Question: When Should a Mother Avoid Breastfeeding?
The best food for your baby is breast milk. It's natural, protective, custom-made for your baby and it's free. But are there times when a mother's breast milk could be harmful to her baby?
Answer:
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the answer is Yes. But the circumstances that warrant not breastfeeding are rare.
So, if any of the following apply to you, then you should consult with your physician and stop breastfeeding.
If you:
- Are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
- Are taking antiretroviral medications
- Have untreated, active tuberculosis
- Are infected with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I or type II
- Are using or are dependent upon an illicit drug
- Are taking prescribed cancer chemotherapy agents, such as antimetabolites that interfere with DNA replication and cell division
- Are undergoing radiation therapies; however, such nuclear medicine therapies require only a temporary interruption in breastfeeding
In addition, infants who have been diagnosed with galactosemia should not be breastfed.
Keep in mind that just because you're stopping now, it may not mean stopping forever. If your condition is temporary and you are able, you can always pump your milk and dump it to keep your milk production going.
If you condition is more permanent or long-lasting and you can afford it, you might consider getting milk from a milk bank if breastfeeding is an issue near and dear to you.