Opinion on depression/ear infection:
1.  There is very good data that BF protects against ear infection in
infants--the LAST thing this baby needs is to go to ABM if he/she is ear
infection-prone.  Occasionally, a baby with poorly functioning eustachian
tubes will have difficult-to-clear or frequent bouts of ear infections (often
this runs in families).  The baby will need close followup by his MD for
this, but antibiotics should be limited to acute otitis and not used for
fluid in the ears.  Fluid in the ears may take several weeks to clear.
 Unfortunately, this infant seems to be uncomfortable with the ear problems
and so may have ongoing acute inflammation as opposed to persistent middle
ear fluid.

2.  A depressed mom isn't good for the baby.  Paxil, and possibly Serzone,
are antidepressants with fairly minimal crossing into breastmilk.  I would
vote to go ahead and treat the mom with one of these drugs and encourage her
to continue BF the baby.   If the MD is worried, he/she can get milk and/or
blood levels of the drug in the baby and watch for any side effects.  There
isn't, to my knowledge, much data on the effects, short or long term, of
these medications in young infants and small children.  The benefits of BF
would outweigh the risk from the drugs in my mind.  Maybe our resident
Pharmacologist, Dr. Hale, has some helpful information.

Linda L. Shaw MD
Altoona PA