{"id":14809,"date":"2020-08-10T09:35:12","date_gmt":"2020-08-10T13:35:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=14809"},"modified":"2021-04-16T14:53:47","modified_gmt":"2021-04-16T18:53:47","slug":"breastfeeding-and-medications","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/breastfeeding-and-medications\/","title":{"rendered":"What a pharmacist wants you to know about breastfeeding and medications"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ah, the joys of early motherhood. The gurgles and cries of a baby, spit-up, diapers everywhere, and the age-old question\u2014should I breastfeed? As pharmacists, we get a lot of questions from our patients about breastfeeding and medications. In honor of August\u2019s <\/span>National Breastfeeding Month<\/span><\/a>, we thought we would address some common concerns.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s good news about breastfeeding and medications! <\/b>The <\/span>American Academy of Pediatrics<\/span><\/a> (AAP) states that \u201c<\/span>most medications and immunizations are safe during lactation.\u201d According to the AAP, the most concerning medications are pain relievers, antidepressants, and drugs used to treat substance\/alcohol abuse or smoking cessation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

More good news: The AAP also says that it\u2019s rare to have to pause breastfeeding (or \u201cpump and dump\u201d) while taking a medication. However, because everyone has unique medical considerations, your healthcare provider can provide you with specific, individualized instructions about medicines and breastfeeding.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Prescription medications:<\/b> Be sure to review all prescription medications with your healthcare provider if you are breastfeeding. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) <\/span>reports<\/span><\/a> that when it comes to prescription medication use, \u201c<\/span>although many medications do pass into breast milk, most have little or no effect on milk supply or infant well-being. Few medications are contraindicated while breastfeeding.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You can treat many conditions with a drug that is safe for breastfeeding, and if the medication you take is not safe, your healthcare provider will likely be able to find a suitable alternative that is safe for your baby.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Certain prescription medications should not be taken during breastfeeding, such as birth control pills that <\/span>contain estrogen<\/span><\/a>. You can find information about medication safety during breastfeeding in references such as <\/span>Lactmed<\/span><\/a>, a searchable database from the National Library of Medicine that provides detailed information on medications and breastfeeding.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Over-the-counter (OTC) considerations:<\/b> Just because you can buy something over the counter, or without a prescription, does not make it ideal for breastfeeding. Certain drugs, like aspirin or naproxen, can be unsafe during breastfeeding, while pseudoephedrine may affect your milk supply.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Also, there are many combination products available, making it confusing to select the right product. For example, if you have allergies and want to try an antihistamine, it\u2019s easy to inadvertently pick up a combination product. It\u2019s best to use <\/span>single-ingredient products<\/span><\/a> as opposed to a product with multiple components. A combination product likely has ingredients you don\u2019t need, which can lead to additional side effects, and potentially be unsafe for your baby or affect your milk supply.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Your pharmacist can help you select an appropriate OTC medication and double check safety during breastfeeding. What\u2019s more, your pharmacist may have some ideas for remedies you can try before using an OTC product, like for allergies, a humidifier, saline nasal spray, or a saltwater gargle might be recommended.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When breastfeeding, avoid caffeine, smoking, drugs, and alcohol.<\/b> While we don\u2019t <\/span>think<\/span> of them as medications per se, these substances may <\/span>affect your baby<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n