Mommies with experience with breastfeeding and prednisone.

Oh gracious! I breastfed for four months on 40mg prednisone. My son is amazing...he's 12 months (tomorrow!) and wearing 18-24 months clothes. : ) He's quite the little man, really. Anyway, your anxiety has definitely been heightened b/c of the prednisone, are you on an anxiety medication as well? I was on effexor immediately following his birth, but am now on paxil.

As for the pump and dump...that is such a horrible thing to do...I wouldn't worry about it. I understand the benefits of breastfeeding, and I was so sad when my son needed more...but he got everything he needed from me within the first month (re: immune defenses, nutrients, etc). I would continue nursing as long as you feel healthy enough to. It may be that in order to get your flare under control you may need to take more aggressive measures...and nursing may have to end. I hope not, but your health is extremely important. I would suggest weighing your options and your feelings regarding nursing and your ability to provide the best care to your baby. Being in a flare drains your energy...emotions...just everything...and so does nursing. Because you're dealing with both, you should definitely be chugging the water! : )

I'm sorry you're in this dilemma. As a mother we only want what is best for our children. I keep mentioning the surgery we're going to have b/c it is just such a wonderful avenue for us...I feel that by going the surgery route I will be able to be the best I can be...no more fears regarding medications...no more listening to my son cry while I run to the bathroom...and no more UC pains. : ) I've had a pretty bad go the past week or so and I am even more excited about the j-pouch procedure...I'm ready to have full control again!

Anyway, I know you will do what feel natural and right for you. Just know that I was on 40mg prednisone throughout the pregnancy and four months of breastfeeding. He is growing and developing beautifully!

How old is your baby?

: ) Robin

Hi, congrats on your little!!!!

Like the pp, i took 40mg pred while BFing.

I took pred during my entire pg, and was on 10mg when i delivered, however that was not controling my UC, so i was upped to 40mg. I delivered premature, and my baby was in NICU, and i was scared also, so i asked the Neonatologist (baby doctor) if it was ok for me to take. He said YES, and also assured me that there are alot of mom's w/ asmetha (sp) who take pred also. Sadly, i was not able to continue to BF longer than about 6-8wks as my flare was sooooo bad and i needed to restart my 6mp (which i was told not to BF on). My daughter is now 19mo and is a BIG rolly polly little baby girl! :)

Anyways, you can contact LLL or maybe your hospital lactation center and ask them also.

Have any of you found that stopping to breastfeed or the restart of your periods have caused a flare?  I recently restarted my periods and had a flare, luckily its under control after taking steroid enemas for a couple weeks.   

I fully believe that while pregnant one should not try tapering the prednisone. Our bodies are going through so much as it is, and our babies need consistency. As I mentioned, I was on 40mg prednisone the entire pregnancy and I'm glad I was b/c it did help maintain my flare...but so did the pregnancy hormones. Once I quit nursing and was off the 'roids I was in a flare within a matter of days and wanted to die. : ) Anyway, if you can stay on the prednisone to maintain a flare, I think you should. I was fine, my baby is fine...and apparently many other Mommies and babies are fine. : )

Now...as for the periods and flares...how ironic this question was brought up, as I was thinking about posting a topic regarding this today! I have yet to really experience full period b/c I'm on prednisone, but I became very sick (UC urgency, pouring blood, etc.) during this past week, and I started my period today...with the normal cramping and fun stuff. So, does this happen to others? I thought my UC was super bad b/c of the stress I've been under from the holidays and planning my son's first birthday, which was this past Sunday and a lot of fun! However, I have really sick and losing a decent amount of blood, but nothing like I have in the past.

Anyway, I guess that I too wonder if a flare worsens due to the onset of a period or what it is. I kind of thought I was getting sicker b/c I've had a lot of sugar lately (holidays!) and I've not really been on a strict no sugar, no caffeine, no fried foods diet.

I bought some of those five hour energy shots yesterday and took one last night. The only thing it did was take away the need to pass out. I still didn't get up to do anything...so all my dishes are still dirty and it still looks like a toy monster threw up all over our house...and I'm still tired. I think I'll try another one now and see if I can at least organize the dishes to clean later. : ) These shots ae the ones that are strictly vitamins and no caffeine.

Oh, and as for the stress/anxiety regarding the pregnancy...perhaps you can try something other than Zoloft? I'm not familiar with what is safe during pregnancy, but surely there's something else? Or maybe you could increase the dosage? My anxiety was decent during my pregnancy b/c my hormones really helped me out...but a good friend of mine had just the opposite and she needed meds badly...and doesn't have UC or on 'roids...it was just the pregnancy making her crazy! : )

Anyway, I look forward to reading posts from you ladies. I cannot tell you how comforting it is knowing that you're here and in similar situations. A common bond amongst us is not just the UC but our love for our children and families. : ) Being a Mommy is by far my favorite thing!!!

Have a great day!

: ) Robin

I updated my profile if anyone does want to email me. I'm 31 weeks pregnant with my first and just got over my second flare (fingers crossed). It seems like most of you are ahead of me though in this pregnancy/breastfeeding/medication/UC dilemma.

I'm going to update my profile right now!

mjw I emailed you just a bit ago. : )

I looked up Remicade in Dr. Hales book Medications and Mother's Milk and it is a Pregnancy Category B and a Lactation Risk L2, which is lower than Asacol. The IV sounds hurific and so do the side effects but this maybe what I need to get me through breastfeeding and one more pregnancy. If I was younger (not advanced maternal age 35 36 in February) I would look into the surgery but my OBGYN told my husband and I to hurry up, so this maybe an answer for us. Then once that is over I could research surgery again.

Just wanted to say good luck Joma!!! Here's to a healthy and QUICK delivery for your little one and a speedy recovery for you!! Don't forget to tell them NO pain meds with any ibuprofen in them(my hospital actually gave me a wristband that said this because all the different nurses keep coming in and out. I told every single nurse before she gave me anything that I couldn't have ibuprofen).

Oh and I noticed you are on cortifoam. With my most recent flare(4 weeks after delivery) I went on that for almost 3 weeks. It helped but didn't get me back in remission. I switched back to rowasa(mesalamine) enemas and seriously the next day I had formed stools and no blood. I've been on it for 5 days now and am back in remission. I'm going ot keep up with every night for another week to maintain remission and then maybe wean down to every other. Just wanted to share my story, because with both of my pregnancies I flared pretty badly after giving birth(last time it was 6 weeks PP, this time it was 4) and having a bad flare with a newborn is TOUGH. Come on here and get support during it if you need it!!

I can't wait to hear about your new baby!! Make sure to come on and tell us all about him/her after things have calmed down a bit!

GREAT news Robin. So nice to hear some good news on here isn't it??

Hey there
Yes, Motherisk is a great program. It is nice to actually get to speak to someone in person, immediately when you call. I have been calling them throughout my pregnancy every time my meds changed. Just so you know, they will not give treatment recommendations. They will only tell you about the risks of the drugs that you are on or that you ask about. I looked up the number. It is 416-813-6780. As I said, it is in Toronto so it is Eastern Standard time. what they have is a great big data base of research as well as people that can help with a costs/benefits analysis of bfing VS. any drugs you have to take.

I think we, at least I, loose site of just how many pros there are to bfing. So while it is a drag that we have to take the meds, it does not nessessarily mean that we should stop bfing altogether.

jo

I just found out I'm pregnant.  I am taking 10 mg of prednisone for rheumatoid arthritis and am nursing my five month old daughter.  My daughter wakes up 5 or 6 times per night to nurse...I just don't feel that she is ready to wean yet.  I know that when I call my doctor he is going to tell me to gradually decrease my prednisone dose until it is zero.  That is what we did with the last pregnancy.  I was in a lot of pain and felt very disabled, but I dealt with it for the health of my baby.  My pregnancy never made the arthritis go away like it's supposed to, and eventually I had to go back on prednisone once the danger for the baby developing a cleft palate was minimized. 

Now that I'm pregnant again I don't know how I am going to juggle the health of my two babies and my own health.  If I decrease my prednisone, I will not be able to care for my five-month old.  I tried going down to 7.5 mg and I could hardly pick her up.  I'm tempted to not even tell my rheumatologist that I'm pregnant so that I won't have a hard time getting the medication, but at what risk to my unborn baby?  How could I bear it if he/she was born with a cleft palate and I knew it was my fault?

I need some words of encouragement and advice.  When you were pregnant and taking prednisone, did you do so during your first trimester?  How did you cope with that decision?

MJW - I've been thinking about what you said about Reyes syndrome since you posted. Actually..I've been worrying about it. Two questions, is Dr. Hale's info online anywhere or do I need to get a hold of his book? Secondly, was the risk of Reyes Syndrome while the baby is breastfeeding or is it possible for them to get Reyes later on in life after they've stopped? Thanks! I have no choice but to breastfeed(my son is allergic to dairy and soy) AND I need to take my meds or I will flare, so I've been worrying about all of this....ugh!