Breastfed babies are the luckiest in the world. Not only that they get lifetime antibodies for getting thru more than 50 years of existence, they also get the most of mother's love. Continuing breastfeeding baby after six months mean adding benefits. Breast milk is the cheapest, conveniently available and most nutritious food a baby benefit by some hard work of sucking.

Because it is designed for the easiest dissipation, right directly linked to mother's metabolism and food intake, it is also the biggest horror that carelessness could turn it into a fatal medium of passing mother's medications to the baby!

The arduous task of lactating starts after pregnancy. If a mother elects to carry a baby to full term, it is like suggesting she could not afford to get sick. Some ailments would not require medications at all, but bacterial infections would require antibiotics. All of these chemicals, whether orally taken or injected, will automatically mix with the mother's milk, which can put temporary stop to mother's whim to breastfeed her infant if it warrants danger upon doctor's advice. Any amount of stoppage to feeding will mean milk reduction.

Although it is not really necessary that a mother should stop breastfeeding when prescribed with antibiotics depending on its composition, still it causes a lot of worry.

To guide mothers, she must understand that the use of antibiotics can cause metabolic changes like increased occurrence of candida albicans (fungi) due to the antibiotics waging battle with even the useful bacteria in the body. Too much use or under use of antibiotics also tend to make the body increase resistance to its higher doses. It should be noted that it must not be administered to viral symptoms such as colds. Any amount of antibiotics taken by the mother can cause diarrhea, stomach troubles and even colic to infants.

Here are the lists of antibiotics, which can cause adverse effects on the infant:

Metronidazole - can affect the taste and color of mother's milk to be unpleasant

Tetracyclines - diminishes calcium in milk which can affect infant's intake requirement

Ciprofloxacillin - for treatment of Urinary tract infections; tested on young animals but has no documented effect on infants

Intravenous Antibiotics - like Vancomycin for treatment of MRSA can cause extreme side effects that will require thorough tests. The mother will not feel well to nurse the baby.

Topical Antibiotics - absorption through the skin is not enough to affect breast milk. The skin must be washed thoroughly if it will be in contact with the infant's mouth.

There are however lists of Antibiotics that are safe to use by lactating mothers:

Amoxycillin, Amoxil
Azithromycin, Zithromax
Cefaclor, Distaclor
Cefuroxamine, Zinnat
Cephalexin, Cefalexin, Keflex
Cephradine, Velosef
Clarithromycin, Klaricid
Co-amoxiclav, Augmentin
Co-fluampicil, Flucloxacillin
Erythromycin, Erymax, Erythroped, Erythrocin
Flucloxacillin, Floxapen
Penicillin V
Trimethoprim

Some drugs will require to be taken before meals to be effective. In that case it is still best to listen to the doctor's advice.

If in case there is incidence of thrush due to antibiotic intake, a woman must take yogurt and sour cream. She must also work out preventive measures to avoid recurring ailments that need medication by avoiding too much stress that weakens the body resistance. Although some measures appear to be self-explanatory, it will serve just a reminder especially that child-care is one of the serious tasks of parents. Mother's health must not be taken for granted.