CONTRADICTIONS TO LACTATION

In the following cases, a mother may have to be advised to discontinue breast feeding, either temporarily or for good.

SELECTED CONDITIONS IN MOTHER

Although each case must be evaluated on its own merit, there are very few conditions that automatically preclude breast-feeding. Life-threatening or debilitating illness in the mother may necessitate avoiding breast-feeding, although individual women may successfully forge ahead. The mother with a diagnosis of breast cancer is well advised to seek definitive treatment immediately rather than breast-feed. The presence of certain drugs or other harmful contaminants in mothers' milk may necessitate at least temporary cessation of nursing. Galactosemia is one absolute contraindication to breast-feeding. (Galactosemia is a rare disorder, occurring in approximately 1/60,000 births). Phenylketonuria (PKU) is often mentioned as another contraindication to breast-feeding.