When You Should Not Breastfeed

Although breastfeeding provides many health benefits, some women may be recommended not to breastfeed due to special circumstances such as illnesses and other conditions. The most common reasons why you should not breastfeed your baby are:

When you are taking certain medications.

There are medications that have been proven to be dangerous to infants when they pass down to your baby through your breast milk. Those medications include:

• HIV/AIDS medications
• Birth-control medications with estrogen
• Cancer chemotherapy agents
• Recreational drugs
• Medications for migraines
• Mood stabilizers
• Sleeping pills

If you are taking those medications above, it is advisable to stop breastfeeding. Besides, women who are taking radiation therapy should not breastfeed as well, even if some therapies require only a brief interruption of breastfeeding.

When you are suffering from certain illnesses.

Numerous illnesses can pass on to the baby through breastfeeding. They are:

• Infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
• Infection with human T-cell lymphotropic virus (both type I and type II)
• Untreated, active tuberculosis

If you have flu, you should stop breastfeeding your baby and try to stay away from her until you get well. Infants are vulnerable to such diseases. Hence, make sure no one sick stay near your baby.

Other medical conditions.

Women who have certain chronic medical conditions may be advised not to breastfeed. If they insist on breastfeeding, extra precautions must be taken to ensure their own health during the period of breastfeeding.

• Women with diabetes should eat slightly more food while they breastfeed so that their blood sugar levels will not drop.
• Those who are underweight (those with thyroid conditions or certain bowel diseases) should definitely up their calories to protect their own health.
• Women who underwent breast surgery in the past are likely to have troubles with breastfeeding.
• Women with a history of substance abuse may be advised not to breastfeed their babies as well.

Infants with galactosemia (a condition in which the body cannot process sugar galactose) should not be breastfed, or the galactose will build up and poison for the infant. The results could be liver disorders, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and shock.

Every mother has a different situation. Therefore, the guideline above can not substitute for an expert opinion. If you have any concerns regarding breastfeeding, you should visit your doctor to figure out what is best for you and your baby. Sometimes, you just need a phase of interruption to treat your condition before you can start to breastfeed your baby.

Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnose or treatment.