I have no idea where to post this, and I certainly have no idea what to do…but my focus right now is on the breastfeeding part of my dilemma, so I thought this was a good place to start. Hopefully, I can clearly spell out the issue—I am currently nursing my 18 mo dd, and have always intended to do clw—or come as close as I can, since I am currently pregnant and I know some here feel that a diminished supply is not clw. Though I have had a rocky first trimester, there has so far been no issue with bf dd. Supply has been great. Additionally dd has been going through that 18 mo increase in nursing, and seems to be happy. (I assume that helps with the supply).
Then I tested positive for group b strep in my urine, and the doctor and my midwife both said that I had to go on ampicillin 500 mg 4x daily. I was surprised, as I thought the only issue was the birth, but they wanted to clear the infection in my urine, and since I trust them I just went ahead with it after asking about its safety for the baby—they said it was a category b drug. I guess I have just been so exhausted that I acted pretty much like a sheep in a herd. Baaaaa.
Well, several days into the course, dd ended up with a moderate drug reaction (a rash) and is officially allergic to penicillin. I called the ob, and she said, “can you pump and dump? because you really need to stay on the antibiotic.” I thought that must mean that it clears the system in hours, and I thought, well perhaps. Then I saw the pediatrician on call, and he said no, it lasts for days. And he said, “I cannot tell you what to do, but her exposure must stop immediately. she either must be weaned, or you need to stop the antibiotic”. (either way, he put her on benadryl). When I asked him what they would put me on if I were allergic, he said, “well, we have a protocol for that, but it is really a cross your fingers kind of a situation, as it is not as effective against the strep.” (Hope dd does not end up with GBS) – he was very sympathetic, but his concern was justifiably avoiding a severe reaction in dd. We have not yet seen her regular doctor. The only good/funny thing about it was that the whole time in the office she was nursing and staring at him with her mouth stuffed full – her little mouth working it and her eyes saying “forget about weaning ME, buddy!”
Finally, I went back to the ob, and asked her if I could stop the antibiotic and get a culture in a few weeks—if it is positive then I would go back on the antibiotic, while giving me time to wean gradually. (Ha!). That was a decent idea for her, and off we went in a benadryl haze.
Now, I DO NOT want to wean dd—it would traumatize her horribly, but I also do not want to put dd or dc #2 at risk in any way (although I am in knots over the fact that I may have put the baby at risk, taking this at the end of the 1st trimester, despite the assurances I received).
I tried to ‘set limits’ today, saying that mama was all done, and that was an utter failure—I do not see how I can wean her in a few weeks, and I do not see how I can wean her for the birth. She is so unbelievably attached to nursing – she has no other comfort – no blankie, no animal, nothing. Rocking her and holding her does not help, and seems to make it worse. Moreover, she is so deeply in a separation anxiety phase, I cannot see how I could, in good conscience, say no.
I am so upset by the general attitude that I receive from everyone about nursing my 18 mo. EVERYONE (other than the male doctor) has said “well, I weaned at 9 mo/12 mo etc, and it was so easy” or “it would have been easier if you had weaned her before she was 1 yo.” Well, fine, if that is your opinion, but 1. she is 18 mo, and there is nothing I can do about the fact that I did not wean her 6 months ago, and 2. that was not my choice and what the heck happened to supporting my personal choices as a mother??? One dr even suggested that I was putting her at risk for continuing to nurse her – because she has not gained weight in a while. I feel totally ganged up on, and NO ONE has said – here is an alternative, to allow you to continue nursing. (btw, I live in a very rural area, where there are 2 ob/gyns in a 70 mile radius, and only a few more peds). Admittedly, I have not yet seen my midwife since this all went down, and I do feel like she might be more understanding, as will dd’s regular pediatrician.
Sorry that this is so long, and so emotional, but I don’t know what to do—does anyone know what the alternative antibiotic actually is if a mom is allergic to penicillin? If so, what is its safety profile? I am very scared not to take the antibiotics at the birth, but I sure am not going to expose dd to penicillin. (I have so far gotten over the whole ‘I don’t want to be hooked up to anything’ issue.) Does anyone know if it truly is necessary for me to take the antibiotics now? My midwife said it was to avoid m/c, and if true, that is a justified concern as I already had some serious bleeding.
If I do end up weaning her, how do I do that?? (I know no one here wants to offer suggestions, but where do I go to learn how to do it gently?) it just seems like there are 2 options—clw, and traumatizing her—she is just that kind of a kid. She will not even let me be in a separate room, so leaving her with someone would never work – she has never had a babysitter other than dh 2ce and my mother 2ce. To top it off, she calls nursing “mama” –so it is heartwrenching to hear her crying maaaaamaaaaaa when I cannot get to her immediately – like when we are in the car.
Ah. I just feel like such a failure—add to that, a family friend came over and saw me ‘giving in’ to dd’s request to plug in the vacuum so she could turn it on, and she told me I was creating a monster by acquiescing to her every whim. Believe me, after being accused of being lazy and self indulgent for wanting to nurse dd past 1 year, this did not start my day off well.
Thanks for listening.
Then I tested positive for group b strep in my urine, and the doctor and my midwife both said that I had to go on ampicillin 500 mg 4x daily. I was surprised, as I thought the only issue was the birth, but they wanted to clear the infection in my urine, and since I trust them I just went ahead with it after asking about its safety for the baby—they said it was a category b drug. I guess I have just been so exhausted that I acted pretty much like a sheep in a herd. Baaaaa.
Well, several days into the course, dd ended up with a moderate drug reaction (a rash) and is officially allergic to penicillin. I called the ob, and she said, “can you pump and dump? because you really need to stay on the antibiotic.” I thought that must mean that it clears the system in hours, and I thought, well perhaps. Then I saw the pediatrician on call, and he said no, it lasts for days. And he said, “I cannot tell you what to do, but her exposure must stop immediately. she either must be weaned, or you need to stop the antibiotic”. (either way, he put her on benadryl). When I asked him what they would put me on if I were allergic, he said, “well, we have a protocol for that, but it is really a cross your fingers kind of a situation, as it is not as effective against the strep.” (Hope dd does not end up with GBS) – he was very sympathetic, but his concern was justifiably avoiding a severe reaction in dd. We have not yet seen her regular doctor. The only good/funny thing about it was that the whole time in the office she was nursing and staring at him with her mouth stuffed full – her little mouth working it and her eyes saying “forget about weaning ME, buddy!”
Finally, I went back to the ob, and asked her if I could stop the antibiotic and get a culture in a few weeks—if it is positive then I would go back on the antibiotic, while giving me time to wean gradually. (Ha!). That was a decent idea for her, and off we went in a benadryl haze.
Now, I DO NOT want to wean dd—it would traumatize her horribly, but I also do not want to put dd or dc #2 at risk in any way (although I am in knots over the fact that I may have put the baby at risk, taking this at the end of the 1st trimester, despite the assurances I received).
I tried to ‘set limits’ today, saying that mama was all done, and that was an utter failure—I do not see how I can wean her in a few weeks, and I do not see how I can wean her for the birth. She is so unbelievably attached to nursing – she has no other comfort – no blankie, no animal, nothing. Rocking her and holding her does not help, and seems to make it worse. Moreover, she is so deeply in a separation anxiety phase, I cannot see how I could, in good conscience, say no.
I am so upset by the general attitude that I receive from everyone about nursing my 18 mo. EVERYONE (other than the male doctor) has said “well, I weaned at 9 mo/12 mo etc, and it was so easy” or “it would have been easier if you had weaned her before she was 1 yo.” Well, fine, if that is your opinion, but 1. she is 18 mo, and there is nothing I can do about the fact that I did not wean her 6 months ago, and 2. that was not my choice and what the heck happened to supporting my personal choices as a mother??? One dr even suggested that I was putting her at risk for continuing to nurse her – because she has not gained weight in a while. I feel totally ganged up on, and NO ONE has said – here is an alternative, to allow you to continue nursing. (btw, I live in a very rural area, where there are 2 ob/gyns in a 70 mile radius, and only a few more peds). Admittedly, I have not yet seen my midwife since this all went down, and I do feel like she might be more understanding, as will dd’s regular pediatrician.
Sorry that this is so long, and so emotional, but I don’t know what to do—does anyone know what the alternative antibiotic actually is if a mom is allergic to penicillin? If so, what is its safety profile? I am very scared not to take the antibiotics at the birth, but I sure am not going to expose dd to penicillin. (I have so far gotten over the whole ‘I don’t want to be hooked up to anything’ issue.) Does anyone know if it truly is necessary for me to take the antibiotics now? My midwife said it was to avoid m/c, and if true, that is a justified concern as I already had some serious bleeding.
If I do end up weaning her, how do I do that?? (I know no one here wants to offer suggestions, but where do I go to learn how to do it gently?) it just seems like there are 2 options—clw, and traumatizing her—she is just that kind of a kid. She will not even let me be in a separate room, so leaving her with someone would never work – she has never had a babysitter other than dh 2ce and my mother 2ce. To top it off, she calls nursing “mama” –so it is heartwrenching to hear her crying maaaaamaaaaaa when I cannot get to her immediately – like when we are in the car.
Ah. I just feel like such a failure—add to that, a family friend came over and saw me ‘giving in’ to dd’s request to plug in the vacuum so she could turn it on, and she told me I was creating a monster by acquiescing to her every whim. Believe me, after being accused of being lazy and self indulgent for wanting to nurse dd past 1 year, this did not start my day off well.
Thanks for listening.
