Medications
Breastfeeding Challenges
Medications
Medications use does not mean stopping breastfeeding. Different medications carry different risk to infants when passed into breastmilk. Learn below about the impact medications have on your breastmilk.
Pain Relief Medications
Types:
- Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
- NSAID (Motrin, Ibuprofen, Advil)
Is it safe?
- Acetaminophen is a good fever reducer for breastfeeding mothers. A low percentage is transferred into the breastmilk with minimal effects on baby.
- NSAIDs are the preferred pain and fever reducer for breastfeeding mothers and are safe to use while breastfeeding infants.
Depression Medications
Types:
- Sertraline (Zoloft)
- Fluoxetine (Prozac)
- Mirtazapine
Is it safe?
- Sertraline is found at low levels in breastmilk. The amount ingested by the infant is small and usually not detected. Mother may need extra support with breastfeeding.
- Fluoxetine is found at high levels in breastmilk. However, if required, it is not a reason to stop breastfeeding. A safe dose as prescribed by your doctor makes fluoxetine possible to use during breastfeeding (although some doctors may not recommend its use). Some side effects for baby could be colic, fussiness, and drowsiness.
- Mirtazapine, in doses below 120 mg daily, has not been found to cause effects in breastfed infants. However, if required, it is not a reason to stop breastfeeding. A safe dose prescribed by your doctor makes mirtazapine possible to use during breastfeeding. Exclusively breastfed infants should be monitored for behavioral side effects and adequate growth.
Anxiety Medications
Types:
- Fluoxetine (Prozac)
- Citalopram (Celexa)
- Escitalopram (Lexapro)
Is it safe?
- Fluoxetine is found at high levels in breastmilk. However, if required, it is not a reason to stop breastfeeding. A safe dose as prescribed by your doctor makes fluoxetine possible to use during breastfeeding (although some doctors may not recommend its use). Some side effects for baby could be colic, fussiness, and drowsiness.
- Citalopram is found at low levels in breastmilk. However, if required, it is not a reason to stop breastfeeding. A safe dose as prescribed by your doctor makes citalopram possible to use during breastfeeding. Some side effects for baby could be fussiness and drowsiness. Monitor exclusively breastfed infants for excessive drowsiness, restlessness, irritability, poor feeding, and poor weight gain — especially if the mother is using psychotropic drugs.
- Escitalopram is found at low levels in breastmilk at doses less than 20 mg daily. A safe dose as prescribed by your doctor makes escitalopram possible to use during breastfeeding. Monitor exclusively breastfed infants for excessive drowsiness, restlessness, irritability, poor feeding, and poor weight gain — especially if the mother is using psychotropic drugs. Mother may need additional support breastfeeding.
Bipolar Medications
Types:
- Sertraline (Zoloft)
- Escitalopram
- Lithium Carbonate
Is it safe?
- Sertraline is found at low levels in breastmilk. The amount ingested by the infant is small and usually not detected. Mother may need extra support with breastfeeding.
- Escitalopram is found at low levels in breastmilk at doses less than 20 mg daily. A safe dose as prescribed by your doctor makes escitalopram possible to use during breastfeeding. Monitor exclusively breastfed infants for excessive drowsiness, restlessness, irritability, poor feeding, and poor weight gain — especially if the mother is using psychotropic drugs. Mother may need additional support breastfeeding.
- Lithium concentration in breastmilk is highly variable. If taken, infants should be monitored for 30–60 days for exclusive breastfeeding. Speak with your doctor about usage while breastfeeding.
Find out if your medication is appropriate during breasfeeding
Look up your medication below to see if appropriate or not while breastfeeding your baby.