Breastfeeding, Lactation, & Rheumatoid Arthritis

Congratulations on your growing family! Pregnancy and breastfeeding with RA can involve some big decisions, and we want make sure this is a joyful and stress-free time for your family. Here is some information that can help you with your decisions around breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding has many benefits for parents and babies. For parents who have recently given birth, this time may present challenges. There are conflicting studies on how breastfeeding can affect this, but some studies show similar pain scores between breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding parents. If breastfeeding is OK with the medications you are on, then we strongly recommend breastfeeding your baby exclusively for the first 6 months of life, then with solid foods for 1-2 years, or as long after that as you two would like! For more information, please visit the Office on Women's Health website.

Medications

Many RA medications are safe for breastfeeding parents and babies. If your medication isn’t safe for breastfeeding, sometimes there are others you can try. For parents who can’t switch, we encourage them to give their babies the gift of breastfeeding for the first 1 or 2 weeks of life, or until the medication needs to be started. Your Rheumatologist will help you make some decisions about which ones are right for you.

Holding and Support

To breastfeed, you need to be able to hold your baby close. Sometimes, if a mother with RA has a flare, this can be hard to do. Make sure you have help lined up at home during these times. It also helps to have a comfortable, safe place to breastfeed, and some options for slings and baby carriers.

What if I Need Steroids for a Relapse While Breastfeeding?

When taking steroids, it is still OK to breastfeed, though it may decrease your milk supply. 

Storing Milk for Future Use

For parents with a high risk of relapse, you may want to consider adding a regular pumping session first thing after your baby’s morning feed, and storing the milk. You can then use this milk if you become too unwell to breastfeed or need to take a different medication that is not compatible with breastfeeding. 

What if I Will Need to Wean When I Switch Medicines?

Fortunately, this is a very rare situation. If you need to wean to go on a medication that is not safe for breastfeeding, we can help you do this safely and comfortably.

For more help, or for a visit with a Breastfeeding Medicine Specialist (a doctor who specializes in breastfeeding in complex situations), call (585) 276-MILK (6455).