Herbs (for allergies) and Breastfeeding

[LionLady13]

I'm still nursing my 20 mo. old and am having THE WORST seasonal allergies. I went into Whole Foods and the lady recommended "Allergena" homeopathy tincture (herbs in it are: Baptisia Tinctoria, Echinacea Angustifolia, Hydrastis Canadensis, Myrrha, Nasturtium Aquaticum, Phytolocca Decandra, Trigonalla). Needless to say I don't know what half of the herbs are or if they're compatible with nursing. I swung over to my doctor on the way home and the nurse took a look and said they looked fine but I don't fully trust she knows (she's also the same nurse that told me under NO circumstance should I deliver my baby in the water; "babies die that way, ya know?" So like I said I don't fully trust she knows what she's doing or talking about). I'm also skeptical based on the quick search I did online that said the first two herbs listed are "unknown" regarding side effects with babies. SOOOOO do any of you wise women have any experience with herbs and nursing? I would love someone's input on if you think it would be safe for me to take (the recommended dose 10-12 drops 3x a day)....?

[rparker]

I know nothing about herbal remedies, but after googling the first 3 ingredients on the list along with "breastfeeding" I wouldn't take it while breastfeeding.

The third ingredient in particular, Hydrastis Canadensis (goldenseal), can apparently be transferred through breast milk and "cause life threatening liver problems in infants": http://nccam.nih.gov/health/goldenseal/#cautions

My main reason for avoiding an herbal supplement with that many ingredients would be my own tendency towards allergic reactions to plants whether exposed orally, topically, or just environmentally. In addition to wanting to avoid an anaphylactic reaction, it's a good idea to avoid ingesting plants that the mother is mildly allergic to while pregnant/breastfeeding because some people think that could predispose the child to a future allergy.

There are also herbs that are perfectly safe in general but can kill your milk supply e.g. sage.

These aren't herbal, but they're considered safe to take while breastfeeding: Claritin, Benadryl, Rhinocort. I've taken these through 2.5+ years of breastfeeding. Other antihistamines/allergy meds I'd consult Hale's and/or your physician because some can also destroy your milk supply.

The only natural remedies I've attempted while breastfeeding are using a neti pot and deliberate avoidance of allergens. Eating local honey helps in general, but it probably won't provide you with immediate relief this allergy season.

Hope this helps.

Edit to add: I may be overly cautious. Here's everything that kellymom.com has to say about herbs and breastfeeding: http://www.kellymom.com/herbal/index.html