Zoloft and breastfeeding and other odd ?s

[Parker'smommy]

HI!!!

Because of my extreme PPD with my ds I decided with my OB to start taking Zoloft in the last month to combat any PPD I may or may not have with this babe and I have been feeling a bit depressed right now.

I have a few questions.....

1. I am so friggin tired.....now it could be that I am also friggin ready to get this baby out of my body. But I just feel so tired that I am barely able to function lately. Is this normal? The label and drug info does say that some drowsiness can happen but will it wear off? Will I get used to it ?

2. The info packet had some scary info about babies being born to moms who take Zoloft in the last trimester. THings like constant crying and irritablilty? DOes anyone have any experience with this?

3. Lastly, it said a million times not to breastfeed with Zoloft. My OB said she felt it was safe but to discuss it with my baby's pediatrician when we are in the hospital after delivering. Is it just one of those things where yes, the medicine is excreted in breastmilk but it isn't harmful to babe but they HAVE to state that to cover their butt???

Thank you for answering my questions. I really don't ever want to feel like I did after giving birth to ds, so I don't want to stop taking the meds, but will if I have to, kwim? And, yes, I know that by just taking Zoloft it doesn't guarantee me anything. I could still get PPD.

[georgia]

I don't have answers to #1 and #2, but I know that Dr. Tom Hale's Medications and Mothers Milk states that Zoloft is the SSRI of choice for nursing mothers. It is excreted in milk in very tiny amounts and has a short half life. It is a liability issue for pharmaceutical companies---my prenatal vitamins actually said do not take if pregnant or nursing a baby, go figure!

I was exhausted the last few weeks of my third pregnancy....it had a lot to do with dealing with other little ones, a huge amount of family stress, etc. It may or may not be related to the medication for you......wish I had more answers!

[gilnikche]

Heather,

Is this the same insert you read?

http://www.zoloft.com/ZoloftUSPI.pdf

I can post more tomorrow!

[kama'aina mama]

I had more energy when I started taking it... and in fact if I take it too late in the day it keeps me awake. It is such a short-term acting type drug... I guess I'm not sure that there is really a point in taking it prior to giving birth. But I ain't a doctor. Your tiredness is most likely typical late term pregnancy stuff. You should probably discuss this with your doc. I was far more concerned about drug intake pregnant than I was nursing.

Good luck and congratulations on the joyous event.

[carolsly]

Some of the side effects will wear off and some won't. I take another SSRI and my MW said I could take it while nursing.

If your OB put you on it I'm sure she/he knows what the side effects are and figure that your sane ness (is that a word?) is more important than the minimal side effects on your baby. My advice, call the makers of Zoloft. It should be on the pamphlet. I find that Merck and other drug makers are pretty open. That is just my opinion.

Big Hugs...

[earthcore]

I'm on Zoloft right now. My psychiatrist has me take it right before bed in case it makes me sleepy.

If it makes you feel any better, I'm prone to severe depression and took a fairly high dose of Wellbutrin all through my preg. My baby is the happiest, most relaxed baby.
I switched to Zoloft b/c the LC Isaw in the hosp. when DD was born thought it was safer.

I hope you feel better soon and that you aren't hit with a bad case of PPD this time around. I think you are wise to get started on the meds. now.

[Red Sonja]

Heather - I was on Zoloft during my pregnancy and until DS was 3 months old. I didn't notice him being especially fussy or cranky after he was born, or notice any withdrawal symptoms in him. He's a pretty laid-back little guy. I was also only on 50 mg. It didn't affect our breastfeeding relationship in any way, either.

[Aeress]

I was on zoloft with my second pregnancy and I never read anything about babies being born from moms on zoloft being prone to irritability.
I discussed many options with breastfeeding and zoloft and in the end breastfed part time so that I felt that my babe was getting some benefits from my milk while also feeling that she was getting very little of the zoloft. I breastfed her at night before I took my zoloft after reading an article that said to breastfeed before your next dose so that there would be hardly any zoloft in your milk. I also breastfed in the morning because it was a nice way to start the day.
My ob/gyn said it was safe while breastfeeding, the lactation consultant said that there as many benefits as drawbacks and my daughters ped said I had to decide what was more beneficial. *ugh* I didn't like his answer. In the end *I* didn't feel safe feeding her my milk if it could affect her.

[MilkOnDemand]

I'm currently in the 2nd trimester & taking zoloft, and I will continue to take it while nursing. A healthy mom is refering to both physical and mental well being, this is important to the well being of the child. I was on zoloft prior to pregnancy for depression, and after discussing with my OB/GYN & my sister who is a Physician's assistant and consulting Dr. Hale's reference, we decided that it was indeed safe for me to continue taking this SSRI during pregnacy and while breastfeeding. It is a class B drug, which does mean that it is safe. As for the possible side effects, those are a CYA tactic from the pharmaceutical company. Everything has side effects, sugar pills have side effects, it is up to you to weigh the benefits vs. the possible negatives.

As for the tiredness, it is normal at this stage in your pregnancy to be tired, though it is one of the most common side effects from the Zoloft. For me, the exhaustion didn't last long, maybe a month or so before it ended.

[Jish]

I have friends who were in a nursing and antidepressant study done by a doctor here at the university medical center where I live. The basic jist of their results were that there were very small amounts of antidepressant found in the mother's milk. When they tested the babies, the antidepressant was basically undetectible. That's not saying that there was no medication, but that the amounts were that small. When I was deciding to get pregnant again, a friend loaned me a bunch of research she had done from medical journals and periodicals about pregnancy, nursing and antidepressants. One of the things that struck me was when I read that a baby would have to breastfeed for two years to get the same amount of ssri as a fetus gets in one day in utero. Just something to think about.

When I spoke to my psychiatrist and obgyn, they both said basically the same thing. Everything we do has risks to ourselves and to those around us. Putting our baby in the car to drive to the store carries a certain amount of risk. We always need to balance the risks with the benefits. If we are depressed or anxious, our body chemistry is out of whack. Not only does our mood affect our baby -- they can sense our stress or depression and respond -- our body chemistry affects our milk. IMHO, a small amount of medication in the breastmilk counteracts the effects of the depression on the baby. Keep in mind also, that we don't know everything in formula. We don't know what the cows were fed, or shot up with before they made the formula (nothing like hormones or antibiotics in the milk/formula.) We don't know what was sprayed on or near the soybeans that go into formula (hopefully not in organic formulas.) Formula in itself is a risk factor for many things such as sids. Though typically it is worded that breastfeeding helps prevent things, not that formula can contribute to these things.

Good luck with your new babe. I hope that ppd isn't even an issue.

[mamamekas]

So Glad I Found This Thread

I suffered PPD with my DS & was prescribed Zoloft at my 6 wk appt. I saw a resident at UofMichigan hospital during my 1st pregnancy & wasn't able to get many answers from her as to the short or long term effects that Zoloft would have on my nursing son. I felt soooo guilty about taking it & bfeeding that I waited until he was almost 5 mths old before I took my first dose (boy did i need it by then!)
I am now pregnant with my 2nd & due in April. This time around I am seeing a midwife & plan on speaking with her about starting Zoloft before giving birth. I have heard that if you had PPD with your 1st you are *much* more likely to have it with each subsequent child. Has anyone else heard that?
So glad to have found this thread with so much useful information regarding bfeeding & Zoloft. It really makes me feel better about getting the help I need while still bfeeding my babes

[Jish]

Welcome Mamamekas! I'm glad you found us. I hope the rest of your pregnancy goes well. Keep in touch.