Medicines while breastfeeding

Small amounts of any medicine you take may pass into breast milk, but very few are unsafe while breastfeeding. Most have little or no effect on milk supply or on the baby. Needing a medicine rarely means stopping breastfeeding, and only a small share of medicines are a problem for nursing babies. Still, check each one.

Who to ask

• Tell your doctor, pharmacist, dentist or midwife that you're breastfeeding whenever a medicine comes up.
• Tell them, and your baby's pediatrician, about everything you take, including vitamins, herbs and over-the-counter products.
• Mention it if your baby was born early or had jaundice, since that can change which medicines suit.
• Never stop a prescribed medicine without talking to your doctor first.

Checking a medicine yourself

LactMed is a free database from the US National Library of Medicine. For each drug it covers how much reaches breast milk and the baby's blood, possible effects on a nursing baby, and alternatives to consider. It's a good way to prepare questions. Your doctor or pharmacist makes the call for you.

What matters

Doctors weigh a few things:

• how much you need the medicine
• whether it could affect milk supply
• how much gets into milk, and how much a baby absorbs
• your baby's age, and how much of their milk is breast milk

Ask first about these

The NHS lists codeine, decongestants and aspirin for pain among medicines to avoid while breastfeeding. It also advises against herbal remedies, since not enough is known about them. Ask your doctor or pharmacist what to use instead.

When to call

• Your baby seems unusually sleepy or feeds poorly after you start a medicine: call your pediatrician.
• Your baby is very hard to wake, or their breathing seems slow or labored: call emergency services.