Breastfeeding
Most mothers with epilepsy are able to breastfeed their babies, if they choose to do so. However, you are advised to talk to a medical professional about the safety of breastfeeding when you have epilepsy, before your baby is born. This could be with an epilepsy specialist, epilepsy nurse, a midwife with an interest in epilepsy or an infant feeding adviser. The advice you are given will depend on your baby’s health and which anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) you take.
AEDs can pass into your breast milk. So when your baby drinks your breast milk, they also get a small amount of your AEDs. Most babies are not harmed by their mother’s AEDs in their breast milk. But if you find that your baby is very sleepy, hard to wake, struggling to feed, or has a rash, talk to your doctor. Your doctor may advise you to stop breastfeeding and start formula feeds, to see if your baby improves.
While you are breastfeeding, your night-time sleep will be broken regularly. This could be a problem if a lack of sleep is a trigger for your seizures. In this case, you could ask someone else to feed your baby expressed breast milk or formula milk, during the night or each day. This would allow you to catch up on missed sleep.
Caring for your baby when you have epilepsy
Many people with epilepsy successfully care for babies. But if you are having seizures, it’s worth having a discussion with your doctor or epilepsy specialist nurse. They might suggest making changes to your anti-epileptic drugs to lower the number of seizures you have. You could also take simple steps to keep your baby as safe as possible, if you have a seizure. Here are some examples.
- If possible, share the care of your baby, especially at night. Some people with epilepsy find that lack of sleep, or feeling very tired, can trigger their seizures.
- When feeding your baby from a bottle or breast, sit on the floor on a towel or a rug holding your baby. Surround yourself with cushions. This way, if you had a seizure your baby would not have far to fall.
- When your baby is taking more solid food, put them in a bouncer chair or car seat on the floor to feed.
- When your baby is in a high chair, make sure you cannot knock it over.
- Never bathe your baby on your own.
- Change your baby’s nappy on the floor.
- When carrying your baby up or down stairs, use a car seat. This would help to reduce the risk of injury to your baby if you had a seizure.
- Use safety gates at all times.
- Use a pram with a brake that comes on when you release the handle. [Epilepsy Action] can provide details of companies that provide safety brakes for prams.
More detailed information about caring for babies and young children when you have epilepsy
We can provide references and information on the source material we use to write our epilepsy advice and information pages. Please contact our Epilepsy Helpline by email at helpline@epilepsy.org.uk.
This information has been produced under the terms of The Information Standard.
-
Updated January 2011To be reviewed January 2013
Comments: read the 1 comments or add yours
Comments
My daughter in law has had epilepsy since she was 10 yrs old (she is now 29). She has four children (8 male, 7 female, 3 1/2 female and 14 mo male). During her pregnancies she did not take her medication (Depakote then Kepra)and did not have any seizures. As long as she was breastfeeding fulltime, she did not need to take her medication either. Once the children were over one and eating more from the table, the seizures would start up. At this time, her 14 mo old son is only nursing for comfort and bedtimes; mom had two seizures a week apart four weeks ago. Her neurologist started her on Epitol (Tegretol)and now has discharged her from his care, because she will not stop breastfeeding. The key point I am bringing to your attention is “She was seizure free during pregnancy & for 13 months of breastfeeding without any medication”. It appears to me that she may have hormonal issue with her epilepsy that is controlled while she is pregnant or nursing fulltime. Has any one else heard of or had this happen to you? Now this young mother is without a doctor and the Epilepsy foundation has dropped her as a client. Now she doesn’t have a way to get her medication she needs, to control her seizures. She does have a month of Epelin which is working. Baby has not shown any adverse reactions to this medication.