Is St. John's Wort Safe?

[Auraji]

Does anyone knows if St. John's Wort is safe while breastfeeding? I've been experiencing some mild depression and was wondering if I could take a low dose.

I've done some reasearch and I seem to get some mixed reviews and I was wondering if any of the mamas here have taken it and what has been your experience with it.

Thanks

[annekh23]

I looked it up in Hale's "Medication and Mothers' Milk" and it's L2, which means there is only a slight chance of any problems and in this particular drug he doesn't suggest anything in particular you should watch out for.

I'd suggest holding off on the St John's Wort though, there are a lot of other remedies and supplements that are even safer. As far as I can tell the only real advantage of St John's Wort is not needing a prescription, it seems to be as potent as prescription SSRIs and is dangerous if used in conjunction with other medications and though you can buy it off the shelf, it probably is prudent to check with a doctor.

You might consider Vitamin D supplementation, folic acid, selenium, fish oils etc.

[Auraji]

Thanks so much!

I'll try one of your recommendations.