Medications and Mothers' Milk 2008 [Paperback]

Thomas W. Hale (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 1172 pages
• Publisher: Pharmasoft Medical Publishing; 13 edition (January 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0981525725
• ISBN-13: 978-0981525723
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 4.4 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #221,062 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Can't live without it! Great for pregnancy, too!, November 8, 2008

By 

K. Oconnor "Too blessed to be stressed" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Medications and Mothers' Milk 2008 (Paperback)

Dr. Hale's work has saved so many breastfeeding relationships from well-meaning but uninformed medical advice. As a nursing mama, I can't tell you how many times I've encountered the old "pump & dump" instructions, or even been told outright to wean my children. Thanks to Hale's guide, which fits perfectly in a diaper bag or vehicle glove box, I can do my own research right on the spot during medical appointments, and show doctors firsthand that a medication is either safe or can be substituted with a breastfeeding-friendly replacement with equal healing value.

Medications are listed in easy-to-find alphabetical order, including a quick index of common/generic/brand names. A classification system will show at a glance any warnings and allow the mother to see specific risks (with clinical studies referenced) during both pregnancy and breastfeeding. There is a risk-based rating which allows mothers to see to what extreme a medication may be at risk - you might not choose a specific drug if you are pregnant or nursing an infant, but it would fall into a safer category for a nursing toddler, for example.

Not only is Hale's guide invaluable when it comes to prescription medication, but he includes hefty sections on common OTC medications and even herbals. The OTC (Over the Counter/non-prescription) section includes just about everything imaginable for colds and flu, allergies and more. I am SO grateful for the years of nursing we've been blessed with that Dr. Hale has helped make possible, without having to rely on outside advice but instead going straight to the most respected expert in this field.

So grab a copy for yourself or someone you love, as early in pregnancy as possible. Bring it to your birth, every medical appointment, and keep it handy during travel. Let your friends know you have a copy and can help look up medications if they ever need help. When you're done with your copy, please pass it on to a LaLeche League leader or hospital Lactation Center in your area and it will be helpful to hundreds of other families, too! :)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Professional book for LC's, MD's and nurses., September 5, 2008

By 

Sagit Lev (Israel) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Medications and Mothers' Milk 2008 (Paperback)

It's a very good book for use as Lactation consultunts, MD and everyone else that works with breastfeeding mothers.

5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely good resource for nursing mothers who are on meds, April 12, 2011

By 

H. Kirk "Herk" (Oakland, CA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Medications and Mothers' Milk 2008 (Paperback)

I suffered from Post Partum anxiety and depression so I went through a lot of different medications in several months. With the already-in-place anxiety, you can imagine my concern about taking drugs and the effects that might have on my baby while I was breastfeeding. I was adamant that I wanted to breastfeed as long as possible, but being an educated person felt like I wasn't getting enough reliable information from the Internet or other sources on how the drugs might really affect my baby.

This book helped educate me on the drugs I tried, took, and might take in the future so I could make educated decisions in my medication choices. It gave me great peace of mind and I even showed it to my doctors who hadn't seen it before (I recommended it to them). It includes all drugs by their actual drug name (not brand name) and includes additional things such as nutritional supplements (fenegreek, ginko, etc.) and even drugs/alternative therapy (cannabis, to name one). It gives complete information about affect on the mother, number of studies done, what made those studies more or less reliable, half life, blood-to-plasma ratio, what to look for in the infant, and more as well as good explanations of what the scientific terms are.

Recently I got sick and this allowed me to be educated on cough syrups and antibiotics that are safe for me to take while breastfeeding as well.

I HIGHLY recommend this book for any nursing mother who might need to take medication, but still wants to breastfeed and be aware of the risks.