Contents:
- Medical Video: Intro to the Treatment of Pain with Opioid Medications by Dr. Charles Berde, for OPENPediatrics
- What exactly is opioid medicine?
- Are opioid drugs safe for mothers for babies?
- So can nursing mothers take opioid medicine?
- How to make it safer to take opioid medicine
Medical Video: Intro to the Treatment of Pain with Opioid Medications by Dr. Charles Berde, for OPENPediatrics
Opioids are painkillers that have a very strong effect on the body so they should not be used carelessly. Opioids also like to be called narcotics. There are many brands of opioid drugs found in the market such as Percocet, Norco, Vicodin or Tylenol with generic names oxycodon or hydrocodone. So, what happens if nursing mothers take opioid medication? Is it allowed?
What exactly is opioid medicine?
Opioid pills are usually prescribed to reduce pain from moderate to severe levels after a person has had a caesarean section or because of tears in the vaginal area during labor.
If you have just finished surgery, there is an opioid medication given by local injection (epidural) on the first day after surgery.
After getting an opioid injection, opioids are usually given in the form of pills. However, not all cases of pain relief will be given opioid drugs. In certain cases, there are also doctors who provide nonopioid drugs. This depends on the condition of the mother.
How does this opioid drug work? After entering the bloodstream, it will attach to an opioid named receptor in brain cells. These cells will give a signal to reduce pain and increase feelings of pleasure. With this effect, the pain feels lighter.
For people who have normal vaginal deliveries without complications, usually do not need this opioid drug afterwards. Even if there is pain, it's possible that this pain is only given with generic painkillers such as ibuprofen and paracetamol (acetaminophen), or hot and cold compresses.
Are opioid drugs safe for mothers for babies?
Most experts believe that taking opioid drugs, for short periods when breastfeeding is usually safe. However, experts also believe that nursing mothers should limit the exposure of infants to opioids because these drugs can cause respiratory problems even though not many of these cases occur.
This drug must also be limited because it is not yet known how the effects of this drug on changes in brain function in the long term.
When nursing mothers take opioid medication, there is little opioid content to be mixed in breast milk, this mixture is thought to cause sleepiness and even slow down breathing or the baby's heartbeat.
Therefore, when nursing mothers are using opioid drugs from their doctors, they should be more vigilant about the signs in their babies. If this happens, immediately consult a doctor:
- Babies sleep longer and longer than usual, hard to wake up
- Cannot suck as well as usual (weak suction)
- Stool that comes out small and hard (constipated)
So can nursing mothers take opioid medicine?
Opioid drugs can still be taken by nursing mothers, of course, with full supervision from the doctor. The dosage used must be as low as possible, and the time of use must be the shortest.
Opioid drugs are usually used for approximately 4 days or according to the prescription given by the doctor. Because, if the dosage is too long and too high, it will not only endanger breastfed babies but also can make breastfeeding mothers addicted to this drug.
How to make it safer to take opioid medicine
If you really need to take opioids, to minimize the baby's exposure to this drug you should first feed your baby, then after breastfeeding take opioid medication. The peak effects of opioid drugs usually appear after 1-2 hours after drinking. So, it is better to feed first and then take the medicine.
In addition, eliminate your fear of breastfeeding. Don't be afraid to keep breastfeeding even if you are taking opioid medication. Stopping breastfeeding in your baby actually decreases your body's ability to produce milk, this is more detrimental to you and your baby's health.
Remember, the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh the negative effects of opioid drugs, so don't stop the breastfeeding process.
Always consult the doctor's condition and follow the instructions. If you have just given birth to a baby, the doctor will adjust the type and level of the drug to be given.
