What Can You Take For Asthma While Breastfeeding?
December 15, 2009 by Guest Author
Filed under Breast Feeding Supplies
My asthma is flairing up terribly and my supposedly fast acting inhaler (albuterol) seems to be of no help. I am currently breastfeeding my son. Does anyone have any knowledge of what I can safely take that will help me breath but not be harmful to my son. Thanks!
Most asthma medications are safe, or at least a class C, which means if the need outweighs the risk, it is considered ok to take.
There are things to consider, breastfeeding differs from pregnancy because its not a must. While its great to breastfeed, IF you had to bottle feed because of risk of the medication crossing into the milk, you could. Your health is important and if your not well, your baby will suffer too.
For you to take the other medications available to you, Atrovent, Xopenex, Pulmicort, Advair, the list goes on…… its is something that you and your doctor need to decide if its better to stop breastfeeding to be on the medication. I know that there have been cases where I have treated pregnant women with all of the above medications, and there was no harm. I would think it would be ok if you were to take Advair BID as maintenance, and the change to a nebulizer with Xopenex every 6 hours or so, and the Albuterol inhaler if you absolutely need it between Xopenex. But again I don’t know the entire circumstance. Consider all the options and talk to your doctor. Good Luck!
Getting medical attention for your asthma is a good idea. Your doctor will know more than I do about the safety of certain respiratory medications on your breast milk. There is a possibility that you may need to take medication that doesn’t allow you to breast feed anymore. The choice between the benefits of breast feeding versus having you healthy enough to care for your baby could have to be made.
There are a lot of questions on here about albuterol inhalers not working properly/effectively. Maybe it’s the time of year? If you experience distress that feels out of control or worse than normal, going to the hospital might be a good idea. Your son needs you, so don’t let asthma take you away from him. A few hours for you getting well is nothing compared to spending the summer feeling bad. Seeing your doctor when possible is my recommendation.