Download

Medication while breastfeeding

Breastfeeding

Medication while breastfeeding

Breastfeeding gives your baby a healthy start, but if you have a reason to take medication during this period, you need to consider the possible impact on your breast milk.

In that case, you need to know the following:

Which medications are safe to take when breastfeeding?
Some drugs are safe to take during breastfeeding because even if they pass into your breast milk, they’re usually in small quantities that won’t harm your baby. But you should always ask your doctor or pharmacist to be sure.

Generally, these medications are considered safe during breastfeeding:

Pain relievers

Antimicrobial medications

Antihistamines

Decongestants

Gastrointestinal medications

Birth control pills

How does the medicine I take affect my breastfeeding?
The quantity of a drug that gets into breast milk and how it can affect a baby depends on many factors, including your baby’s age, the type of drug, the dose, and the way it’s taken.

The effects a drug can have on a baby include diarrhea, vomiting, and unusual sleepiness or irritability. Additionally, some medications can reduce your milk production and may cause your baby not to gain enough weight.

Which medicines are prohibited to take when breastfeeding?

Should I stop breastfeeding while taking medication?
It may not be safe to take certain drugs while breastfeeding. But if you need to take a medication that could be harmful to your baby, your doctor might recommend an alternative drug or advise you to breastfeed only when the medication is at a low level in your breast milk.

In some situations, your doctor might recommend that you stop breastfeeding for some time or even indefinitely — depending on the duration of the medication. If you’re aware in time, pump some breastmilk and store before starting the medication.

DownloadMali Daily Pregnancy Tracker

Daily Pregnancy & Parenting Tracker

Mali has 4.9 Stars from 10,000+ ratings

4.9 Stars from 10,000+ ratings