I am particularly worried at this point because I am currently nursing my 8 month old daughter. My "duck" pediatrician says she is at no risk but Dr. Crist told me the bacteria is found in breast milk.

Dr. Crist made no recommendations but told me I needed to decide about nursing prior to beginning treatment. To nurse or not to nurse???? He told me that moms do it both ways.

I am thinking that if she were going to get Lyme from me she probably already has it but someone mentioned that continued nursing might increase her germ load? I really do not want to wean her. Both of her older brothers have numerous food allergies including milk, soy and rice. I am afraid that she would not do well if I put her on formula. My baby has never tasted formula. Due to the risk of allergies my pediatrician told me not to start her on rice cereal until at least 8 months!

Another worry is the effects the medication may have on her should I continue to nurse. I am one of those moms that hates to take something as simple as tylenol while nursing.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Been there done that??? I would sure love to hear from some moms!!!

Thank you!

I am not in the breast feeding phase of my life.

You need to seriously consider it, though, for the health of your child. The germ load would be increased as you nurse. I'm sorry to have to say that.

I was also told by ped, as well as my LLMD, that there was no risk (ped said) and the LL said he thought it should be OK if I was being treated.

This didn't turn out to be true. I was with an EM rash when my daughter was nine months old. By ten and a half months, she had symptoms. She is two and a half and still in treatment.

Dr. Charles Ray Jones is the inly pediatric Lyme specialist in the country. He has treated 6000 children with Lyme, and also has overseen numerous pregnancies where Mom has Lyme.

Babies fair well during treated pregnancy, however nursing is contradicted. The baby does not get enough protection even if you are on abx.

If you call his office 203-772-1123, or if Doc C does..Doc J's staff will advise you to stop nursing, and also to test the milk, and perhaps run urine PCR's on baby at MDL.
You can tell them yout test results, and if you have any symptoms (according to Dr. B's Guidelines here:
http://www.ilads.org/burrascano.pdf

They can also give you information on what to look for, and the means by which to monitor, evaluate, or treat the baby if necessary.

This is a tough decision, but you must make a fully informed one, and ultimately protect the baby from further risk.

However.....if I had tested positive for lyme I never would have breast fed them. It defeats the purpose of giving them that healthy start in life. To me, it is just not worth the risk. There are many women that cannot breastfeed, so it is not a measure of your abilities as a parent. It shows you have good sense not to place your child at risk.

Two of my children have lyme. When I discussed the transmission of lyme in utero and through breast milk, their ped didn't want to hear it either. I wrote him a letter explaining that I am a staunch advocate of breastfeeding, but to do so when you are sick, is wrong. My kids see Dr. J and he believes that their lyme is not congenital. It sucks that they still have it, but I have beaten myself up repeatedly worrying that I gave it to them by nursing them....