Looking for Input on Experience with Zoloft and Nursing

Hi L.-

I actually started taking zoloft in my 6th month of pregnancy and while breastfeeding. I also had concerns and my doctor told me it was more harmful to be unhealthy for my child. I am thankful because it made me feel a lot better and my son is absolutely fine! I did stop breastfeeding at 3 months b/c it just wasnt working out for me.

I would recommend going to the following web site:
www.womensmentalhealth.org to find out more info.
I did not take Zoloft, but I did take a different
antidepressant. Hope this helps !

I am a stay at home mom with a two year old
daughter.

Hi L.,

I'm taking Zoloft now nursing my 5 month old. I had the same reservations with my first daughter and went off my meds when I found out I was pregnant, but then I had severe PPD and anxiety when she was about 4 months and it really affected my taking care of her. Now with my second I made sure to stay on the meds because being healthy and functional is much more important and outweighs the small amount of meds that you may be giving to baby through breastmilk. I just remember how horrible it was with my first -- I couldn't take care of her for at least a month until the meds started taking effect. I really missed out on that month of parenting because I got so sick.

Zoloft is the most well researched and safest for pregnant and nursing moms...there was a specific study done on Zoloft last year, you can probably google the results. I understand the conflict because I went through the same reservations. My eldest is a happy and healthy 4 year old now, so as far as I know, there were little to no side effects of the drug on her.

I think its great that you have been able to hold off until now. If your daughter is at 8 months already the most sensitive time is over and she's getting nutrition beyond jusy breastmilk. I think the most important thing to consider is that you take care of yourself and be healthy so you can better take care of your baby!

Hi L.,

I was put on a high level steroids (for bells palsy) and subsequently stopped nursing because of my fear with passing it to my daughter. Since then, I've taken a pretty hard look at holistic care and healing. It has done wonders for so many things I've experienced in the past several years. I believe there is a place for traditional medicine, but I do not discount the amazing things that exist with various "non-traditional" medical approaches that have been around for hundreds of years. In hindsight, I wished I would have taken a different approach with the bells and minor bouts of depression. It would have made all the difference then, but at least I have and use options now that are viable and healthy alternatives. The more I find out about the pharmaceutical industry and the healing abilities of my own body, the more empowered and healthy I feel. I've made minor changes to my diet to reduce stress and feed my healthy mind and now am more attuned to symptoms that require more than quieting with a drug. Just something to think about...

Best wishes, as I know this must be a difficult and stressful time. ~C.

Tough one, huh!
I too went through all that. I even met with a big hotshot, big
wig pschopharmacologist. He was very nice but here's the bottom line. There is no long term study of the effects and so there is
little known. It is known that Zoloft is excreted in breast milk.
Here's the other bottom line and the one I lived with. I'm a much better Mommy on this medication than not. I have nursed two
wonderful little girls for three years each and through the pregnancies.
I've never noticed any kind of reaction for them. I would not
recommend doing this without thought or frivolously.
I am content with my choice (easy since I saw no effect), but I would also recommend that you go to a health food store and do some research, or go to a Naturapath doctor.
There are herbal mood enhancers or balancers that could also help, although if it's to an extreme point than you just need immediate help. Have you tried exercise or meditation?
5Http is a 'precuser' to Serotonin. Serotonin is what the zoloft will help keep bouncing around in the helpful part of your brain. Zoloft does not increase serotonin. 5http increases serotonin.
I hope you feel better soon.
Peace.

Dear L.,
Unfortunately since the advent of drug commercials on TV, our culture looks to drugs for the answer to everything.

I apologize in advance if you are offended by my response. I hope you can see it comes from a space of concern and love for a fellow human being.

Drugs are only a bandaid. To find the source of your anxiety will be healing for you and your family. I hope and pray that you can look inside and realize that you are strong beyond measure. Your body, mind and spirit have the ability to overcome anything God sends you.

In the long run, drugs will affect you and your baby...even if introduced through your breast milk. Why take the chance of ill effects when you have so many other natural alternatives to your anxiety.

My philosophy (may or may not be yours)is that drugs are not the answer. Breathing, yoga, counseling, meditation, prayer, a good cry, sleep, loving relationships, etc. go a long way to reduce anxiety in ones life. If you are doing too much, slow down and smell the roses...hug your family and tell them how wonderful they are and how much you love and appreciate them. Forgiveness, gratitude and self reflection (first to yourself, then to others)goes a long way in keeping your sanity when you have young children.

I will probably never meet you and I asked myself why I should even respond. The answer I got back was that maybe my words would touch you and remind you of something you already know...you can trust in yourself and your amazing capacity to heal from the inside out. Chemicals do not heal...only love heals.

I wish you a wonderful life and I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Dr. P.

Hi, L.!

I'm a 37-year-old mother of a son who is 4 and a daughter who is 10 months. I have struggled with anxiety for much of my adult life and have been on and off Zoloft. My anxiety definitely reached an all time high right after my kids were born. I didn't take the Zoloft during my pregnancy, and struggled with whether or not to take it while I was nursing. I finally decided to take it, and I'm so glad that I did. It made me a much better Mom, and didn't seem to affect my kids at all. In fact, my son is amazingly healthy. He has never been sick (no fever or runny nose, even) in his 4 years, even though he has been in pre-school since he was 2.9, and exposed to a lot of other sick kids. He's also been labeled "advanced" in his development. I think you should give the Zoloft a chance. Chances are, your anxiety could have a more negative impact on your baby than the Zoloft. Children are really sensitive to the moods of their mothers, and as your child grows into a toddler, you will need the patience! As far as timing goes, I didn't time when to take it. I took it once in the morning and once at night. Trying to stay on top of your sleep deprivation and nursing schedule is hard enough to keep track of! I hope this helps. I wish you the best of luck! Regina

hi, i tried going off prosac to get pregnant and it was a long haul BACK to being on the medication. I talked to many professionals and the verdict was definitely in favor of staying on the med. Better a happy mom...
I eventually adopted so i don't have nursing stories, but I planned to nurse and had the support of trusted doctors in the field to stay on my medication. good luck. S.

I haven't taken Zoloft but I am a nursing mom on Prozac and let me tell you, it's a life saver. Zoloft is very researched and is very safe for nursing moms, especially this far out. Do yourself and your family a favor and take it, you'll be glad you did.

Hi L.,
I have been fighting anxiety and panic attack issues my whole life. I am on Zoloft and have been for several years. I tried to go off it when I was pregnant with my first child and was unsuccessful. I went through both of my pregnancies while on Zoloft and have breastfed, although not very long, by my choice and have had NO issues at all with the babies. My pregnancies were fine and so are my children now 5 and 3. Don't stress about the Zoloft. If you need it take it. It will make you a happier better Mother in my opinion. Good luck. P. V.

Hi L.!

I took Zoloft while nursing all 3 of my girls! My OB, and our pediatrician, felt absolutely comfortable with my taking the zoloft while nursing, and it was the best thing ever! I had pretty bad post partum depression after having my first and finally went on the zoloft - i'm glad i finally went on it, and wished I had gone on earlier! With the other 2 girls, I went on immediately after giving birth, more as a preventative measure - because i didn't want to waste one minute feeling bad. Anyway I used to take my pills in the morning because i had some insomnia associated with the zoloft. From all that I've read and heard, Zoloft is completely safe. I nursed each child for 1 year, and took zoloft the entire time, and never noticed any effect on my girls. It was just so positive for me! If you are feeling anxious, I would really start taking it right away - you are going to feel so much happier once you do!

L.,

I understand that you want to protect your little one, but if you do not take care of yourself you will not be the best Mommy that you can be.

A small amount of medication will allow you to better enjoy your little girl.

Hi
When I was going to get pregnant again I spoke with 3 doctors about taking ant-depressants while pregnant and they all said the same thing. There is really no long term research on this, but they thought it was safe.

My advise is to give your child a bottle and take the drugs.

You cannot function correctly when riddled with anxiety and your child will not have long term impact from bottle feeding, but you really don't know about long term effects of receiving a drug because there is no good research.

Which is more of a risk for your baby? Bottle milk or drugs?

Sorry to be so blunt, but when I had to give up breastfeeding my twins for several reasons, I felt like a bad mother and my hormones were crazy and I thought is was the worst thing. Then I spoke with an experienced caregiver of new moms and babies and got a better perspective of what my situation was and realized, especially now that my kids are older, that it was not the disaster I thought it would be.

Another thing she told me was that breast feeding while anxious the baby picks up on the anxiety.

I know about anxiety. You and your baby will enjoy each other so much more if you get it under control.

Hope this helps.

Hi L.,
I started taking Zoloft right after my daughter was born and I could nurse her no problem. It didn't affect my milk supply, and it didn't affect her routine. She was such a good baby. She was happy and so was I! Take the Zoloft... the symptons of not taking it are much worse than the side effect of taking it. Your mental and physical health is VERY important right now.
A.

I found some good info. on kellymom.com (great website!)
Zoloft is the "best drug choice so far". It has a low, low transfer rate to breastmilk (17-173 ug/liter) in mothers taking up to 150 mg/day. In one excellent study of 11 mother/infant pairs, the zoloft was undetectable in 7 of the 11 breastfeeding infants' serum and minimal in the other infants. In two other studies of one and three mother/infant pairs respectively, zoloft was undetectable in the plasma of all 4 infants. A theoretical concern with Zoloft is that some babies may not gain weight as rapidly or as well when breastfed by moms on Zoloft; so weight gain should be monitored and dosage tweaked as necessary

I started on 50 mg when my baby was 6 months and I feel so much better! My baby is fine and I notice no problem with her at all. Part of the problem with depression and anxiety is the inability to make decisions or to feel "stuck" try it for 2 weeks and see how you feel.

Hi L.,
After my daughter was born in Aug. 04 I went through a grueling year of stress and panic and sleeplessness before finally "giving in" to meds. I ended up on three different ones, one of which was lexapro, another antidepressant. I was still nursing but not as much as I once was. I continued to nurse for another year and a half. What I understood was that timing of when the meds are taken and what kind they are important. I wouldn't have done it if I felt I was jeopardizing my daughter's health at all. Dr Hale has written a lot about breastfeeding and medication. Search him on the web. Good luck with all of this. You will be a better mom if you get this under control. It's really hard to feel this way! I'm not out of the woods yet honestly and my daughter will be four this year. M.

I took Zoloft while nursing my second child. I started it when she was about six weeks old through when she weaned at about 14 months. I didn't notice any ill effects on her and I know I was a better mom because I was taking it. I wish I had recognized the anxiety/depression I had after my first child and had taken something for it. They are little for such a short while and you miss too much of the fun if you are anxious!

good luck!

Hi L.
My name is A. and I am the mother of 3 boys, ages 9,5 1/2 and 4. I am also a pharmacist. I suffered with an undiagnosed post partum depression after the birth of my first son. It wasn't until I finally got up the nerve to have another baby 2 1/2 years later that I figured out what had happened to me. I've always had anxiety. The hormonal changes and adjustment of being a mother turned my anxiety into depression. I did some research because I was determined to make my second experience with being a mom better than my first. I was determined to "enjoy" my new baby. I was living in Ayer,MA at the time and found a group of clinicians in Wellesly, MA that had formed the Hestia Institute. The founding medical doctor and a clinical nurse practioner from this group wrote a book called "Womens Moods". They specialize in treating women with post partum depression. I decided to make an appointment with one of the psychiatrists at this office for an evaluation. The doctor and I decided that I would start Zoloft, at 36 weeks of gestation, a lowish dose, so that when I delivered I would have the medication on board. I had a great delivery and was able to sucessfully nurse my second son. I countinued the Zoloft and my Dr kept a close watch on me for signs of post partum depression. I was able to prevent another depressive episode and most importantly I truly enjoyed my new baby! I couldn't believe how different my 2 post partum experiences were! As a pharmacist I have to say without a doubt, if you decide to take the Zoloft you need to take it every day continuously. You can't take it "as needed". As far as whether or not its "safe", its all about benefit vs risk and quality of life. For me, the benefits of taking the Zoloft outweighed the small risks. My quality of life was greatly increased and I was a better mother, wife, sister, friend, pharmacist, etc. No more stress. It was great. I can't make the decision for you but I think you know what I think you should do. I hope this helps!

I have been taking Zoloft since the fifth month of my pregnancy, and my daughter is now almost four months old. I took 50mgs daily all along, except for three weeks after she was born when I increased it to 75mgs daily.
She is an alert, happy, developmentally on-target baby! I have seen absolutely no side effects from the medication. My obstetrician did not believe that there was any concern with regard to "timing" when I take the medication. I breastfeed my daughter exclusively (she has not yet had any formula supplements and I have never used the "pump-and-dump" tactic).
Honestly, I believe I am a better mother because I am better able to control my emotions. I would not hesitate to stop, however, if I thought the medication had any effect whatsoever on my child. She is beautiful and bright, and even slightly ahead of most infants her age. I hope this puts you more at-ease. You have to take care of yourself, too, in order to take care of your child.

Hi L.,
If you believe that taking Zoloft at this point in your life is the right thing to do I would suggest you consider weaning your child. I have friends that, when they wanted to go off Zoloft permanently, had a very difficult time of it. One friend took 3 years to go off of it, and still had a difficult time. Her body chemistry had changed as a result of taking the Zoloft. Your baby does not deserve to ingest any unnecessary medications at this point in her life. Your decision to nurse her for the past 8 months was an excellent decision and has made her immune and intestinal systems strong.
In my opinion, if you weaned her now before going on Zoloft yourself, she would fare very well whereas if she started ingesting Zoloft, who knows what situations it could create sooner or later on in her life. As you said you can't find any information around it so there probably are no studies that could tell you conclusively how your child might fare.

I urge you to be on the safe side with your precious daughter.
Sincerely,
S. A. Kane
Food As Medicine
www.sanctuary-healing.com

L.,

Call your doctor or your local La Lache League Leader and ask them to look up Zoloft in the Thomas Hale book. This book is simply a reference book of medications and their compatibility with nursing. You can read in this exactly what the timing is for when it is released into the milk and how much is released into the milk and how much of that get passed onto the baby. I was nursing for a while on Prozac (though I was nursing a toddler which is slighly different than an under-one), which I felt comfortable doing after I had all that information. Good luck!

My Psych. switched me from Celexa to Zoloft during my pregnancy because it is the safest out there for breastfeeding. I'm still on it and see no affect on the baby that I can link to it. I mean, if my baby has tummy trouble, how do i know if it's the meds or just regular baby stuff? Anyway, I don't worry about it and I don't think about the timing. I take it every morning.

With my first child, I was on Celexa the whole time and had no problems with that, either.

L.,
I take zoloft (150mg/day) and just recently weaned my 16 m onth old. I was on zoloft the whole time I was nursing him- and for me, there were no side effects in him. I was on prozac when I nursed my daughter, and she is now almost 3 and had no side effects either. Have you contacted La Leche League? They have probably the most up to date info on meds and nursing- and zoloft was one of the safer of the meds to nurse with. For me, the anxiety would become debiliting, so I had to take it- but it never bothered the baby (hmm. people would comment on how happy my babies always are, LOL, though I don't think that is from the meds, as my older kids were like that too, without meds.)
K. H

Hi L.,
Many years ago with the births of my 3 boys, I suffered terribly from anxiety and post natal depression; the first for 6 months, 2nd was 12 months and 3rd 18 months of absolute hell. My doctor put me on several different medications which all made me feel tired and zombie like so I stopped taking them. Learnt to meditate and found that was the best medication of all. I still meditate today as I found it benefitted my entire health and wellbeing and still does. Im 55 and work in childcare. Ppl often tell me how calm they feel around me and my friends often come to see me, "just to get back their own sense of calm" so they tell me. It works in amazing ways and helps relationships too. Hope this is some help but if you dont wish to try, then I wish you well in your life.
Blessings
S. - Australia

Call your local La Leche League leader. She will either have or know where to find a copy of Dr. Hale's breastfeeding and medications book. Also check out the medications page at the Massachusetts Breastfeeding Coalition.

http://massbfc.org/meds/

Hope you work things out. The best thing you can give your child is a happy Mama. Good luck.

Hi L.,

I can certainly appreciate your dilemma. Naturally you do not want to take anything that will possibly harm your baby. For many years we've been taught that we shouldn't take any sort of chemical if we are nursing.

I have not taken Zoloft while nursing, but I am a psychotherapist and I've spoken to several psychiatrists, and have read some of the research regarding Zoloft and nursing. It does appear that the risk is relatively small.

I think that in making this decision you must weight the risks and benefits. Naturally you would prefer not to take any sort of medication while nursing your child. However, a mother who is depressed and/or anxious can also have a harmful affect on a child. Babies are very sensitive to the mother's emotional state. Feeling anxious or depressed will affect how you respond and relate to your child. It could be subtle or not so subtle. To the degree that you are focused on your own discomfort, you will not be able to be fully there for your baby. Brain research is suggesting that the mother's responsiveness to her child actually affects brain development. The more attuned the mother is to her child's physical and emotional needs, the more secure the attachment will be and the more developed the child's brain will be, particularly the child's right brain, which is associated with emotional development.

So, in making this very difficult decision, L., I would suggest that you look at how much distress you are feeling and decide whether or not feeling less anxious or depressed will help you be a calmer and more responsive mom.

Perhaps you can discuss with your doctor the possibility of taking the smallest dosage that will be affective and then do some other things that will lessen your anxiety, like doing a daily relaxation exercise (listening to a guided imagery tape) or practicing daily meditation. You might consider taking up yoga or getting some daily aerobic exercise, like walking on a treadmill. These methods can greatly reduce anxiety if done on a regular basis.

I hope this is helpful to you.

V. S.

I have been taking Prozac since I was pregnant with my son. I nurse him and he is now 9 months old. We have not had any issues on this medicine and I feel like I am a better mom without having as much anxiety. Check out Kellymom.com for info on Zoloft. Good luck and take care.

I had to take the Zoloft also to deal with post partum depression after my daughter was born. It took me a while to take it also. It can make a world of difference. If you feel this way this can have more of an effect on your child. You may feel in later times that you missed out on enjoying the begining months of your child's life

First of all, I would not recomend Zoloft for panic & anxiety. I have the same disorder and the Zoloft made it so much worse. I have tried all of the new SSRI's and can't take any of them. Ask your doctor about the old meds like Elavil or nortriptilyne (may not have spelled that right :))
They have been around much longer and have fewer side effects. I'm sure that you can research the meds yourself on line. I know that what works for me might not work for you in terms of breastfeeding. Just some more info for you. Good luck! ~L.

Hi, I don't know how you will react to my advice, but please know that it is given with the most respect for you and your baby. I think it is more important for your baby to have a healthy / happy Mommy than to continue with the nursing. In a few months she can even have regular milk. You have done a wonderful thing for her by providing the best nourishment and antibodies nature can provide. You have bonded with her and created a wonderful relationship. Now it's time to go to the next step and be well yourself. You can wean her over the next few weeks. She won't be any worse for it, just hold her when you feed her and as always, love her up. Good luck and God bless. L.

I had been on Zoloft for years and decided to come off of it before becoming pregnant. I used St. John's Wort to help me wean off the medicine. It worked well, as well as the zoloft. I then was completely off of everything before I got pregnant. Now, I am not sure of the side effects of nursing and St. John's Wort, but it may be worth looking into as an alternative.

Hi L., I did take Zoloft after the birth of my second child and I also did nurse. She is now 5 and appears to be a very healthy and smart little girl..who talks a lot!! :-) I do not take Zoloft anymore but I do feel that it helped me somewhat get through a difficult time. You seem to be a cautious person and would appear to know if it were not working out for you. At 8 mos old I would feel comfortable in trying it out since you are still having some anxiety and stress perhaps. I'd say give it a shot. Good Luck.

M. D

L.,
First let me say that it takes a lot of courage to stand up and say that you need help. Good for you! Now about the meds...I take Celexa for depression. Have since before I had my boys. I switched to Prozac when I was pregnant because it was the most researched on prenatal health. I didn't nurse for a bunch of reasons, so I didn't have to worry about the meds in my milk. I will tell you this. If your anxiety and panic issues are affecting your daily life, then they are affecting how you parent. You have to weigh what is the most beneficial. A small amount of medication (that can be timed or pumped and dumped to avoid any exposure) or a mommy who may not be able to get through a day for whatever reason. Baby needs Mommy. I wish that I had more resources (websites, etc)for you. I have only my experience. There is something to the saying "If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy" Good luck to you.

hi L., as a mother or two who had post partum panic disorder before they knew what it was and before zoloft was invented, i would have tried it...i think you need to look at two things one is the quality of your life and functioning without it, and second is that zoloft and all the other medications used today are constantly monitored for transmission into breastmilk as well as safety use in pregnancy and postpartum (tom hale has a web site devoted to medications in pregnancy and with breastfeeding)..as a prescriber is would say if you need it, take it, the safety profile is very good...

Hey L.,

I took Zoloft for depression for about 5 or 6 years. After weaning myself off of the drug I came to realize a lot of what I was experiencing was related to my hormones. You are in a high hormonal state even now 8 months after delivery. Recognizing what makes you anxious and dealing with the individual things, talking with others about what is going on, relying on your significant other to be your support and turning your worries over to a higher power, God may be things you can work on while you continue to contemplate taking the medication. I nursed all three of my children, who are now adults, and I wouldn't have given that up for anything even at my own sacrifice. You must commend your self for continuing as long as you have, some girls don't nurse much past the first few weeks. Think of all the positive stuff you have already done for your child. You ate healthy while you were pregnant, your delivery went well, you have succeeded as a parent for 8 months. State these positive things to yourself every day. If your are feeling reluctant, even though the information out there says it's safe, go with your feelings so you can build your own confidence. Recognize the basis of your anxiety, that's where to start. Recognize that you are still raging with hormones and that that is ok.

I took Zoloft for several months while nursing my daughter. She is now 3 and I haven't noticed any effects on her - what I did notice was how much better it made me feel. It really was like a dark cloud being lifted. I know that my whole family benefitted from my taking the Zoloft. It is definitely a personal decision - you have to decide what YOU are comfortable with. If your anxiety is effecting your daily life, it's also effecting your daughter's. My father is a doctor and he supported my decision to take the Zoloft, and I would do it again, if I needed to. I hope this helps! Good luck!

L.,
There is a specialist in Boston that focuses on pharmacology and neonatology. She can give you research about taking drugs and also looks at you and your own situation. The group is at Mass General. I can't find the card right now but if you are interested I can dig up the name. I saw the assistant director (woman). In the end she said you are the heart center of your family and if you aren't happy no one is. You also have to weigh your anxiety against the anxiety of worrying "if" there is a chance "some" effects of the drug impact your baby. I worried that later on everytime there was behavioral issues or "something" in my child I would worry that it had something to do with the drugs....She brought up the counter point that my child might have a genetic predisposition to anxiety/depression since I had it and it could happen regardless of taking something. It is a difficult balance and in the end which will cause the LEAST amount of anxiety.....Anxiety about giving up breast feeding, Anxiety from not taking something or anxiety about taking something?

Good luck
I.

I have been taking Zoloft for about 12 yrs and without it I donot think I could function. I donot have any side effects, and I take 200 mgs a day.I have anxiety and angorphobia. I started to use it when I was having anxiety attacks on public transportation. Also, I could'nt leave my house to go to work. Now I can do anything and I feel like myself. I think it's a very good product, but everybody is different, so I would try it and see how you feel. But once again, I had no side effects and it works for me.

Hi -
I took Zoloft while I was pregnant with both my children and while I nursed my daughter. My children are normal little kids! My daughter is 4 1/2 and my son 3 1/2 (less than a year apart...hence the reason for needing it!) :)

I was leary about taking it as well, but after speaking to my doctors, the benefits of Zoloft out weighed my concerns at the time. I was depressed, and was not sleeping. I needed to take it. And in the long run, it made me a BETTER mom because I had more patience with the kids and not so tired all the time.

I think that taking Zoloft for your panic and anxiety issues, will help you in the long run, and will not harm your baby.

I did not time it, I just took the Zoloft at night. but just do a google search of Zoloft and breast feeding and you will get a ton of information.
http://www.drgreene.org/body.cfm?id=21&action=detail&...

Good luck!
L.

Hi, L.. It's wonderful that you are considering whether you take this medication so carefully, and of course it's important that you feel comfortable taking it while nursing. Many women have taken it and feel better and their children do well. I would recommend that you contact our lactation consultant, Debbie Page for the most updated research information (accessible mostly to medical professionals, harder to get in the general public) on Zoloft and nursing. She would be happy to talk to you and let you know what the facts are in addition to what your doctor has told you.
Debbie's phone number is ###-###-####. We also have a Nursing Moms Circle starting in March that you might be interested in joining. www.mothersandcompany.com
J.
Mothers & Company
Boylston, MA

I haver been on Soloft since I was in the 8th grade for similar reasons as you. I have had 2 boys since and nursed both of them until they were over a year while taking the meds. At first I was concerned but my doctor assured me there was no danger. I came to the conclusion that I was better off taking it to be a healthy mom and it turns out there was no risk after all. I hope this helps.

T. N.

L.,

I am a big advocate of Zoloft. I went on it about 4 years ago when we were having trouble conceiving and my anxiety had pushed its way into depression. My therapist recommended Zoloft above others because it is the best to use while pregnant and nursing, and it washes out of your system cleanly and quickly should you choose to go off the medication.

I was able to conceive a few months later after I did a re-check on my life and anxiety. During that prenancy other reports came out about the potential for delayed motor skills. The delay would even itself out by age 2, anyway. Since I was on a really low dose, only about 50mg, I decided to take my chances. It was more important to me to have a healthy relationship with my baby and myself then the teeny chance that his motor skills would be delayed just to work themselves out later. He was fine, I never saw any delay.

We have since had a second child and I still feel strongly about the even-level I felt all through both prenancies and nursing. I truly believe it was the best for my health and sanity, which is the best for my little kids.

Good luck!
Christy Y

Check with your local La Leche League Leaders to see if they own a book called "Medications and Breastmilk". I do believe that's the name....I recently had knee surgery when my baby was only 1 month old, & checked with them about what pain relievers and other meds might get into the breastmilk. Thankfully I had spinal anaesthesia and only received one injection of ibuprofen, but this LLL mom was a huge help to me and she said that the book was one of the only books out there with research on various meds & the amounts & effects on breastmilk. If you check with any of the drug companies, they will undoubtedly say don't take it while nursing because of liability reasons. Hope that helps.

E.,
Mom to 3 girls ages 5, 3, & 4 mos.

Hi L.-
I don't have any personal experience with this, but kellymom.com is a great website. I refer to it often for various things. It is a research-based site. If you go to the site and click on "Is this safe when breastfeeding?" in the left-hand column, it will bring you to a place where you can look up meds, etc. This is what it said about Zoloft:
Zoloft is the "best drug choice so far". It has a low, low transfer rate to breastmilk (17-173 ug/liter) in mothers taking up to 150 mg/day. In one excellent study of 11 mother/infant pairs, the zoloft was undetectable in 7 of the 11 breastfeeding infants' serum and minimal in the other infants. In two other studies of one and three mother/infant pairs respectively, zoloft was undetectable in the plasma of all 4 infants. A theoretical concern with Zoloft is that some babies may not gain weight as rapidly or as well when breastfed by moms on Zoloft; so weight gain should be monitored and dosage tweaked as necessary.

I understand your concern about its affect on your baby as I have chosen not to take certain meds when I've been sick and nursing, but it is definitely important to remember that your health is very important too -- not only because of you, but because your baby's mental, emotional, and physical development relies on you being able to deal with daily happenings in a healthy manner. Best of luck to you!! I'm sure whatever you decide will be the best!