Breastfeeding and Medication

Sadly, women often feel they have no alternative but to give up breastfeeding, having been prescribed or purchased medication. In many cases, however, this is unnecessary. This book outlines the evidence base for the use of medication during breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding and Medication presents a comprehensive A to Z guide to the most frequently prescribed drugs and their safety for breastfeeding mothers. Evaluating the evidence for interventions and using a simple format for quickly identifying medications that are safe or unsafe to use, it also highlights those drugs where there is inconclusive evidence. Additional contextual information makes this the most complete text for those practitioners who support and treat breastfeeding women. It:

provides an overview of the anatomy and physiology of the breast together with hormonal influences to better understand how complications, such as mastitis, arise and inform the approach to their treatment;

includes a section on conditions that affect women specifically when they are lactating where prescription of medication may be necessary;

discusses the importance of breastfeeding and its advantages, as well as its disadvantages; and

explores how to support breastfeeding mothers, and presents a counselling model approach.

This new edition contains information on more drugs and a chapter on the management of some chronic conditions which may affect breastfeeding mothers. In most cases there are options to support the mother’s optimal care whilst allowing her to continue to breastfeed her baby as long as she wishes. This is a topic which raises many questions on social media, which informed the choice of conditions to consider.

This is an invaluable reference for all health practitioners and volunteers who work with, support and treat breastfeeding women, including lactation consultants, breastfeeding support workers, health visitors, GPs, practice nurses, pharmacists and midwives.

Author Biography

Wendy Jones is a pharmacist, with over 25 years of experience as a breastfeeding support worker for The Breastfeeding Network (BfN). She runs the BfN Drugs in Breastmilk Service and has presented widely to healthcare professionals, volunteers and mothers on this subject. She qualified as an independent pharmacist prescriber but is now retired.