📋 Prescription Meds

Albuterol inhalers are safe during breastfeeding. Inhaled albuterol reaches the lungs directly with minimal systemic absorption, so very little reaches your milk. Consult your healthcare provider.

Amoxicillin is safe during breastfeeding. It's one of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics postpartum and is well-tolerated by breastfed infants. Consult your healthcare provider.

Azithromycin (Z-Pack) is safe during breastfeeding. It's commonly used for respiratory infections and has good breastfeeding safety data. Consult your healthcare provider.

Bupropion may reduce milk supply and has an active metabolite that accumulates in breast milk more than the parent drug. It's usable with monitoring, but not the first choice. Consult your healthcare provider.

Buspirone is used for generalized anxiety disorder and has limited breastfeeding safety data. Use with provider guidance, as infant exposure data is sparse. Consult your healthcare provider.

Cephalexin (Keflex) is safe during breastfeeding and commonly used for skin, wound, and urinary infections postpartum. Consult your healthcare provider.

Ciprofloxacin is generally considered compatible with breastfeeding but used with caution — it's reserved for infections where other safer antibiotics don't work. Consult your healthcare provider.

Combined pills containing estrogen can reduce milk supply, particularly in the early weeks when supply is being established. Best to wait until breastfeeding is well established or choose a progestin-only option. Consult your healthcare provider.

Depo-Provera is a progestin-only injectable contraceptive that's generally compatible with breastfeeding. Most guidelines recommend waiting until at least 6 weeks postpartum before the first injection. Consult your healthcare provider.

Duloxetine (Cymbalta) is an SNRI used for depression and anxiety with limited breastfeeding data. It's generally considered compatible, but sertraline is better studied. Consult your healthcare provider.

Escitalopram (Lexapro) is a second-preferred SSRI during breastfeeding with good safety data. Consult your healthcare provider.

Fluoxetine (Prozac) is sometimes used during breastfeeding but has higher milk transfer than sertraline or escitalopram. It's not the first choice, but may be appropriate in some cases. Consult your healthcare provider.

Gabapentin passes into breast milk and infant exposure can be significant. It's sometimes used for postpartum nerve pain or restless legs. Consult your healthcare provider to weigh risks and benefits.

Hormonal IUDs are an excellent contraceptive choice during breastfeeding. They release a very small amount of progestin locally with minimal systemic levels. Consult your healthcare provider.

Hydroxyzine is used for anxiety and sleep but is an antihistamine — infant sedation and potential supply reduction are concerns. Short-term use with monitoring is generally acceptable. Consult your healthcare provider.

Lamotrigine (Lamictal) transfers into breast milk in relatively high amounts — infant blood levels can reach 30–50% of maternal levels. Despite this, most breastfed infants tolerate it well with no significant adverse effects in published studies. Breastfeeding is generally considered acceptable, but monitor your baby for sedation, poor feeding, or rash, and have your pediatrician check infant blood levels if concerned.

Levothyroxine is safe and important to continue during breastfeeding. Thyroid hormone is naturally present in breast milk, and supplementation maintains normal levels. Consult your healthcare provider.

Lisinopril is considered compatible with breastfeeding. Very small amounts transfer into breast milk, and no adverse effects have been reported in breastfed infants whose mothers take lisinopril. Enalapril and captopril are the ACE inhibitors with the most breastfeeding safety data, but lisinopril is also considered acceptable.

Metformin is considered safe during breastfeeding. It transfers into breast milk in small amounts and infant exposure is minimal. Consult your healthcare provider.

Metronidazole is generally compatible with breastfeeding in standard doses, though some providers recommend a 12–24 hour nursing pause for high single doses. Consult your healthcare provider.

Montelukast (Singulair) is considered compatible with breastfeeding. It's highly protein-bound (99%), which limits transfer into breast milk. While published data on breastfeeding is limited, the pharmacological properties suggest very low infant exposure. It's been used by many breastfeeding mothers for asthma and allergy management without reported adverse effects.

Paroxetine has one of the lower milk transfer rates among SSRIs and is generally considered compatible with breastfeeding. However, it has discontinuation syndrome risks and is teratogenic in pregnancy — not ideal if you may become pregnant again. Consult your healthcare provider.

Penicillin antibiotics are safe during breastfeeding. They pass into milk in small amounts and are compatible with nursing. Consult your healthcare provider.

Plan B (emergency contraception) is safe during breastfeeding. It's a high-dose progestin that won't harm your baby and doesn't significantly impact milk supply. Consult your healthcare provider.

Prednisone and prednisolone are compatible with breastfeeding. At typical doses (up to 40mg/day), the amount reaching breast milk is small — less than 10% of the infant's own cortisol production. For short courses (like a 5-day steroid burst for asthma or allergies), breastfeeding can continue normally. For high doses over 40mg/day, consider waiting 4 hours after dosing to nurse.

The progestin-only pill (mini-pill) is the preferred oral contraceptive during breastfeeding. It doesn't contain estrogen and is not associated with reduced milk supply. Consult your healthcare provider.

Sertraline is the preferred antidepressant during breastfeeding. It transfers into breast milk at very low levels and decades of data support its safety. Consult your healthcare provider.

Sumatriptan (Imitrex) is considered the safest triptan for breastfeeding mothers. Very low levels appear in breast milk, and the oral bioavailability is poor — meaning even the small amount in milk would be poorly absorbed by your baby. You can breastfeed normally after taking sumatriptan for a migraine.

Prescription topical steroids are generally safe during breastfeeding. Systemic absorption is low, especially when applied to small areas. Avoid applying to the nipple or areola area immediately before nursing. Consult your healthcare provider.

Venlafaxine (Effexor) transfers into breast milk in moderate amounts, and the active metabolite (desvenlafaxine) can reach measurable levels in infant blood. Most breastfed infants tolerate it without adverse effects, but monitoring is recommended. If starting an antidepressant while breastfeeding, sertraline or paroxetine have more safety data and lower infant exposure.

Zolpidem (Ambien) passes into breast milk and can cause infant sedation. Short-term occasional use has been used with monitoring, but it's not ideal. Consult your healthcare provider.