What to expect? In hospital for a few days and now on meds. so DD can't bf.

[foodymama]

Hi Mamas!

Just looking for info. on what to expect.  I went to the ER last Wed. and they pumped me full of meds then I was admitted and was in the hospital until Sunday afternoon.  I have pneumonia and they thought I had the flu so they treated me as such until my cultures came back which were negative (which I already knew).  So I was on two kinds of antibiotics and Tamiflu as well as cough medicines and benedryl because I was allergic to the Tamiflu. 

We knew DD couldn't nurse while I was in the hospital and for a few days afterward but I am still waiting on my family Dr. to find out if it is safe to nurse DD while taking the antibiotic they sent me home with (Vantin). 

DD is not ready to wean and trying to get her to sleep without nursing is pure torture around here, especially with me still being sick.   Cuddling, singing and rocking just don't cut it! 

If my milk dries up, will it come back once I'm done with these meds?  I really don't want to pump, if I can avoid it.  I'm absolutely drained already.  DH is working insane hours trying to get a job done before Thanksgiving and can't help out much.  DD was with my parents and my in-laws while I was in the hospital and she loves her grandparents very much but it had a negative effect on her attitude and behavior being with them and not seeing DH and I.  She is usually only with me everyday so it was a really big adjustment for her and I'm trying to get things back to normal as possible.  My in-laws were here yesterday to "help out" and DD was playing us against each other and tantruming constantly so I decided that it was better if I just handle everything myself.

I feel so bad because she has so much to adjust to in the last week and now she can't even have the comfort of nursing now that I'm home with her!  I was just wondering if anyone else has ever been through this sort of thing and how it went?  And what about my milk supply, will it return or will she prematurely wean after being turned down over and over? 

[JudiAU]

I'd really recommend you pump if you can at all manage it. Not nursing for a prolonged period of time can permamently kill your milk supply.

Are you sure you cannot nurse with the medication you are taking? Most doctors give lousy advice. Have you called the hotline?

[foodymama]

What hotline?  Please let me know.  I will try to pump too.

[Super~Single~Mama]

Just wanted to say that while not nursing can kill your supply, I've gone over a week before w/o pumping or nursing (I was in a third world country for school, and was away from my then 20mo for 8days), and while my milk dramatically diminished, it came back almost all the way, and certainly enough for him (he does drink other milk though since I don't make enough for him to only have BM - but that happened LONG before I went to the third world country).

[madcap150]

Try the Infant Risk Center run by Dr. Thomas Hale. Hotline is 806-352-2519. They're available M - F 8 - 5 central.

Also, here is the LactMed page (I looked up the generic name for Vantin, cefpodoxime) which states unequivocally "Cefpodoxime is acceptable to use during breastfeeding."

[foodymama]

Thank you so much madcap 150!  That was great info. you provided!  DD is very happy to be nursing again and I am a very happy Mama because she is actually going to sleep without crying and screaming for a few hours!  The look on her face when I told her she could "eat, eat" (her words for nursing) again was priceless! I also took the opportunity to really put firm boundaries in place as to when she can "eat, eat" which we really needed.  Overall, I think everthing worked out much better than I had expected! 

Thank you everyone for your input!

[madcap150]

I'm so glad it worked out well for you guys! :) I love that LactMed page for looking up the basics. And I'm glad this was a chance to put toddler nursing boundaries in place too.