Another Way To Sabotoge Breastfeeding

This past week, I've been frantically searching for information on whether or not a prescription facial gel is safe to use while I'm breastfeeding or not. I went to a dermatologist because I've had a red rash on my face since I was pg with Grace, and it hasn't gone away. She couldn't prescribe the antibiotic she wanted because I'm nursing, but she gave me something else. She looked it up on her Palm Pilot for me, and said it was safe.

After I got home, I read through the pamphlet that came from the drug manufacturer. It said that if a nursing mother wants to use it, then they have to stop breastfeeding! Even though I knew they were probably just trying to prevent any possible lawsuits, I went on a search for more info. I decided to call my kids' pediatrician for advice. I left her a message with whomever answered the phone at her office. I gave the woman the name of the drug and the fact that it was a cream not an oral medication. No one called me back that day (Friday), so I called them again on Monday. Meanwhile, I looked at the kellymom website. She has a drug page on it (http://www.kellymom.com/health/meds/index.html). It references the AAP and Dr. Hale. He's the man to go to with medication while breastfeeding questions. He writes an updated book every year on that very topic. Apparently the gel I have is classified as L3 (moderately safe). Dr. Hale said that so little of it gets in the breastmilk that you can't really even detect it.

The pediatrician's office finally called me back, but it wasn't the doctor on the phone. The office manager said, "Dr. Smith says that everything you eat, drink, and all medications you take go into your breastmilk." Duh! After a long pause, I said, "Okay, but this gel is classified L3. Can I use it?" She responded, "Dr. Smith says that if you need to use this medicine, you should not nurse until you're finished." I said again that it was topical and that I guess I wouldn't be using it. I was so angry because obviously Dr. Smith didn't even bother to look up the medicine! She didn't pay attention to the fact that it is topical! She didn't consider my baby's age (17 months) or her weight (24lbs)! She also didn't look at the breastfeeding as something important to preserve! The AAP clearly states that a doctor has to weigh a mother's needs for medication against the fact that stopping breastfeeding takes away something beneficial to the baby.

At this point, I was stuck. Even though I knew my child's doctor had done no research into my specific drug, the seeds of doubt that had been planted by the drug companies pamphlet began to sprout. I decided that I had one more option, so I logged onto the La Leche League's website (http://www.lli.org/). They have a help form that allows you to email your problem to a volunteer. Within two days, I had a response from a wonderful woman in California. She gave me lots of info and that based on the research and my child's age and weight, the gel was fine to use.

You might say that I should have just gone along with the dermatologist when she said the gel was okay to use while nursing. I was gun shy, though because of what happened the last time I saw someone about my skin. I had a bout of bad acne after the birth of my first daughter. She was eight weeks old when I saw a dermatologist for it. He prescribed $90 worth of creams, and when I mentioned breastfeeding, assured me that they were all perfectly safe. Within a week of using them, Kathleen developed a weird rash of circles of peeling skin all over her body! When I checked to drug info that had come from the pharmacy with my creams, I discovered that was a side effect of the medicine! It could happen to the user who put on topically, and my poor baby was actually ingesting the stuff! I threw it all away, and my skin eventually cleared up (post-pregnancy hormones anyone?).

My experience is a classic example of the medical establishment's ignorance of breastfeeding; its importance and how to help sustain it. How many new moms would go to the lengths I just did to research a medication? I didn't when I had my first baby. If everyone around you makes it seem like switching to formula is no big deal, and then a doctor tells you that you can't take a medicine that you might need while you're nursing, what are you probably going to do? It turns out that many medications are safe while breastfeeding, but you wouldn't know that if you asked someone like my pediatrician...