A Question for Moms with CF

[anonymous]

Hi everyone i forgot to log in but im usually HyperactiveDreamer . My name is Vanessa and i used to come on here all the time , its been awhile. Anyways im 6 months pregnant and i have CF. But thankfully my husband Greg isnt a CF carrier so the baby wont have CF. Im having a Boy !! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"><img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0">My question is .... Moms with CF are they able to breastfeed?? I was going to ask my Doctor but i forgot . Just curiouse since we take so many medicines i was wondering if that interfered ?
Vanessa/ Pregnant w/CF / 21 yrs old<img src="i/expressions/rose.gif" border="0">

 

[sarabeth87]

u should check out HollyCatherine's website. she has a section dedicated to breast feeding (i think) i'm not sure of the link, but i'm sure someone has it and she posted on the MOMS WITH CF thread and the link is in her siggy

 

[wanderlost]

I know HollyCatherine and I both breastfed, and as stated before, she has a lot fo good info on her site. I'm not sure what meds you're on, but usually if you can take it in pregnancy, you can breastfeed with it as well. I highly recommend breastfeeding if you can. I am also pregnant with my 2nd, and I plan on breastfeeding this one for at least a year.
What meds are you on now, and how is your health doing? Good luck!

 

[anonymous]

I read it was okay to breastfeed and my doc said so as well.
Can I ask what is your FEV1? (just curious)....

 

[marcijo]

Hi-I have 2 children (and I have CF) and I was able to breastfeed both of my children. I cultured PA when I was pregnant (once each time) and was put on Levaquin-they told me it was safe to take while pregnant and also while breastfeeding. I also took Keflex a few times throughout each pregnancy when I got sick. My Fev1 is around 75%.

 

[marcijo]

I also meant to say that I was on pulmozyme when I found out I was pregnant with my daughter, but they told me to discontinue using that. I found out I was pregnant with her when I was about 5 weeks pregnant.

 

[JazzysMom]

I really, really wanted to breast feed, but didnt. I wasnt discouraged. It was my own choice, Between the meds for my epilepsy (my CF meds werent a problem) & the calories that get burned breast feeding, I didnt want to risk it. I have/had enough problems with weight dont need to burn more. I feel I missed out on something tho (some people wouldnt breast feed if their life depended on it), but many have been able to do so successfully!

 

[Landy]

Melissa
Don't sweat about it. I tried breast feeding & to be quite honest, it just wasn't working. I had slight post partum depression & between that & the sleep deprevation that was happening it was just easier on me, my health & everything to do formula....then my dear hubby and I could trade on doing the 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. feedings!
Breastfeeding is good, but I wish people wouldn't try to make new moms feel guilty for choosing not to.
Just my 2 cents<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[ladybug]

Lynda,

I agree with you 100%... Although I'm not prego and never have been, I would probably choose not to breastfeed, cause its tough enough for me to keep weight on,and also the idea that I could sleep through a couple of feedings during the night while hubby helped out so I could save my strength and health and make it as good as I can, are good reasons for me. I also think people put A LOT of pressure on breastfeeding when you're a mother. My SIL felt really alienated when her son just wouldn't breastfeed. She felt she was a bad mother and that everyone else and their docs feel you MUST breastfeed or her son would not bond, would get sick, etc. etc... I felt really bad for her.

I think its a very personal choice, and everything needs to be taken into consideration. I would NEVER think someone a bad mother for not breastfeeding, and I too wish this "ideal" wasn't so pushed on those who simply cannot OR who choose not to for their own reasons.

 

[HollyCatheryn]

Breastfeeding is not contrindicated for mothers with CF. There are some special considerations that others have already mentioned, like calories, sleep, etc.

Personally, having had to use a bottle a few times while we were nursing. I would breastfeed any and everyday. I found that I actually got MORE sleep because of the hormones released when nursing. I kept my duaghter in our bed so I didn't have to get up to get her and that worked very well for us. For others that don't sleep so well sharing their bed with a baby, there are lots of other options that make nursing and sleeping easier.

Calories, I had trouble at first, but once I got my diet on track and started some quality supplements and got into the routine (establishing your milk supply in the beginning is VERY important and sometimes your body initially burns more calories and makes more milk than it needs to. If you give it time and have in there, shortly it will adjust.) things went fine.

Please do read the breastfeeding fact pages and my story on <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.geocities.com/MurrensNatureMama">www.geocities.com/MurrensNatureMama</a>. That will answer a lot of your questions, but feel free to email me with others if you like. I'm on here infrequently, so email (<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="mailto:akaeg@netzero.net">akaeg@netzero.net</a>) is your best bet.

I also encourage you to go ahead and get involved with a La Leche League group in your area. My LLL Leader was a life-line for me. I don't think we would have been successful otherwise. Feel free to print off anything you like from the site and make sure you tell your docs ahead of time that you are planning to do this and would like their support. That will make it easier on them and you.