[noc]

Hi,
I have been exclusively breastfeeding my baby, who is just 5 months.

I must have eaten something wrong over the weekend, as I have had stomach flu for the past few days, with cramping and mild diarrhea...

I think it is ok to continue breastfeeding, as my baby seems not to have been affected at all by whatever I ate... yet my stomach is really bothering me...

I would normally take some over the counter medicine, like Imodium or Gelusil, yet not sure it is ok? It seems like it is safe, yet not sure what have been other breastfeeding mom's experience?

[kashismum]

I always kept feeding when sick and it's the best thing to do. Tried not to take drugs, but occasionally succumbed. Most are not harmful when breastfeeding:

Try searching this site;
http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/htmlgen?LACT

Hope you feel better soon!

[LLL_Sarah]

When the mother is ill her milk makes antibodies for the specific germs she has come across. When the baby drinks the milk these antibodies protect him for the illness the mother has. Most times the baby doesn’t even get the illness and if he does it is in a much milder form.

I’ve looked up the medicine Imodium in Medications and Mothers’ Milk 2006, 12th Edition by Thomas Hale PhD (The book on the subject.) The active drug in Imodium is Loperamide. I couldn't find the medicine Gelusil - can you tell me what drug is in it?

LOPERAMIDE

Lactation Risk = L2 (SAFER)
Drug which has been studied in a limited number of breastfeeding women without an increase in adverse effects in the infant. And/or evidence of a demonstrated risk which is likely to follow use of this medication in a breastfeeding woman is remote.

Loperamide is an antidiarrheal drug. Because it is only minimally absorbed orally (0.3%), only extreme small amounts are secreted into breast milk. Following a 4 mg oral dose twice daily in 6 women (early postpartum), milk levels at 12 hours after the following dose averaged 0.18 g/L, and 6 hours after the second dose were 0.27 g/L. A breastfeeding infant consuming 165 mL/kg/day of milk would ingest 2000 times less than the recommended daily dose. It is very unlikely these reported levels in milk (Relative infant dose = 0.03%) would ever produce clinical effects in a breastfed infant.

Also remember that your baby is now five months old. We usually are most concerned about drugs in the very first days before the milk wall has closed when they have more effect. And after that for the next few weeks while the baby is still quite snmall.

Best wishes,
SARAH

[Nashua852]

Same Here! My little one is nearly 4 months old and has been exclusively breastfed since birth. We had something for dinner yesterday and my husband and I have been feeling awful since. Spoke to our doctor and he said that as long as we take precautions continuing to breastfeed is fine. So I've been using hand sanitizer and a mask before each feed. Although I'll probably go back to normal tomorrow as I'm feeling much better. Hang in there! It is an awful feeling but you're not alone and our LO's benefit at the end of the day.

[carang]

if you are sick from something you ate, how is a face mask going to help?

(not a nasty question, just genuinely curious)

[capital]

I got reallyu sick while on vacation once, vomiting and diarrhea. I could hardly sit up except to try and BF and while doing so had to use all will power to not vomit on the baby, sometimes have to stop run to bathroom. It was terrible. But as we were away in an all inclusive resort I BF so that the baby would not eat any food ( he ewas about 9 months old). BF baby your baby gets all the antibodies you are making to whatever is making you sick so it is definatly better to BF than stop.

I have to agree about the mask. Unless you are using a very specific type of mask that is properly fitted to you, there really is no point. You breathe virus right through those regular paper masks, they are only a false sense of security. I have sometimes seen people wering these on the street in HK. I don't know if they are sick and trying to not pass it around, or if they are germaphobes who think it will protect them, but either way the mask is not doing anything.

[noc]

Thanks for all your replies!

I think the worst has passed, and I feel much better now. It really was fine for me to continue breastfeeding, as my baby has not displayed any symptoms of my bug at all. And I guess I did her some good by giving her some antibodies too?

Dear Sarah, as for gelusil, I checked from the website posted by Kashismom and it seem ok to take during breastfeeding... Its active ingredients are: Simethicone and Magnesium Hydroxide. But since it seems safe to take and since i am feeling much better now and don't need to take it now, there is no need to check for me. Thank you for your help anyhow!

[Nashua852]

Dear Carang and Capital,

With gastric problems involving diarrhea and vomiting the virus can be passed on via saliva. Didn't want to risk it.