Breast milk confers both direct and indirect infant benefits through at least 6 months of age and is recommended by the WHO and AAP to continue until 24 months. General anesthesia and most perioperative medications are compatible with breastfeeding. Physical separation from the infant may require a mother to pump, but discarding the expressed milk is rarely necessary. Mothers of normal term or older infants can resume pumping or direct breast feeding without interruption following anesthesia as soon as they are awake and alert. This is consistent with recent guidelines by the American Society of Anesthesiologists and the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine.

Empower yourself with knowledge and confidence, and remember that you have the right to question and understand the healthcare decisions that affect you and your baby.

Pregnancy brings remarkable changes to your body, but these shifts can also increase the risk of developing gestational diabetes, a condition that can affect both you and your baby. Understanding how pregnancy impacts your blood sugar and learning strategies to manage it can make a world of difference for your health. With simple lifestyle adjustments—like choosing the right foods and staying active—you can help ensure a healthy pregnancy. Discover how managing your blood sugar can protect you and your baby from potential complications and set the stage for a smooth, healthy journey ahead.

Trying to lose weight while breastfeeding? Learn how dieting, calorie restriction, exercise, Ozempic, and GLP-1 medications may affect milk supply and infant nutrition.

In recent decades, domperidone has gained popularity in the breastfeeding community and has been used off-label to treat low milk supply. Domperidone’s major drawbacks are rare, but severe, including heart complications (cardiac arrhythmias due to QT-prolongation), weight gain, and anxiety or depression when it is discontinued. Average increases in daily milk volume are around 1.7 ounces (60 mL), which can be significant for premature infants, but less so for babies as they grow older. Currently domperidone is banned in the United States (US) and its consumption may complicate receiving healthcare in the US.

Wondering if sunscreen is safe while breastfeeding? Learn about mineral and chemical sunscreens, ingredient safety, and what nursing mothers should know before heading outdoors.

Complementary feeding can be an exciting opportunity for your child to explore new foods and develop their palate. When trying allergenic foods for the first time, children should be monitored for the development of wheezing, hives, vomiting, and diarrhea. Children with eczema and allergic rhinitis are at high risk of having food allergies and may desire to try allergenic foods for the first time with a clinician present. Recent AAP guidelines recommend against delaying the introduction of allergenic foods, even with children at high risk of having food allergies.

The InfantRisk Center receives daily inquiries regarding herbal supplements and their safety. In this article, we will discuss why we have not historically given recommendations regarding herbals and the difficulty regarding this topic.

In this article you will find the most commonly questioned cold and flu medications and supplements for use during pregnancy along with safety data.