Breastfeeding And Medicine

Breastfeeding and medicine guidelines

Can you take medication while breastfeeding? There are many medications that can be taken during breastfeeding…but there are medications that can cause side-effects in baby.

This page discusses the safe and unsafe medication while breastfeeding.

Other specific pages that might be useful to you on Breastfeeding and medicine…

Taking antidepressants while breastfeeding

- Taking galacagogues (herbal and non herbal) for increased milk supply.

- Safe herbs while breastfeeding

- Article by Dr. Thomas Hale on factors that influence the entry of drugs into a mother's breast milk

Different medications…

- Most are safe for breastfeeding with no side-effects

- Others are safe during breastfeeding, but mom might have to keep an eye on baby for some side-effects (mentioned below)

- Some medication can be taken during breastfeeding only if there are no other alternative medications and baby should be monitored for side-effects.

- There are medications that should be avoided as they may decrease milk

supply (especially meds containing pseudo ephedrine, flu medication and contraceptives)

- Then there are medications that should never be taken while breastfeeding and these include:

1. Radioactive substances (mom will need to pump and dump while on these if she wishes to continue to breastfeed afterward)

2. Anticancer drugs (antimetabolites)

3. Immunosuppressive and Antineoplastic drugs

4. Amphetamines

Things you can do to decrease the amount of any medication in your breast milk

- Take the medication straight after you have breastfed baby…this will give the meds a longer time to leave your system before you breastfeed again

- Try not taking any unnecessary medication

- Ask your doctor for safer alternative breast feeding medication

- Anaesthetics and breastfeeding ~ Mom can pump breastmilk in advance for during and after this procedure (It is safe to breastfeed 6 hours after taking anaesthetics). Local anesthetics are normally safe while breastfeeding.

- NSAIDS (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory, analgesics and antipyretics) ~ Paracetamol and Ibuprofen have been found safe during breastfeeding

- Diuretics ~ May inhibit lactation and should be avoided while breastfeeding if possible

- Topical Dermatological creams ~ Safe while breastfeeding

- Mouth and nose sprays ~ Usually safe

- Eye drops are all safe

- Keep away from menthol lozenges as large amounts of these can cause your milk supply to drop.

Breastfeeding and medicine during colds

- All cough drops and throat lozenges are considered safe

- Medicine containing suphedrine (Sudafed) is considered safe during breastfeeding.

- Tylenol can be taken for pain as a breastfeeding cold medicine

- Advil/Motrin (Ibuprofen) is safe to use for pain

- Aleve Naproxen is safe to use as a pain med

- Codiene is the safest cough medicine followed by Dextromethorphan and then Guaifenesin

- Aspirin must be avoided completely

Natural alternatives for colds during breastfeeding

- Vapor rub, eucalyptus oil

- Saline nasal sprays

- Gargle with salt water

- Take a multivitamin and extra vitamin C

- Rest. Eat and drink well.

- Use a humidifier

- Echinacea is great for boosting your immune system and is safe for breastfeeding mothers.

- Garlic is a natural antibiotic

- Cayenne pepper and nutmeg can help for prevention and treatment of colds. Use on all foods.

- Fenugreek tea can help for head and chest congestion and even for a cough.

- Slippery elm bark comes in throat lozenges

Breastfeeding and medicine for allergies

- Loratadine and breastfeeding ~ safest for breastfeeding moms (will not sedate mom or baby or cause any weird side-effects)

- Desloratadine ~ Also safe…found in very small quantities in breast milk

- Other safe allergy alternatives include Triprolidine and Fexofenadine

- Antihistamines and breastfeeding ~ Benadryl and Chlor-Trimeton are also safe

- Nasal steroids like Flonase are safe

Other specific medication while breastfeeding

- Nyquil and breastfeeding ~ It is safe to be used for short periods of time.

- Ibuprofen and breastfeeding ~ Has been found safe

- Pseudoephedrine and breastfeeding ~ pseudoephedrine is considered to be safe for the breastfed baby but may decrease milk supply.

- Breastfeeding Dayquil ~ Not recommended as it might dry up your milk supply

- Cetirizine and breastfeeding ~ Not recommended for breastfeeding mothers

- Robitussin and breastfeeding ~ Depends on the make…check with your doctor

- Phenylephrine and breastfeeding ~ Safe to use while breastfeeding

- Dextromethorphan and breastfeeding ~ Is safe if the product does not contain any ethanol

- Guaifenesin and breastfeeding ~ Baby should be monitored for adverse effects.

- Delsym and Benylin ~ Safe while breastfeeding

Breastfeeding medication symptoms to look out for

- Baby is more unsettled and fussy than usual

- Baby has diarrhea

- Baby is not sleeping enough

- Your milk supply is starting to dry up

- Your milk supply increases (usually if the medication contains prolactin)

Always ask your doctor before taking any medications while breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding and drugs approval list of specific drugs

Other pages on “breastfeeding problems” connected to breastfeeding and medicine

- Breastfeeding and alcohol consumption

- Caffeine and breastfeeding

- Breastfeeding while sick

- Breastfeeding with diabetes

- Smoking and breastfeeding

- Temporary weaning

Leave a comment

Want to share your stories? Ask a question or just say hello...

What Other Moms Have Said

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...