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Hello. I've struggled with PPD/PPA for quite some time now, and have finally accepted that I need to go on antidepressants (specifically sertraline). I've been very hesitant to take any medications while breastfeeding, so I thought about starting to wean my son (who is 9.5 months) over the next month or so, and using the rest of my freezer stash after that with formula to supplement. I'd like to continue nursing at least once a day until a year though, while limiting his exposure as much as I can. I spoke to his pediatrician about this plan, and was told that if I nursed him once or twice a day and supplemented the rest of the time, the sertraline would collect in my milk over the course of the day, and that I would be basically giving him a "superdose" all at once. She told me to just stop breastfeeding entirely, since supplementing breastfeeding with formula to get him to a year would not really change how much sertraline he was getting. Is this true? Thank you!
- The recommendations the InfantRisk Center provides are not meant to replace medical advice from your physician. The ultimate decision to breastfeed while taking medications should be based on an informed decision including available data, discussions between a mother, her physician, and the infants’ pediatrician. The decision to take medications during pregnancy should be based available data and a discussion between a mother and her OB/GYN.