Medications and Mothers' Milk

As a pediatrician, I find that this book and the Red Book are the two that I refer to more than any other. Dr. Hale's thorough research and well-organized presentation make this a very easy to use resource. I get many questions from mothers who had medications prescribed by another practitioner about whether the prescribed medication can safely be taken while breastfeeding. I've also had calls from mothers saying that their provider is nervous about prescribing a medication without knowing whether it is safe. Unfortunately, many pharmaceutical companies simply recommend that their medications not be used during breastfeeding due to the time and money needed to do appropriate studies, the potential risk should an adverse effect be uncovered, and the limited market potential involved in clearing a drug for breastfeeding. Dr. Hale's book lets me quickly review the literature, and give recommendations based on the best evidence available. My experience has been that many of the drugs about which I have gotten questions appear to be safe during pregnancy, allowing me to reassure breastfeeding mothers, treat their own conditions, and continue to breastfeed. This book is a tremendous boon to anyone who wants to promote children's health by promoting breastfeeding, and I would recommend it without reservation.

I have used Thomas W. Hale's book Medications and Mothers' Milk for years. It is the only book a consultant needs when discussing medication that can and those that should not be used while breast feeding. Sure, you can look the information up in the PDR. But that is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. This book, on the other hand, is very easy to use. All drugs are listed alphabetically for quick and easy reference. And this book only includes information that pertains to breast feeding so you don't have to wade through a lot of other information to get to what you are looking for. The Lactation Risk Category is included for all medications. I also like the way that Hale discusses the extent of research that has been done on any given drug with regard to breast feeding. In some cases the book states that not enough research has been done for a particular drug and therefore, should only be used if absolutely necessary. The text is written in "almost" lay terminology. I would expect it to be useful for those with or without medical backgrounds.As a pediatrician, I keep this book right by my telephone in my office so that as questions come up I can get a quick and reliable answer. I highly recommend this book for clinicians in obstetrics, pediatrics, and family medicine. And yes, I also highly recommend this book for nursing mothers.

Needed by pediatricians, obstetricians, family practice physicians. I give this book as a Christmas gift to my fellow physicians. That expresses how highly I regard it.

Hale's book is a must have for any clinician treating women of childbearing age. Most clinicians look at medications during nursing as Tylenol only. Thanks to Hale, we now know better!

I have the '96 edition of this book and am eagerly awaiting the '97 edition. It's small enough that I can carry it in my purse or diaper bag. While some of the information that Hale provides may be too technical for non-medical professionals I have used this book over and over since I got it. I feel so much better having this book with me when I see a doctor since I can look up medications right then and not have to worry about whether they are compatible with nursing or not. I recommend this book to all nursing mothers and anyone in the medical profession who ever has contact with a nursing mother