Which antidepressant is safest during breastfeeding?
I have a history of anxiety and depression and now I’m thinking of getting back on some meds. I had waited through my pregnancy because I didn’t want a chance of harming the baby but now I want to get back on them and I’m not sure which one I should try. I was on Prozac 20 mg previous to being pregnant and it was helping my depression but not really my anxiety, and I have been on Zoloft in the past and couldn’t stand it because of the side effects. Now I’m breastfeeding, so I need to find out which anti-anxiety/anti-depressant is the safest to take. I also keep looking up on google what harm do they do on the baby, and all of them say “discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor” but what bothers me is none of them actually tell me the risks. I know the benefits, but what are the risks exactly?
I would consult your doctor about what medications are safe while your breastfeeding.
Safest Antidepressants to Take While Breastfeeding
Studies have shown the safest antidepressants for nursing mother’s to take are Zoloft or Paxil. Both are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) and work well on relieving postpartum depression. When blood levels for these drugs are done on breastfed infants whose mothers are taking these medications, the traces are are either low or not present. It appears that the amount of these drugs that pass into breast milk is minimal.
Safety and Risks of Taking Prozac While Breastfeeding
Prozac is another SSRI that can be taken by nursing mothers, but precautions need to be taken if this is the drug that is chosen, especially if Prozac is taken before the infant is two months old. Babies whose mothers took Prozac at the end of their pregnancy as well as while nursing are at a higher risk of developing toxicity because the drug has a longer half life than Zoloft of Paxil and stays in the babies system longer.
iVillage reports that breastfed infants whose mothers take Prozac may be more likely to develop colic and might be fussier than other babies. Studies have also shown that breastfed babies whose mothers take Prozac may have a slower rate of growth.
Dr. Sears states that Prozac can be safe and effective in low-doses as long as the infant is monitored. If taken in higher doses blood work may need to be done to make sure there is not too much of the medication in the baby’s blood.
http://breastfeeding.suite101.com/article.cfm/antidepressants_and_breastfeeding
On this site towards the bottem, there are a couple charts that tells you what medications are safe to take while breastfeeding.
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/T028500.asp