What a bore!

I started pumping breast milk again now that my son is starting solids and I need some liquid gold to mix with the rice cereal. I am almost certain that the pump is repeatedly saying to me, "what a bore, what a bore, what a bore..." in a New York accent. It can be a mindless task, but I find things to keep me occupied for the 10 minutes. 

While I'm on the subject, have you ever worried about whether the pain or allergy medicine you want to take is safe for your baby? If you are on a medication chronically, check with your doctor before stopping the drug. In most cases, very little medicine reaches the baby and you can still breastfeed. Sometimes you may have to "pump and dump" the milk that has the highest concentration of the drug after you have taken a dose. This helps to minimize the baby's exposure. The Division of Specialized Information Services, in conjunction with the US National Library of Medicine, has a web site where you can type in the name of the drug and get a quick idea. Of course, it also doesn't hurt to check with your pharmacist or doctor. 

When I need an antihistamine, I take a dose of cetirizine (Zyrtec) and I watch my son for sluggishness, but he's always been fine. It doesn't do either of us any good if I'm miserable.