PSA: Taking Codeine While Breastfeeding
Posted by Cottontimer on 11 May 2006 | Tagged as: Health, Motherhood
For anyone who’s breastfeeding or have plans to breastfeed, please read Kate Baggott’s Babylune where she writes extensively about the dangers of breastfeeding women taking codeine.
New Dangers in Breastfeeding & Codeine Discovered
If you?re a nursing mother taking codeine for pain relief, watch your baby carefully. If s/he becomes more and more lethargic, seems to tired to be able to latch onto the breast, ask your doctor to test your milk and the baby?s blood for Morphine. If high levels are present, the baby may need an antidote called naloxone. The results of this study are so new that your doctor may not even know that the this problem has been discovered so be persistent.
Update: Only a minority of mothers are ultrarapid metabolizers of codeine. As Kate points out, estimates range from 1% in whites, 10% in Southern Europeans, and 30% in Ethiopians. Breastmilk is still best in the majority of cases.
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Thanks for helping to spread the word Hsein.
Kate: Thank you! This one’s too important to ignore.
Hrmmmm …. I’m very nearly interested except the Mrs and I bottle-fed and, well. Hmmmm.
With concerns like that (quite valid ones too) it is no wonder a lot of new moms feel breastfeeding is too big of a stress and choose to use formula.
Breastfeeding is still best.
That’s why I am glad the protocals will be for other painkillers after childbirth.
mdmhbonpa: You guys are past that phase anyway but you might want to inform any friends or family who breastfeed.
Deb L: It’s true that moms do feel an inordinate amount of pressure to do everything perfect. But if the message that breastmilk is still best isn’t loud and clear by now, we’re doing something wrong.
I’m going to add an update to this post to remind people that only a minority of mothers are ultrarapid metabolizers of codeine.
Kate: There are so many options for pain management that mothers shouldn’t think they have only codeine to rely on.
I completely agree Kate
I just know so many women are already intimidated about breastfeeding (especially if you continue past that 6 month mark), so I just hope that women are aware of medication options prior to birth, so they have the confidence that such things as pain management can be handled while nursing. if that makes sense. my toddler is moaning in my ear about how starving he is. kinda distracting! lol