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Dear Sally,
Thank you for your answer on wheatgrass.
I have another couple of questions, if you don't mind; Firstly, do you think there is any harm in taking antioxidant supplements? I know that ideally we're supposed to get the nutrients we need from our food, but frankly I just don't eat all the foods they tell us to eat. I eat well and low fat, but don't like a lot of the things that are generally suggested.
Also, I take antihistimine tablets for hayfever. My local pharmacist has told me he "thinks" they should be okay. I take Chlorpheniramine Maleate 4mg. Unfortunately, when my allergies are at their worst, I have to take 2 or 3 of these to stop my head from filling with fluid. I'm concerned that this might affect my daughter, and wonder if I should have the sleepless, stuffy head nights instead?
Thanks for your time on this,
Suzie
Hi Suzie.
The antihistamines should be fine.
As far as the antioxidants, any of the usual ones,(for example Vitamin E) should also be fine. However, that term is loosely used and may cover a large number of substances, so if you are using something fairly exotic, check with your doctor.
THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BREASTFEEDING (Eiger & Olds, 3rd ed. 1999) has a complete chapter on drugs & medications. You should be able to find it in your local library, bookstore or La Leche League chapter library.
Good luck!
Sally Wendkos Olds
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Sally Wendkos Olds
Expertise
What do you want to know about breastfeeding? I can tell you what`s good for the baby, what`s good for the mother -- and the father, how it`s related to a woman`s sexuality, how working moms can nurse, how to overcome obstacles, and lots more. As the author of THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BREASTFEEDING and author or coauthor of 8 other books and more than 200 articles about child and adult development, I can offer sound, sensible advice on breastfeeding, child care and family issues.
Experience
I nursed my 3 daughters and am the grandmother of 5 breastfed children. My book THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BREASTFEEDING (written in consultation with pediatrician Marvin S. Eiger, M.D.) was first published in 1972, and in 1999 came out in an updated 3rd Edition by Workman Publishing & Bantam Books. It is now a classic, with over 2 million copies in print. I am now revising this book for a fourth edition, consulting with pediatrician Laura M. Marks, M.D. This new edition will be published September 2009. I welcome any and all suggestions for the new edition. I coauthored college textbooks A CHILD'S WORLD: INFANCY THROUGH ADOLESCENCE, and HUMAN DEVELOPMENT; both are leading texts in their fields and have been read by 2 million students. I am the coauthor of HELPING YOUR CHILD FIND VALUES TO LIVE BY and RAISING A HYPERACTIVE CHILD, and author of THE WORKING PARENTS' SURVIVAL GUIDE & THE ETERNAL GARDEN: SEASONS OF OUR SEXUALITY. My newest book, A BALCONY IN NEPAL: GLIMPSES OF A HIMALAYAN VILLAGE, published in 2002, tells the story of the way of life in a remote village in Nepal, where all the women breastfeed! My book, SUPER GRANNY: COOL PROJECTS, ACTIVITIES, AND OTHER GREAT STUFF TO DO WITH YOUR GRANDKIDS, will be published March 2009. I speak often to professional, parent and general audiences and make many radio and TV appearances.
Credentials I received my B.A. in English Literature from the University of Pennsylvania, where I minored in Psychology, was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and graduated summa cum laude.
Other points of interest
I have received national awards for my writing, and am a former president of the American Society of Journalists & Authors. I am listed in the World Who's Who of Women, International Authors & Writers Who's Who, and Contemporary Authors, and am a member of several professional and civic organizations. I believe: that all parents are working parents; that parents employed outside the home need special support; that mothers' well-being is crucial to their children's welfare; and that the family is the best institution in the world and the one for which we are least prepared. My thrills come when parents or kids tell me they were helped by my writing or speaking or just understanding.
To find out more about me, go to
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