. As “normal” as it might be, there is never a good time to get sick, especially because this requires one to take time off work and rest. Additionally, the risk of infecting other people in a household is high—which is a plight that parents and those with families at home have to face when getting sick!
When breastfeeding moms get sick, this becomes particularly difficult because of the risk of infecting the child they’re nursing. Some illnesses can be cured with rest and some over-the-counter drugs, while others may warrant the need to use antibiotics. A significant question many parents ask is whether antibiotics are safe to use when one is breastfeeding their child.
To give some clarity on it, here’s what the healthcare industry has to say about the matter:
How Safe Are Antibiotics While Breastfeeding?
According to the Academy of American Pediatrics (AAP), these medications are commonly prescribed to mothers, and like most things, do find their way into bodily fluids. In most cases, these are safe for breastfeeding mothers and their babies. The fact that premature infants or neonates can be prescribed these as well means that a mother taking antibiotics while at the breastfeeding stage is no different.
Medications work by circulating around the bloodstream—which is how their effects are distributed. This means that taking antibiotics will find their way into a mother’s breast milk, too! The amount found in breast milk will likely be lower than the amount found in the bloodstream, and since most have been deemed safe for human consumption, this shouldn’t cause harm to your baby.
The clinical trials these pharmaceuticals go through to ensure their safety of use is extremely scrutinous, so these will pose no real risk to most infants. However, there are a few medications that can affect pregnancy and other childbearing processes—so the best way to go is to consult a doctor beforehand! A pediatrician will be able to determine if the medication a breastfeeding mother is taking will be harmful to the health of their child.
The Safety Of Pharmaceuticals Relies On The Child’s Age
The medical and healthcare industry always has prescribed ages of use for medications, as some may be too potent for infant use. Antibiotic exposure to premature babies and newborns may not be the best direction to go, as these can pose greater risks. For safety, the age of a child and the medications used must be analyzed carefully by a pediatrician to ensure that there are no harmful effects.
Overall, the safety of using medicines and pharmaceuticals is highly dependent on the baby’s age, weight, and overall health situation. To be safe, always consult with an expert before taking any medications!
Antibiotics Are Not A Cure-All Solution
While antibiotics definitely have amazing healing properties, remember that they remove bacterial infections and sometimes take the good bacteria along with it. When there is too much of it in breastmilk, babies may lose their helpful bacterial growth in the stomach, causing upset stomachs and fussiness.
Antibiotics are also medicines that any person can develop a resistance to, meaning that they should not be used each time sickness comes by. These are helpful in killing viral infections, but once a person develops resistance to this medicine, it can be dangerous.
The Bottom Line
Using antibiotics while breastfeeding is safe for the baby, for as long as a pediatrician prescribes it. While it won’t directly harm your baby, your child still needs to develop their “good” gut bacteria to be strong and healthy—which using excessive antibiotics can be detrimental to. The safest way to go is to consult an expert when it comes to pharmaceutical use.
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