Xanax effects on infint child during breast feeding
           
A common situation is a woman with no previous history of mental disease develops postpartum depression. She is breast-feeding and wonders whether she should continue after an SSRI has been prescribed. The levels of SSRI‘s in breast milk have been studied and found to be negligible. The amount in breast milk or the blood may not be similar to amounts found in the brain or to clinical signs. Adverse newborn effects are rare, but colic may occur upon weaning. As with all medications in the nursing mother, a risk benefit analysis should be performed. Children of untreated depressed mothers may be at increased risk for emotional and behavioral problems. On the other hand, newborn exposure to SSRI‘s via breast milk is minimal. Taking the medication at bedtime and bottle-feeding overnight would further reduce exposure. The nutritional and emotional benefits of breast-feeding are well known. If a mother has been placed on an SSRI for postpartum depression, breast feeding should not automatically be stopped. The American Academy of Pediatrics states “to minimize the risk of fetal and neonatal toxicity, including and abstinence syndrome, the physician should prescribe the lowest dosage that provides adequate control of the woman’s illness. The neonate must be monitored for evidence of persistent drug effect or development of an abstinence syndrome.” There is insufficient data to recommend any particular SSRI over another