why not st johns wort while nursing?

[aja-belly]

i'm wondering if anyone knows why st johns wort is not recommended while nursing. my youngest nursling is a year old. i'm hesitant to try antidepressents since they have been unsuccessful fo me in the past and st johns wort worked wonderfully for me before i had kids.

aja

[momto l&a]

I didn't know it wasn't to be taken while nursing :

Have you tried cod liver oil?

Edited to add that I have taken it while nursing.

[umami_mommy]

the nursing mother's herbal says it is safe for breastfeding moms.

[mom0810]

I remember the Mood Cure saying it is NOT safe for nursing, but I do not remember why. I am sure it has not been studied as much as the other antidepressants. I know it is also not safe during pregnancy.

[umami_mommy]

Originally Posted by mom0810

I remember the Mood Cure saying it is NOT safe for nursing, but I do not remember why. I am sure it has not been studied as much as the other antidepressants. I know it is also not safe during pregnancy.

actually in germany it has been studied and used extensively. (it is used more than than pharmecutical antidepressants) it's just most americans don't read german. the commission E monographs say it is safe for pregnancy.

and the woman who wrote the nursing mother's herbals is both an herbalist and a LLL leader and lactation consultant. (and there are plenty of sources in the back of her book)


doctor hale doesn't recommend it because he feels pharmecutical antidepressants are a better choice.

[aja-belly]

i'm really not comfortable with the prescrption anti-depressents. if the only reason not to take it is because prescription drugs have been studied more (well, or course, there's alot more money in it) then i'm comfortable with that. i'm going to see what info i can find about what has been researched on sjw.

kellymom has some info for anyone else who is looking.

[MoonWillow]

I take it and I am nursing. It has helped me tons.
Hi honeybee

[Ruthla]

It doesn't make logical sense that St. John's Wort would be unsafe while Prozac is considered safe. All it really means is that Prozac (and others SSRIs) have been extensively studied while St. John's Wort has not been studied by modern medical researchers as much.

If you've done well with St. John's Wort in the past, while Rx antidepressants haven't worked well for you, then I'd go with what works. I'd put that in the same category as "Choose the drug that works best for you, even if it's not the one proven safest for the baby" as per Dr. Hale- his attitude is that so little med gets to the baby that the choice of med makes very little difference to the baby, having a healthy mom is the primary concern.

So, even if the Rx meds are "safer" than St. John's Wort, the herb can still be a better choice if it's the more effective medicine for you.

[Fiddlemom]

SJW was prescribed to me for PPD by a naturopath/homeopath/chinese medicine doctor.

It was very helpful w/o side effects.

[GradysMom]

I have been on St J W for 7 year... including my pregnancy and now while nursing my son who is nearly 13 mo. I have developed some sunsensitivity and so I am cautious with my boy outdoors - using plenty of sun screen. The only other possible effect was Jaundice which did not require hospitalization.