Medications & Breastfeeding
It is generally accepted that all medications transfer into human milk to some degree, although it is almost always quite low. Only rarely does the amount transferred into milk produce clinically relevant doses in the infant - Thomas Hale RPh PhD, Founder, Medications and Mothers’ Milk
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HWN Suggests
How do I determine if a medication is safe for a breastfeeding mother?
Have you ever been told you need to stop breastfeeding because you need medical testing or a medication? Or told that you cannot receive treatment until you are done breastfeeding?
The good news is that most medications are compatible with breastfeeding, and for those few medications that are a safety issue there are usually acceptable substitutions. Although mothers are frequently told they need to stop breastfeeding (temporarily or permanently) to take a medication, this is rarely necessary.
Featured
LactMed
The LactMed Database, a free online database maintained by the National Library of Medicine in the US, is a wonderful online resource for information on breastfeeding and medications. If your health care provider does not know about this resource, spread the word! They also have a free smartphone app that is very useful.
Articles of Interest
Is It Safe to Take That Medication While Breastfeeding?
Yet despite the fact that the number of women who breastfeed each year is rising, we have shockingly little solid evidence on how many of those drugs may affect breast milk and nursing infants, according to Dr. Catherine Spong, M.D., chief of the division of maternal-fetal medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
Breastfeeding and Medication
I have for a long time been intending to compile a list of all the factsheets available on Breastfeeding-and-Medication.co.uk. A miserable, wet day has prompted me to get on with it.
Breastfeeding Medications
Just like during pregnancy, it is extremely important to talk to your doctor, pharmacist or lactation consultant before taking any medications. Most medications are safe, but there are many that can pass through your breastmilk to baby. Your lactation consultant also has access to resources about medication safety and breastfeeding.
Mothers face medication dilemma
“Medical experts are reduced to holding up our hands when women ask us for advice, and telling them that we simply don’t know how this drug that’s been widely used for many decades could affect them. The only thing we can tell them is that there are serious and significant complications of stopping or changing medication.”
Breastfeeding women need to know more about the risks of taking medication, experts say
Agrowing number of babies born in the U.S. are breastfed, and health officials are pushing to make it easier for even more new mothers to nurse their babies. But experts say there still isn’t enough research about one of the most common experiences among lactating women: taking medication.
Drugs Factsheets
Drugs in Breastmilk (0844 412 4665), from The Breastfeeding Network in the UK, has a phone helpline and additional information on medication in breastfeeding mothers.
Many Drugs Found Safe for Breast-Feeding Mothers
Breast-feeding mothers can take most prescription drugs without risking their babies' health, though they should try to avoid certain painkillers, psychiatric drugs and herbal treatments...
Medications- A Quick Guide for Parents
According to Dr. Thomas Hale, author of Medications and Mother’s Milk 2017, “most drugs do not enter milk in levels that are hazardous to a breastfed infant.” However, it is important to check reliable sources for up-to-date research-based information.
Why I Stayed on Antidepressants While Pregnant and Nursing
I knew that I could not be a healthy mother to any child if my depression and anxiety were not being treated.
Women face enough barriers to breastfeeding — incorrect medication advice should not be one of them
Many women for whom breastfeeding is going well are told they cannot breastfeed while taking medication. In some case, this is perfectly justified – and women who are breastfeeding should always seek professional advice before taking any medication. But research has shown that many medications are safe to take while breastfeeding
You Can Treat Your Postpartum Depression and Still Breastfeed
Despite improved awareness and screening practices, many women with perinatal mood disorders still go untreated.
Resources
Breastfeeding and Medication
This website is designed to provide information and support for mothers and healthcare professionals struggling to balance the benefits of breastfeeding with the perceived risk of exposing the baby to medication through his/her mother’s breastmilk. The information provided is based upon many years experience gained as a pharmacist and from running the BfN national Drugs in Breastmilk Help-line.
CDC
The US National Library of Medicine (NLM) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) maintains LactMed®external icon, a database containing information on drugs and other chemicals to which breastfeeding mothers may be exposed.
HalesMeds.com
Search, print and share drug information with breastfeeding mothers, healthcare professionals and pharmacists. Give mothers peace of mind that the drugs they are taking are safe.
InfantRisk Center
The InfantRisk Center is used by physicians, nurses, lactation consultants, and mothers in every part of the world. Virtually all calls are about multiple drugs, averaging 3-4 individual drugs. We do our best to help moms, lactation consultants, and doctors evaluate the risk to the infant from exposure to multiple drugs, and keep the mom breastfeeding.
HealthyChildren.org
Much is still unknown regarding long-term effects of various kinds of medications on your baby. For this reason, while you are breastfeeding, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends to take medication only when absolutely necessary, and to take the lowest dose for the shortest time possible.
