Ibuprofen: Safe while nursing?
I am nursing my three-month-old angel and would like to be able to take Ibuprofen. I took this medication before I got pregnant. Will it be safe to take while I am nursing?
Question:Debbi Donovan
Debbi Donovan is a Board Certified Lactation Consultant, as well as a retired La Leche League Leader. For more than a decade, Debbi... Read more
Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, Nuprin ...) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent. Ibuprofen passes into breastmilk in very low levels -- less than 0.6 percent of the maternal dose. It is also frequently given directly to infants to reduce fever. The American Academy of Pediatrics considers ibuprofen compatible with breastfeeding.
References:
- Hale, T. Medications and Mother’s Milk 2000 Pharmasoft, Amarillo, Texas, 2000 345-46
- Spigset,O. & S. Hagg, “Analgesics and breast-feeding: safety considerations” Pediatric Drugs 2000 May-June 2(3) 223-38
- Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation, Briggs, Freeman, Yaffe, 1990



