Breastfeeding mothers can safely use most prescribed medications. Natural barriers in the cells that create breast milk make it difficult for most medications to pass into your milk. Even for those medications that do enter breast milk, most do so in amounts so low that there is no effect on the baby. Before your doctor prescribes a medication for you, make sure he or she knows that you are breastfeeding. If your doctor is unsure whether or not you can breastfeed safely while taking a particular medication, ask that they check with drug information experts.

For current information about the use of medicines/drugs during breastfeeding (or pregnancy), contact the Medicines Information Centre on 1300 633 424

Poisons Information is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week on 13 11 26