Breastfeeding and medication with Wendy Jones BSc, MSc, PhD, MRPharmS

Wendy Jones BSc, MSc, PhD, MRPharmS is known for her work on providing a service on the compatibility of drugs in breastmilk and has been a registered breastfeeding supporter for 36 years. She is passionate that breastfeeding should be valued by all and that medication should not be a barrier. In her employed life she was a primary care pharmacist. Wendy left paid work 12 years ago to concentrate on writing her books and developing her website to provide information for mothers and professionals. Wendy was awarded an MBE in the New Year’s Honours List of 2018 for services to mothers and babies. 

In this episode I chat to Wendy about all those common questions which start with “is it safe to breastfeed with that medication?!”

·      Breastfeeding whilst needing medications for a chronic condition 

·      Common misconceptions with anxiety and depression medications and breastfeeding

·      Is it safe to keep breastfeeding when you catch the common cold or flu?

·      Emergency contraception – do you need to stop breastfeeding and will it affect milk supply?

·      Wendy tells us about the new medications for migraines

·      Colic medicines – is there evidence for this and do they work? 

·      Why planning in pregnancy is essential to support ongoing breastfeeding for those needing to use any medications long term, and yet unfortunately is still mostly not happening. 

·      And Wendy tells me how she ended up giving out her personal phone number to the whole of the UK several years ago for any breastfeeding questions on medications and feeding! And was dealing with 10.000 calls a year!

LINKS:
Wendy Jones website, fact sheets, books and more
BFN Drugs in breast milk fact sheets
Lactmed
E Lactencia
Hale meds

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🎶 Music by Joseph McDade


Disclaimer
The information shared in this podcast is for general educational purposes only and is not intended as medical or legal advice. Always consult with a qualified professional regarding individual health concerns.

The Midwives’ Cauldron podcast does not guarantee the completeness or accuracy of the information provided and accepts no liability for any loss or harm arising from reliance on this content.