Should women worry about norethindrone and breastfeeding? If you answered “Yes”, you have every right to be concerned like any mother who is breastfeeding her baby. Norethndrone is a prescription medication given to women for birth control, also known as birth control pills. This medicine will contain natural or synthetic forms of estrogen in combination with progestin, which are an attempt to mimic the natural female hormones called estrogen and progesterone. Norethindrone is normally taken to reduce the chance of pregnancy in women.

Norethindrone and breastfeeding your baby are known to have certain side effects that you should be aware of while breastfeeding. Norethindrone can decrease breast milk production, and the drug may also pass into breast milk. This is not to say that all women will experience reduced breast milk supply, but why risk passing the drug to your baby through your breast milk? Some recommendations for mothers who are breastfeeding is that the mother avoid any type of estrogen birth control until the baby is 6 months or older.

The concern with taking norethindrone while breastfeeding is the fact that a young baby cannot effectively metabolize the synthetic hormone because babies’ livers are not equipped to handle it. Although the American Academy of Pediatrics has stated that the hormones contained in estrogen medications such as norethindrone are approved for use by nursing mothers, mothers should be careful with norethindrone and nursing or breastfeeding while taking any medicine.

Norethindrone and breastfeeding can cause your baby to behave irritably, or what is known as “fussy.” If you notice that your baby is fussing and you are taking norethindrone, be aware that this may be because the estrogen hormones in the medication reduce nitrogen and protein levels in breast milk.

Here are some things you may want to know about norethindrone.

Norethindrone may cause side effects. Be sure to let our doctor know if any of these symptoms are severe and persist in any way:

or changes in menstrual flow

or difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep

or irregular vaginal bleeding or spotting

or hair growth on the face

where the weight changes

or enlarged or tender breasts

or upset stomach

oh acne

Remember, these are some of the side effects that can occur in an adult woman; Remember the “picky baby”? Let’s look at some more side effects related to norethindrone and breastfeeding:

This medicine may cause depression, headache, nausea, irritability, dizziness, insomnia, or vomiting. Now keep in mind that these effects should wear off as your body adjusts to norethindrone. Call your doctor if these problems do not go away.

Breastfeeding has been a natural part of motherhood for as long as humans have existed. Drugs have not always existed as we know them today. Breast milk is the best source of nutrition for your baby, and mothers should be careful not to jeopardize that precious source of nutrition just by convenient methods of birth control like “the pill.” If you are really concerned about norethindrone and breastfeeding, check with your doctor to find out what alternative contraceptives are available to you while breastfeeding.