Hi Everybody!
I have a dilemma, and I could use some guidance and/or support from any of you who have dealt with this issue.

Basically, I'm trying to decide whether or not to wean my 9 month old so I can go back on Ritalin. I have two older sons (8 and 4), and I breastfed both of them for a little over a year, then started up meds again. The last 3 to 4 months were tough (seemed like the breastfeeding hormones that kept me pulled together kind of lost their effect by then), but I managed through it. With my third, I am a mess- I feel completely overwhelmed. My house is a disaster area, and I can't seem to get it babyproofed and get the little toys organized and up out of reach, and my little guy will be crawling any day now. I also seem to be having problems with delayed postpartum depression, so I started seeing a counseler, which is going well so far. She suggested I should consider weaning now, which I was thinking about anyway.

Part of me wants to wean so I'm less of a basketcase for my family, but the other part really wants to stick it out until his first birthday. I feel like I'm depriving my baby if he nurses for a shorter time, even though I know using formula will be perfectly fine for him (I even found organic formula!). In addition, using formula seems so inconvenient to me. My husband has been a great help, and will support me no matter what I decide.

I will greatly appreciate any thoughts or ideas...

A Doula?

I have never checked, what happens if you take a lower dose while brestfeeding?

I googled, but all I could find was "talk to your doctor about b/feeding if taking ritalin"

You might try walking some each day (I did that when I had to go off meds when I was pregnant) -- it helps both depression and ADHD. Your fogginess may have more to do with depression than with ADHD. I've had post partum depression before, and it really messed me up -- much worse than ADD alone. Do whatever it takes to take care of yourself -- being depressed is going to be much harder for your little guy to deal with than weaning early, if that is what it takes to get back to baseline.


Take care,
Scattered

Hi there Bluehenjoan,

You are not alone my friend! I went through a similar situation.

I also have 3 children, and I nursed all 3 of them, my baby is 22 months, so this is all relatively fresh for me. First, let me say that no matter what you decide to do, you should be proud of yourself for coming as far as you have.

My situation was different in 2 ways, one was that I was not diagnosed with ADD yet, so there were no meds. But what had me wanting to wean was the fact that I never got to a comfortable place with it, it always hurt. With my first baby, I had no support and didn't have any idea what I was doing, ended up quitting after only 3 weeks, it still makes me sad to think about it. My second and third babies, I suffered through 6 months with each of them and just couldn't take the pain of it any longer.

I never figured out why it was so painful for me, and it was not for lack of trying, I saw some specialists, went to Le Leche League meetings, I tried for almost the whole 6 months with each of those 2 kids. With the second one, at around a month or 2 months I almost quit, I started driving to the store to get formula and started crying and turned around and went home and toughed it out a few more months.

Oh yes, let me also say that I couldn't pump, I tried but never got enough milk to make it worth it for me, sometimes I'd only get 1/2 an ounce. For me, it helped me get through the last couple months to be able to do both formula and breast, but I don't think that would be an option for you.

Anyway, let me get to my point. I think you just need to follow your heart and do what you think is going to be best for you and your baby. I think this is a personal descision you need to make on your own. But I will add just one thing that may help. Just think about how short 3 months is, it will seem really long while you are going through it, but after it is over, you'll wonder what all the fuss was about. Remember the sleepless nights in the beginning....seems like a long time ago, doesn't it?! It's funny, but thinking about my situation now, it seems like soooooooo long ago, but when I weaned him off, it was only about a year and a half ago, it seems longer.

And again, no matter what you decide, be proud of what you have done for your baby, there is no shame in stopping now! Whatever you do, don't make your descision based on anyone or anything else, only what is best for you and your family, that is all that matters.

your 9mo old, i assume is on solids and only recieving part of her nutrition from you, which leaves you with many more options. often, it is more beneficial to continue breastfeeding while on medication than to stop nursing. there are a few exceptions, and those would be meds who are highly fat soluble and cross readily into the milk in larger quantities.

if ritalin turns out not to be the best option, you might even consider a temporary alternative to get thru the last few months of breastfeeding :)

Do both formula and breastfeeding, and just avoid breastfeeding during the time that the Ritalin is at a peak concentration? I'm assuming you are taking the Ritalin during times when you would need to go to school or study. You could breastfeed in the morning and in the evenings and give formula during the time when the Ritalin is at highest concentration.

Ritalin clears your system pretty quickly, and while your baby might get a tiny amount of it this way, I think the benefits of continuing to breastfeed would outweigh that.

I still breastfeed my toddler and take Ritalin occassionally when I need to and I haven't noticed any negative effects.

Hi Everybody!
I have a dilemma, and I could use some guidance and/or support from any of you who have dealt with this issue.

Basically, I'm trying to decide whether or not to wean my 9 month old so I can go back on Ritalin. I have two older sons (8 and 4), and I breastfed both of them for a little over a year, then started up meds again. The last 3 to 4 months were tough (seemed like the breastfeeding hormones that kept me pulled together kind of lost their effect by then), but I managed through it. With my third, I am a mess- I feel completely overwhelmed. My house is a disaster area, and I can't seem to get it babyproofed and get the little toys organized and up out of reach, and my little guy will be crawling any day now. I also seem to be having problems with delayed postpartum depression, so I started seeing a counseler, which is going well so far. She suggested I should consider weaning now, which I was thinking about anyway.


Part of me wants to wean so I'm less of a basketcase for my family, but the other part really wants to stick it out until his first birthday. I feel like I'm depriving my baby if he nurses for a shorter time, even though I know using formula will be perfectly fine for him (I even found organic formula!). In addition, using formula seems so inconvenient to me. My husband has been a great help, and will support me no matter what I decide.

I will greatly appreciate any thoughts or ideas...
I'm a breatfeeding mommy as well, so I completely understand your pull to continue with it. However, you need to seriously consider the ramifications of not being on your medication, and what it's doing to your family. I, too, need to be on meds for an inner ear disorder which causes me to be chronically dizzy, but I've put it off for 21 months now in order to keep breastfeeding. I'm finally starting to accept the fact that, even though I would like to breastfeed her until she's two, I'm a shell of a person from always being dizzy and unable to function normally- same as you, but in a different way. And even though it'll be hard on both of you for a while, your child will undoubtedly benefit more from a stable, happy mommy than a few more months of breastmilk. By the way, kudos to you for breastfeeding!:)

Hi everybody- thank you for all of your responses. I haven't yet made a final decision, but I did take some 'babysteps' and went out and bought a can of formula. I figure I can work on introducing the taste of it to my little guy- that way, he can have formula when I'm away even if I decide to keep breastfeeding (Then I don't have to deal with pumping- NOT my favorite thing!!).

I have an appointment with my dr. on Friday. I have a feeling she might recommend Wellbutrin since it can be taken while nursing.

Momof2QTs, I am so sorry to hear that you have inner ear problems. I developed an inner ear infection during my third pregnancy, and had vertigo for one miserable week. I was lucky though- it cleared up on its own.

Well, have you spoken to your doctor and the pediatrician? That's the place to start. Find out if it's safe to take it and continue to nurse if you time the doses just so.

I had planned to nurse my son until he was over a year old; he weaned himself! One night I was about to nurse him and he looked at me like I was nuts, like "Get that thing outta my face!" and turned his head away. Never took it again.

So don't get your hearts set on some length of time!

I commend you for breastfeeding for as long as you have! That's great! I wasn't as patient with it-I lasted three weeks. It was very painful for me! My hubby and I are planning to get pregnant with #3 this spring and I'm vowing to try again.

I think the other gals have some very good advice. You have to way you mental health along with child's health. You baby has definately got a good supply of breast milk already. Also, you can always make up you formula in a two quart container and put it in the fringe. That was very helpful. It will be gone in about two days and it was way more convienent then constantly making bottles. I pan of hot water will warm a cold bottle right up, stir, and serve!

Good luck with your dicision!

Jan

piglet-lol! What a great way to wean- no tapering at all! My two older boys were very interested in weaning at the one year point, but it was still very gradual. I think that is what makes this decision hard for me. I know my baby will do fine after an earlier weaning, but I can sense at 9 months that he still gets so much comfort from nursing.

jnjgange, thanks for mentioning talking to the pediatrician. I'm going to call them before my dr. appointment to get their recommendations. I'm so sorry that you and AndreaPurple had problems with pain while nursing. I fully support moms who decide that they would rather use formula (it's their decision after all), but I really feel bad for the moms out there who want to nurse and can't because of various problems.

Thanks again, everyone, for your support. I was not in a good place a couple of weeks ago (I was sobbing into the phone when I made first call to my nurse-midwive's office), but I feel better now that I'm taking action.

My youngest of 3 will be going to college next fall, but I nursed them all 2-3 years, and since they're 5 years apart each, well, it was like having a refresher course every 5 years. LOL

And I've known depression all my life.

So, here's my 2 cents.

It sounds like you are ready to wean. And buying that can of formula is part of the process. Technically, from the moment feedings begin to grow farther apart, you're launched onto the contiuum that is weaning.

My boss just weaned her firstborn at 1 year using the "don't offer / don't refuse" approach. I wish they'd recommended it when mine were little; it makes so much sense. I would have weaned much earlier if I'd done it that way.

And I have severe osteoporosis now. Breastfeeding and being pregnant for 12 or so years surely didn't help.

Most important, I think I might have stayed married if I had weaned earlier. When the baby starts napping less and/or the other kids are needing constant attention, the physical toll of nursing is exhausting, causing depression and extreme irritability.

And personally, I don't think you should be taking medication while breastfeeding. I remember when my first one was 2, I took some medication and it really knocked her out. I felt terrible.

Okay, I've played the devil's advocate for you. If you still want to continue to breastfeed for a few more months, then I support your decision, because you are making it with your eyes wide open.
:)

Not to scare you, but I found weaning both of my children brought about a terrible bout of depression.

I am in the middle of this right now. I weaned my youngest son 3-4 weeks ago, and I knew what to expect because this happened a few years back when I weaned my eldest. It has still knocked me on my feet though, and I would warn you to wean very gradually and gently for your own sake. I weaned more gradually this time, and the symptoms were less severe, but still awful.

Do what feels right for you, what you think you will be happiest with when you look back, etc.

Just prepare yourself for the 'withdrawal' from all the happy hormones.