St. John's wort + breastfeeding 3yo

[paoCP]

Hello,
I would like to know what you know about the combination of breatfeedin a 3yo (once a day) plus taking St. John's wort for depression.
I know about the other possible molecules, but the side effects scare me a lot, weight gain, low libido, fast heartbeating or no sleeping.
I have a long story with anorexia, TOC, insomia and anxiety.
Thank you so much,
P.

[admin-james]

Hi, thanks for your post.

St. John's Wort is definitely compatible with breastfeeding. Very little of it transfers into breastmilk. Toddlers drink much less breastmilk relative to their body weight as compared with infants and their ability to handle incidental medication exposure is close to an adult.

However, St. John's Wort can have strong interactions with other meds that you may be taking. You should ask your doctor or pharmacist if this herb is safe to use with any other prescription medications. By itself, there should be no problem.

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

-James Abbey, MD