ibuprofen and breastfeeding
Last edited 05/2020 and last reviewed 11/2020
- ibuprofen is one of the painkillers of choice whilst breastfeeding
- only very small amounts of ibuprofen pass into the breast milk, and these amounts are far below the doses that would normally be given to infants directly
- the properties of ibuprofen are such that there is no risk of it building up in the infant’s system
- there have been no side-effects reported in infants exposed to ibuprofen through breast milk
- ibuprofen is widely available to purchase as an over-the counter medicine and is also found in some cold and flu remedies
- this guidance also applies to ibuprofen formulated as the lysine salt
- this guidance applies to infants born full term and healthy. If an infant is unwell, or premature, or the mother is taking multiple medicines, then an individual risk assessment will need to be made.
Reference:
- NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service (May 19th 2020). Can breastfeeding mothers take ibuprofen?