Q: Can I breastfeed while taking medication?

Answered by: Dr Adzlina Jaaffar, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Gleneagles Kuala Lumpur (GKL)

Small amount of medication may pass through the breast milk and generally the amount is very low. There are very few medications which are unsafe and totally contraindicated for breastfeeding.

It is advisable for the lactating mother to inform either the doctor prescribing or the pharmacist dispensing any medication that she is breast feeding her baby. The health personnel can therefore prescribe the most appropriate choice of medication for the lactating mother. In some ladies when the benefit of the medication (for the health of the mother) outweighs the risk of it being present in the breast milk and potentially affects the baby, lactating mother will be advised to “pump and dump”. “Pump and dump” involve expressing the breast milk up to 3 hours after taking the medication and discarding the expressed breast milk. Mother may direct breast feeding her child after 3 hours of taking the medication.