Ask Dr Sears
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
MENUMENU
  • Pregnancy & Childbirth
  • Feeding & Eating
  • Parenting & Behavior
  • Health Concerns
  • Brain Health
  • A to Z Topics
  • Blog
  • About Us
  • Wellness Institute
  • Home
  • Topics
  • Feeding & Eating
  • Breastfeeding
  • While Taking Medication
  • Taking Medications Safely While Breastfeeding
  • Timing The Dosage

Timing The Dosage

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for any information about the medicine that would help you time the dosage and the baby’s feedings to get the most medicine into you, but the least into your milk.

  • If the medication is one that should be used with caution, it may help to take the medication right after feeding your baby. Most milk is freshly made during the feeding and the breast stores only a small quantity. While baby is feeding, the blood flow to the breasts and, therefore, the potential delivery of the drug to your milk is highest. It decreases after the feed.
  • Most drugs reach their maximum concentration in the breastmilk 1-2 hours after being taken. So, taking medication right after you feed allows much of the medicine to be cleared from your milk before the next feeding.
  • Best to take once-a-day medications just before your baby’s longest feeding interval (usually right after putting your baby to sleep at night), unless the side effects of the medication could keep you and/or your baby awake. With once-a-day medication, when you take the medicine has less effect on the concentration of the drug in breastmilk than with medications taken 3-4 times a day.
  • While timing your dosage may help to minimize your baby’s exposure to the drug in your milk, don’t make yourself and your baby crazy trying to delay or schedule feedings. If you have a baby who nurses frequently throughout the day and night, you will probably both be calmer and better off if you take the medicine as directed and nurse your baby on cue. 
August 12, 2013 August 12, 2013 Dr. Bill Sears
The Health Brain Book
Become a Dr. Sears Certified Health Coach
Dr Poo: The Scoop on Comfortable Poop

Juice Plus+ - The next best thing to fruits and vegetables.

Vital Choice

About Ask Dr. Sears

AskDrSears.com is intended to help parents become better informed consumers of health care. The information presented in this site gives general advice on parenting and health care. Always consult your doctor for your individual needs.

Recent Articles

  • Can You Help Your Kids Grow Taller? – 5-Step Action Plan
    Can You Help Your Kids Grow Taller? – 5-Step Action PlanDecember 27, 20220
  • Dr. Jim on Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)November 8, 20220
  • "You've Got This!" - Martha's Breast Cancer StoryOctober 30, 20220


Resources

  • Sears Parenting Library
  • Dr. Sears Family Newsletter
  • Dr. Sears Wellness Institute
  • Prime-Time Health

Connect

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

  • support@askdrsears.com
  • Contact Ask Dr Sears
  • About Ask Dr Sears
  • About Dr. William Sears
  • Dr. Sears Wellness Institute
  • Media Relations Information


© 2020 AskDrSears.com All Rights Reserved.