Perhaps someone can post or email directly the family involved here
(that's Sam Desisti at [log in to unmask], the initial poster) with some
suggestions?

In misc.kids.pregnancy, [log in to unmask] (Marie Goldenberg) wrote:

>From what I read in a Physician's Desk Reference a while back (I have
>strange tastes in literature  ;-)  ), chemotherapy drugs are generally
>Category D, which means the drugs are known to pose some risk in
>pregnancy but may be required for the mother - as is the case with your
>wife.  However, I suspect they generally don't test milk to see if the
>drugs are excreted, so you don't really know whether the baby is getting
>any of the drugs.

>Chemo drugs have some pretty nasty side effects, as (unfortunately) you
>have found out.  Some of the side effects can be permanent (my BIL is
>probably sterile). I personally would be pretty hesitant to risk exposing
>a baby to this unless you can get a reasonably reliable source to say the
>drugs are either not excreted at all, or at extremely low
>concentrations.  I am very pro-boob, and I hate to see anyone who wants
>to nurse be unable to do so - perhaps your wife could pump-and-dump while
>still undergoing chemo, to keep her supply up, then try to switch to the
>breast?

>My heart goes out to you and your wife.  My brother-in-law battled
>Hodgkins a couple of years ago.  He and his wife had a year of hell, but
>now things are getting back to normal for them.  I wish the same for
>you.

>Oh, and congrats on the impending arrival!!!!!!
>...Marie

>Sam Desisti ([log in to unmask]) wrote:
>: Hi,
>:      My wife and I have a rather unusual question that nobody to date has
>: been able to answer. Is it safe for a newborn to breastfeed from a mother
>: who is undergoing, and has recently undergone chemotherapy?
>:      Maybe there's someone out there who can help us. So far, my wife's
>: oncologist and obstetrician haven't with this one. She has Hodgkin's
>: disease and last month began six months of chemotherapy that couldn't
>: wait because of the stage of her malignancy. She was halfway through the
>: pregnancy at the time -- now she's six months.
>:      Yeah, it's rough right now. Your prayers, positive thoughts and
>: vibes, and/or whatever info on breastfeeding you can offer would be
>: greatly appreciated!
>:      Thanks.

>:                                                Mike (and Manuja)


Hannah's (6/14/92) Mom, Member of the Legal
Advisory Council of the National Alliance for
Breastfeeding Advocacy