It's great that you are proactive about your health and discussing options with your PCP. Here are a few tips for openly communicating with your physician about starting a GLP-1 like semaglutide while breastfeeding:
- Be honest and clear: Clearly explain your situation, including your struggles with weight loss despite maintaining a healthy diet. Let her know your baby is primarily on solid foods now, and breastfeeding is not the main source of nutrition.
- Use research to support your request: Our preliminary data from 7 women who gave samples to the biorepository showed that semaglutide was not transferred into breast milk. This data is not published yet, but we are working on it. You can also as your PCP to review LactMed: [url]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK500980/#:~:text=Because%20semaglutide%20is%20a%20peptide, adversely%20affect%20the%20breastfed%20infant[/url]
- Mommymeds App: Consider using the MommyMeds app or ask your PCP to refer to the InfantRisk HCP app during your appointment. Both apps provide evidence-based information about medications and breastfeeding, which can help facilitate a more informed discussion with your doctor.
It's important to note that if you do get prescribed semaglutide, our recent study has shown that it may lead to a decreased milk supply, which could impact your breastfeeding journey. This is something to consider as you weigh your options. We also recommend a postnatal vitamin and attention to consuming enough calories to meet the elevated nutrient needs required during lactation.
We recently wrote an article regarding weight loss in lactation and developed a weight loss calculator for breastfeeding mothers that you might find helpful: [url]https://www.infantrisk.com/content/weight-loss-lactation[/url]
Wishing you the best of luck with your appointment.
Nichole Campbell, MSN, APRN, NP-C
​
Leave a comment: