Pain Med Breastfeeding

I took Vicodin after my C-Section and I was breastfeeding. And I took the dosage prescribed. No less. Lots of pain! Anyhow, my daughter is fine. She's 12 and happy and healthy. No worries. :)

I got into a car accident a few weeks back and the doctor perscribed vicodin, even though I'm breastfeeding. He mentioned that no matter what I take some of it is bound to get into my milk. So, I opted to take as little of the pain medication I needed to take the edge off of the pain.
I found some information on my perscription, and it said it was "moderately safe." Check out:
http://www.kellymom.com/health/meds/aap-approved-meds.html

It has a relatively through table of medications that have been approved for nursing moms. Hope that helps, and I hope you feel better soon.

I used Ibuprofen (motrin 600) after c-sect for 2 days and then again used it (the over-the-counter dose) when I threw my back out and couldn't move. I don't normally take anything at all, especially when nursing or pregnant, so Vicodin would be a little scary for me.... But, many mom's say they've used it with no noticable effects for the baby.

I believe the Motrin 600 affected her tummy a little, which is why I only took it for 2 days, but the over the counter seemed ok.

Hope you're feeling better soon!

I took Vicodin when I was nursing a newborn. Good luck!

Ok, back up...you had a cavity filled and they put in a temporary? Why? As a former DA I can only assume that when they started drilling they found more decay than they thought and told you you would need a root canal, put in a temporary until you could come back for a longer appointment. If that is the case then yes, you would have pain because they would have drilled very close to a dying nerve and it will be sensitive until it is removed or dead.
I would do several things;
A. Clarify with your dentist WHY you have a temporary and whether you will need a root canal done. (not a cheap venture)
B. Stress that you are breast feeding and ask both the dentist and the pharmacist what they think would be best for pain.
C. If you do not like what you are being told on either account seek a second opinion.

Hi V.... 2 temporary pain relievers I've found,,, 1) Johnson & Johnson baby teething swabs, they work GREAT on adult toothaches also, and 2) oil of cloves at a health/vitamin store. Take a Qtip and dab into the area that is causing you pain. If you have whole cloves in your kitchen, you can also stick that by the ache and bite down to keep it there, I've done that also. But the oil is much easier. Hope this helps. Sincerely, CJ

Tylenol 3 is ok with breastfeeding according to many sources online as well as the Hale book on breastfeeding and medications. However, as with any drug, try to take it in moderation and keep the doses as far apart as possible.

To be honest while I was (and still am nursing) my doctor had put me on Vicodin while still in the hospital. I was advised to continue taking this until I did not need it anymore. As long as you take it in moderation you should be fine. I always took the bare minimum just to take the edge off. Good luck. I hope you feel better soon.

I had my wisdom teeth out back in July and was put under IV sedation and then given vicodin afterwards for pain relief. I checked with my ped and she said the particular meds that I was given were very short lived (vicodin included) and did not go into the breastmilk. She said I could pump and dump if I was worried but it wasn't really necessary. Check with your pediatrician to see what advice s/he has. Hope you feel better soon!

Short answer - take the medication.

Long Answer - Tylenol-3 and Vicodin are (used to be?) both prescribed after childbirth to breastfeeding mothers (I had Vicodin with my first in 1995 and T-3 with my second in 1998).

With my second pregnancy (a girl), my migraines got worse, so the OB/GYN prescribed Vicodin. My cousin is a pharmacist, so I had her research the effects of it on the baby. She got back to me that NO studies were done during pregnancy, only breastfeeding. It's OK for breast-feeding (as long as you're careful and only take what's absolutely necessary).

So, to sum it up, I took Vicodin & Tylenol-3 from about 16 weeks on during pregnancy (1/2 the dose prescribed, waiting as long as possible before taking or re-dosing) - same during breastfeeding. My daughter is fine - part of the gifted program at school in fact. No attention or behavior problems at all. In fact I'm often told she's a wonderful child who is a friend to all. (My son is also gifted and has no affects from me taking painkillers in the weeks following childbirth while breastfeeding)

You might also look into the topical antiseptic painkiller at the drugstore - sort of like Ora gel for Adults to put on the tooth to numb it.