Safe and unsafe medications during breastfeeding

• Make sure the medicine is safe to take when breastfeeding.

• Watch your baby for side effects such as poor feeding, drowsiness and irritability. Stop taking the medicine if your baby gets side effects.

• For more advices, speak to your pharmacist.

To treat constipation during breastfeeding:

• First choice: Eat more fiber or Bulk laxatives that contain ispaghula or lactulose.

• Second choice:  bisacodyl or senna

To treat Cough during breastfeeding:

• First choice: Honey and lemon in hot water or Simple linctus.

• Do not use:  Medicines that contain codeine or guaifenesin.

To treat Diarrhea during breastfeeding:

• First choice: Oral rehydration sachets.

• Second choice: occasional doses of Loperamide

To treat Hemorrhoids (piles) during breastfeeding

• First choice: Soothing creams, ointments or suppositories.

• Second choice: Ice pack.

To treat Hayfever, house dust mite and animal hair allergy during breastfeeding

• First choice: Antihistamine nasal sprays and eye drops or Steroid nasal sprays.

• Second choice: antihistamines cetirizine or loratadine.

• Do not use: Other antihistamines unless advised by your doctor.

To treat Head lice during breastfeeding

• First choice: Wet combing or Dimeticone lotion.

• Second choice: If ineffective, then head lice lotions that contain permethrin.

To treat Indigestion during breastfeeding

• First choice: Antacids (indigestion mixtures).

• Second choice: On your doctor’s advice: medicines that reduce acid production, e.g. omeprazole.

To treat Nasal congestion (stuffy or runny nose) during breastfeeding

• First choice: Steam inhalation (e.g. over a bowl of hot water) or a hot shower.

• Second choice: oxymetazoline or xylometazoline nasal sprays. Occasional doses of pseudoephedrine

• Do not use: Medicines that contain Phenylephrine.

To treat Pain (e.g. headache, mastitis, toothache) during breastfeeding

• First choice: Paracetamol.

• Second choice: Ibuprofen.

• Do not use: Medicines that contain aspirin or Medicines that contain codeine (e.g. co-codamol, co-dydramol), unless advised by your doctor.

To treat Threadworms during breastfeeding

• First choice: Mebendazole.

To treat vaginal thrush during breastfeeding

• First choice: Clotrimazole pessaries or cream.

• Second choice: Fluconazole.