Can A Breastfeeding Mother Donate Blood?
I haven’t donate my blood for years and anyway, I have low blood pressure and it’s best to avoid blood donation when I’m not fit for it. But something came across my mind just now and I was curious if a breastfeeding mother can donate blood? I found some answers from Kellymom:
There are conflicting opinions about donating blood while breastfeeding. The US Red Cross okays blood donation for nursing moms after 6 weeks postpartum. Donating blood causes a small loss of blood volume (and therefore a loss of fluid), so there is a theoretical possibility for a short-term temporary reduction in milk supply. Moms with vulnerable supplies may want to avoid donation. In general, women who are not pregnant, have good iron levels (that will be tested before donation), are not taking antibiotics, and are at least 100 pounds are good candidates for blood donation.
and La Leche League:
La Leche League’s sources differ in their opinions on blood donation for breastfeeding mothers. Dr. Gregory White does not recommend it. Dr. Jack Newman says any otherwise eligible mother who is not anemic can donate blood. The Canadian Blood Service (a division of the Red Cross) asks breastfeeding mothers to wait six months before donating blood. LLL recommends that mothers consult their own physicians and make an informed choice.
If a breastfeeding mother chooses to donate blood, she needs to be very careful to stay hydrated. Human milk is 87% water, and a blood donation takes 16 ounces of blood from the body. This is a lot of liquid to replace. All blood donors are cautioned to eat a substantial meal before donating blood and drink large quantities of water afterward. After a donation, donors are advised to avoid heavy lifting with the arm used to donate (to prevent excessive bruising). This may be a consideration for mothers who may not be able to avoid lifting and carrying their babies or older children.
I pasted most of the text here because I know that not all mothers have the time to go to the links I inserted. Personally, I would not go for blood donation until I’ve weaned off my baby. It’s been 6 months after I stopped breastfeeding, so if I’m healthy enough, I would donate blood again.
