Augmentin (amoxicillin trihydrate-potassium clavulanate), 2g/day for 3 weeks...

[Bananabunches]

1) How long after a pill (1g) is taken will concentrations in breast milk peak?
2) If a pill is taken before bed, by the time the baby is fed in the morning (6 hours later) would the concentration be very low?
3) Would pumping and dumping at certain times in the day be beneficial for lowering concentrations in breast milk?
4) The baby started having stinky diarrhea (no other changes in diet) when the antibiotics were started. Could the two be related?
5) Is it safe/worth continuing to breastfeed with this dose and length (3 weeks) of the drug?

Thank you!

*edit* The infant is 10 months.

[admin-james]

Hi, thanks for your post.

1) Milk levels peak at about 4 hours post-dose.
2) Under normal circumstances, an exclusively breastfeeding infant gets <1% of your daily amoxicillin dose. At 2g/day, this is still <10% of the dose that an infant would be prescribed directly for his own infections.
3) I don't think pumping and dumping would be helpful with this medicine.
4) Diarrhea has been reported following amoxicillin exposure, but it is not very common. Antibiotics can kill off good bacteria in the gut and cause some unpleasant but usually benign changes in bowel patterns.
5) As long as your baby continues to gain weight during your treatment, then breastfeeding is very likely to be worth the risk. If the diarrhea becomes severe enough to cause nutritional problems, then you should switch to formula for a while.

Please post again or call us at the InfantRisk Center if this has not completely answered your question. (806)352-2519

-James Abbey, MD