A nursing mother should be careful of what she consumes, including medicines, since what she eats can reach the baby through breast milk. Certain drugs may not be suitable for babies and have harmful side effects. Many mothers may consider having decongestants such as phenylephrine while breastfeeding. However, phenylephrine may reduce the supply of breastmilk (1). Therefore, you must consult a doctor before taking any medicine during lactation. Read on to know about the effects of phenylephrine during breastfeeding, its safety regarding the baby, and the necessary precautions that you should take.
What Is Phenylephrine?
Phenylephrine is a type of decongestant. It helps treat nasal congestion or discomfort that occurs due to illnesses such as hay fever, cold, flu, sinusitis, and allergies. The use of phenylephrine doesn’t actually treat the illness. But it helps reduce the inflammation of the nasal blood vessels and thus provides temporary reprieve to the patient. Phenylephrine is available in many forms such as regular tablets, extended-release pills, liquids, and sprays. It is also added to other medicines (2).
Is It Safe To Take Phenylephrine While Breastfeeding?
Medical professionals have concerns regarding decongestant use while breastfeeding a child (3). Experts don’t advise using phenylephrine while nursing due to the following reasons:
Due to the low bioavailability of phenylephrine (oral use), it is considered a low-risk compound. But, oral or intravenous phenylephrine use may reduce the supply of breastmilk. Nasal sprays containing phenylephrine may have a less adverse effect on breast milk (4). If you are a nursing mother with poor production of breast milk, then use drugs containing phenylephrine with caution.
If you are a nursing mother, it is better to avoid the use of decongestants in any form. They may cause restlessness and irritability in breastfeeding infants. However, there is insufficient evidence to support this study. Other decongestants such as pseudoephedrine pose greater harm to a nursing infant (5).
Phenylephrine And Breastfeeding – Side Effects
Some of the common side effects of phenylephrine include (6):
Insomnia Upset stomach Dizziness Headache Nervousness Irregular or rapid heartbeat Shaking Lightheadedness
Medicine Use And Breast Milk Fact Sheet
If you are a nursing mother, you may find the below information useful (7):
Treatment Guidelines For Breastfeeding Mothers With Congestion Problems
If you have a cold or congestion problem, you may want to consult your doctor for safe drug use while breastfeeding as well as about continuing to breastfeed your child through your illness. Here are some other options: If you notice any problems in your child after breastfeeding, immediately inform your doctor about it. Some drugs, even when considered safe, may harm the nursing child. It is not necessary to discontinue breastfeeding your child when you are taking medicine. Some medicines are perfectly safe to use for nursing mothers. The important thing is to have relevant information at your disposal about the medicine you are using and its potential risks to your nursing child. Therefore, do not hesitate to consult your doctor about any health problem you experience, even if it is a simple nasal congestion. Medicinal compounds can easily affect the quality and quantity of your breast milk. The risks to your nursing baby may depend on the type of drug used and the state of his health. Therefore, it is extremely important to carefully consider the use of any medicine while breastfeeding your child.
