When You Should Not Breastfeed

All of us at sometime or another will have to experience some kind of health issue. Health issues are usually the reason why a woman who would like to breastfeed can not. Your doctor will let you know if breastfeeding is right for you and your baby. Here are some reasons why you shouldn't breastfeed, and formula would be right for you and your baby.

The number one reason a person shouldn't breastfeed is drug abuse while breastfeeding. The same reason you shouldn't abuse drugs, alcohol, or tobacco while pregnant applies to breastfeeding as well. This is very dangerous to your baby. You have heard of crack babies, this can happen to a baby when breastfeeding too. Even alcohol can harm your baby while breastfeeding, I think most parents would prefer the first time there child experiments with alcohol is when they are 21. The same goes for tobacco as well. Although the consequences for smoking is not as harmful as drugs and alcohol, your baby would be getting the same chemicals that you inhale, but through your breast milk. It's basically like having your precious little baby drink poison.

If you take some long term medications that can be expressed through breast milk, it is best not to breastfeed. You and your doctors have no ideas what the effects of baby taking your medicine might be. You should never take medication unless you need it, so don't feed your baby any unwanted medications. This can be very harmful. Only your doctor knows what medications are safe for your baby. So if you are taking medication be sure to let your doctor know.

If you are diagnosed with HIV or the AIDS virus you must not breastfeed. If baby doesn't already have HIV, breast milk is one of the ways that HIV can be passed on. Also if you have another illness such as Tuberculosis, or Hepatitis B you should not breastfeed. Only your doctor can tell you weather you can or can't breastfeed with these conditions.

If you are underweight or you have a illness such as heart or kidney disease, or if you have anemia, you should not breastfeed. Again your doctor will let you know if you can breastfeed or not.