Breast feeding and Cold Medicine

It is possible to safely combine breast feeding and cold medicine if absolutely necessary. Safely using medications while breastfeeding requires medical supervision. Understand that these drugs only treat symptoms. Colds are viruses, and the drugs will not make them go away any faster.

Although there are many exceptions, a basic rule of thumb is that 1% of the dose that you take (maternal dose) will find its way into your breast milk and therefore be given to your baby. Relative baby does of less than 10% are generally considered safe for babies.

Over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold products should not be used to treat infants and children less than 2 years of age because serious and potentially life-threatening side effects can occur from such use.

Breast feeding and Cold Medicine

Usually Safe When Breast feedingUsually Safe - monitor baby for drowsinessUsually Safe - monitor for decreased milk productionAVOID - DO NOT USE while breast feeding
drugstore.com, inc.ActifedActifedActifed Plus
-Alcomed2-60Alcomed2-60Actifed Sinus Daytime
-- Actifed Allergy DaytimeActifed Sinus Nighttime
--Actifed Allergy NighttimeAdvil Cold and Sinus
Afrin Moisturizing Saline Mist-Afrin Allergy Nasal SprayAlka-Seltzer Cold & Cough Medicine
Afrin Saline Mist With Eucalyptol and Menthol-Afrin Extra Moisturizing Nasal SprayAlka-Seltzer Plus Cold & Flu Medicine
-- Afrin Original Spray, Nose Drops and Pump MistAlka-Seltzer Plus Cold Medicine
--Afrin Severe Congestion SprayAlka-Seltzer Plus Cold & Sinus Medicine
--Afrin Sinus Nasal SprayAlka-Seltzer Plus Cold Medicine LiquiGels
AYR Saline Mist and Drops-Alconefrin nasal spray Alka-Seltzer Plus Night-Time Cold Medicine
Breast feeding and Cold Medicine
Usually Safe When Breast feedingUsually Safe - monitor baby for drowsinessUsually Safe - monitor for decreased milk productionAVOID - DO NOT USE while breast feeding
-Allerest Maximum StrengthAllerest Maximum StrengthAllerest Headache Strength
---Allerest No Drowsiness
---Allerest Sinus Pain Formula
---Allerest 12 Hour
---Bayer Select Sinus Pain Relief Formula
---BC Allergy Sinus Cold Powder
---BC Sinus Cold Powder
-Benadryl Allergy/CongestionBenadryl Allergy/CongestionBenadryl Allergy/Cold
-Benadryl Allergy Liquid or Dye-Free Liquid-Benadryl Allergy Sinus Headache Caplets & Gellcaps
-Benadryl Allergy Ultratab Tablets, Kapseals, Chewables, or Dye-Free Liqui-Gelsdrugstore.com, inc.Benzedres nasal Inhaler
Breast feeding and Cold Medicine
Usually Safe When Breast feedingUsually Safe - monitor baby for drowsinessUsually Safe - monitor for decreased milk productionAVOID - DO NOT USE while breast feeding
-Benylin Adult Formula-Benylin Multisymptom
-Benylin Cough Syrup--
-Benylin Expectorant-Buckley's Mixture
Cepacol Maximum Strength Sore Throat SprayChlor-Trimeton 4-Hour AllergyChlor-Trimeton 4-Hour Allergy/DecongestantChlor-Trimeton 8 and 12-Hour Allergy
Cheracol-D--Chlor-Trimeton 12-Hour Allergy/Decongestant
Celestial Seasons Soothers Herbal Throat Drops-Cheracol nasl SprayCheracol Plus
Cepacol Regular Strength Sore Throat Lozenges--Cheracol Sinus
Cepacol Maximum Strength Sore Throat Lozenges--Cyrose DM
---CoADVIL
---all COMTREX cold medicine
Breast feeding and Cold Medicine
Usually Safe When Breast feedingUsually Safe - monitor baby for drowsinessUsually Safe - monitor for decreased milk productionAVOID - DO NOT USE while breast feeding
---all Contac cold medicine
---all Coricidin cold medicine
---Delsym Cough Formula
all Dimetapp cold medicine
--Dristan Long Lasting Nasal Sprayall Dristan cold medicine
--Duration 12-Hour Nasal Sprayall Drixoral cold & allergy medicine
--Expressin 400Efidac-24
4-Way Saline Moisturizing Nasal Mist4-Way Fast Acting and Long Acting Nasal Sprays4-Way Cold Tablets
--Guaifed-
Halls Throat Lozenges and Cough Suppressant Drops-GuaifedHyland's cold medicines
Breast feeding and Cold Medicine
Usually Safe When Breast feedingUsually Safe - monitor baby for drowsinessUsually Safe - monitor for decreased milk productionAVOID - DO NOT USE while breast feeding
HOLD LozengesIsohist 2.0-Isoclo Timesule
Little Noses Saline nasal-Nostril Nasal DecongestantMotrin IB Sinus Pain Reliever
N'ICE LozengesNasalcrom A TabletsNeo-Synephrine Nasal SpraysNasalcrom CA Caplets
NasalCrom Nasal SprayNovahistineNovahistineNovahistine DMX
Nasal Moist Gel and Solution-Neo-Synephrine DropsOscillococcinum Pellets
Nose Better Natural Mist-NTZ Spray and DropsPertussin DM Extra Strength
Ocean Nasal Mist--Pyrroxate
RobitussinRobitussin DMRobitussin-PERobitussin-CF
Robitussin Cough Drops--Robitussin Cold-Cold,Cough, & Flu
--Robitussin Cold-Severe Congestion Liqui-GelsRobitussin Cold Night-Time
Breast feeding and Cold Medicine
Usually Safe When Breast feedingUsually Safe - monitor baby for drowsinessUsually Safe - monitor for decreased milk productionAVOID - DO NOT USE while breast feeding
-Ryna LiquidRyna LiquidRyna-C Liquid
---Ryna-CX Liquid
Scot-Tussin ExpectorantSt. Joseph Nasal DecongestantScot-Tussin DM
Scot-Tussin Sugar-Free, Alcohol-Free ExpectorantScot-Tussin Sugar-Free Allergy Relief Formula-Scot-Tussin Sugar-Free DM
Scot-Tussin Sugar-Free Cough Chasers--Sinarest No Drowsiness
Sucrets Maximum Strength Sore Throat LozengesSucrets 4-Hour Cough Suppressant Lozenges-Sucrets Regular Strength
Sucrets Regular Strength Vapor--Sinarest Regular and Extra Strength
Salinex Nasal Mist and Drops--Sine-Aid
---Sine-Off
---Singlet
Breast feeding and Cold Medicine
Usually Safe When Breast feedingUsually Safe - monitor baby for drowsinessUsually Safe - monitor for decreased milk productionAVOID - DO NOT USE while breast feeding
--Sinutab Non-Drying Liquid CapsSinutab Sinus Allergy Medication Maximum Strength
-Sudafed Cold & Allergy TabletsSudafed Cold & Allergy TabletsSudafed Cold & Cough Liquid Caps
--Sudafed Nasal DecongestantSudafed Severe Cold Formula
--Sudafed Non-Drying Sinus Liquid CapsSudafed Sinus
-Suppressin DM-Sudafed 12-Hour and 24-Hour Tablets
---TAVIST
---all Theraflu cold medicine
-Triaminic AM Decongestant-Triaminic AM Cough and Decongestant
-Triaminic Cold & Allergy SoftchewsTriaminic Cold & Allergy Softchews-
---Triaminic DM Syrup
---Triaminic Expectorant
---Triaminic Night Time
Breast feeding and Cold Medicine
Usually Safe When Breast feedingUsually Safe - monitor baby for drowsinessUsually Safe - monitor for decreased milk productionAVOID - DO NOT USE while breast feeding
---Triaminic Severe Cold & Fever
---Triaminic Sore Throat
---Triaminic Syrup
---Triaminic Throat Pain & Cough
---all Tylenol allergy, cold, flu medicine
---Ursinus
Vicks Cough DropsVicks 44 Cough Relief-all Vicks DayQuil and NyQuil
-Vicks 44E Cough & Chest Congestion Relief-Vicks 44M Cough, Cold & Flu Relief
---Vicks 44D Cough & Head Congestion Relief
---Vicks Chloraseptic Sore Throat Spray