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Depression and Breastfeeding

Almost every day I get a phone call from a woman who is terribly depressed, who needs medication, but who has been told by various healthcare professionals that she should not breastfeed her infant because it may not be safe. Every one of these mothers tells me the same thing: "Breastfeeding is the only joy I have in my life right now, and I don't want to quit."

All drugs transfer into milk, but most do so in such small quantities that they are insignificant to the infant. This is particularly true of most antidepressants. Dozens of studies have shown that mothers can use certain antidepressants safely and with minimal, if any, side effects in their infants. We also know from numerous studies that infants of depressed mothers do not develop as well as they should, with delays in speech patterns and other behavioral skills. Due to these documented effects from failure to treat the mother, most of us in this field now strongly recommend that severely depressed mothers be treated with antidepressants. The choice depends on the patient's needs, the age of the infant, and certain other conditions.

It is, therefore, important that mothers seek the advice of experts before abandoning breastfeeding. Depression often responds quickly to medications, and mother and infant can continue to enjoy a wonderful breastfeeding experience, without the depression.