Migraines & Breastfeeding

Before I got pregnant with Alfie, I suffered with migraines on a regular basis [at least 3 a month] and had done for a long, long time.  Just before I met my hubby, I was advised by a doctor to stop using oral contraception because the risk of stroke is higher in women who suffer with migraines and take oral contraceptives.  I had previously been on the Depo Provera injection contraceptive but it’s only advised to be on that a couple of years as it can increase risk of brittle bone disease if taken continuously for longer [you can have a break and then start back on it].  My migraines were often debilitating to the point of forcing me into our darkened bedroom, in bed often in tears.  I remember one day I had a migraine that started at work, I persevered through the day but by the time I got home the whole left hand side of my face and upper body felt numb and the pain was unbearable.  I went straight to bed and ended up staying there for 3 days.  Once a migraine has worn off, I am extremely exhausted and as one is starting, I feel very ill.  I wouldn’t wish migraines on anyone.

Migraines can either become worse or disappear during pregnancy and I was extremely lucky in that mine had disappeared pretty much straight away.  I’m glad they did because with everything else I went through during pregnancy, I don’t know if I’d have coped with migraines too!  Pretty much the day after I gave birth, I had a migraine.  I put this down to tiredness and the huge stress I had just put my body through.  I’ve had a couple of minor migraines since then, bad enough to stop me what I’m doing but not enough to force me to bed, thankfully.  Saturday I woke up with migraine and I felt sick and weak, I put it down to being so tired [I’d had a bad night with Alfie and hubby was on the day shift so I had to get up with Alfie].  After giving Alfie his morning feed, I put him down for a nap and I joined him.  I woke up from my nap feeling no better, I drank plenty and made sure I had food – I know only too well how dehydration and lack of food can make migraines worse.  Our day pretty much consisted of: feed – play – sleep, all day until Alfie’s bath and bed time.

Hubby came home from his double shift and we ordered a pizza.  Something I had promised myself we wouldn’t do this month but my migraine had me sofa ridden and with hubby working the double shift, it hardly seemed fair to ask him to cook.  We ate and were in bed for before 10pm.  I took some painkillers and I still struggled to get to sleep even with a hot water bottle and cold cloth for the pain [alternating heat/cold can help ease migraines].  Obviously it was dark because it was night time but even the landing light was hurting my eyes so hubby closed the bedroom door further [not completely shut, I’m not a fan of the dark you see…].  Alfie woke for feeding and it was my turn to sort him out first, I cuddled and fed him but the whole time my migraine was killing me.  Alfie went straight back to sleep and I was hoping I could too but it wasn’t meant to be.  I tossed and turned for what seemed like hours, my migraine was stopping me from sleeping.  Alfie woke again early hours in the morning and hubby took his “turn”.  I got us both a drink and me some more painkillers tried to fall back to sleep but I was still awake when hubby had finished feeding Alfie.  I eventually fell to sleep at some point and when Alfie woke up at 6, hubby got up with him and took him downstairs to let me get some much needed rest.  I woke at 8am feeling exhausted and sick. 

By 9am although I still didn’t feel fantastic, the migraine was on its way out at last!  It had lasted a whole day and made me feel like shit for the privilege.  Sunday meant I was too exhausted to do anything other than play with Alfie and watch T.V.  the housework suffered dramatically at the weekend so I’m behind this week which is stressing me out.  I’m booking an appointment with the doctor because I don’t want to get to the point where I have regular migraines lasting more than a day.  The only problem with this is, the medication prescribed to help prevent migraines or the painkillers to ease migraines aren’t safe to use during breastfeeding to what I know of.  I’m in a catch 22 situation: I don’t take the medication and my quality of life suffers on the days I have migraine and consequently so does Alfie’s.  I take the medication and I have to completely stop breastfeeding and stick to formula feeding [we mix feed at the moment].  These are concerns I’ll discuss with the doctor but until then, I’ll cope with the migraines on paracetamol and lots of fluid.