Breastfeeding & Robitussin

Breastfeeding is almost always the healthiest option for mothers and their babies. However, breastfeeding requires mothers to take caution with medication because anything they consume passes through to the milk that feeds their babies. Fortunately the majority of cold medicines are safe for nursing mothers, but there are ways to further minimize the risks.

Robitussin

Robitussin is an over the counter cold medicine that is used most commonly as a cough suppressant. Robitussin comes in several varieties with multiple ingredient formulations. The various types of Robitussin treat chest congestion, coughs and flu.

Medication Transfer

All medications transfer into breast milk, including cold medications. Researchers study the amount of medication that transfers into milk in some cases and evaluate the effect of the medication on the nursing infant. According to the book Medications and Mothers Milk by Dr. Thomas Hale, one of the standard books detailing safe medications during breastfeeding, Robitussin is considered low risk.

American Academy of Pediatrics

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) considers the results of studies performed on medication transfer into breastfeeding and makes recommendations for the safety of use in nursing mothers. However, the AAP has not reviewed the safety of Robitussin in particular for nursing mothers. The government agency Indian Health Service does recommend Robitussin as an acceptable cold medicine for use while breastfeeding.

Caution

While Robitussin is believed safe for nursing mothers, caution is still needed. Robitussin decreases milk production and mothers who are taking the medication for several days in a row should watch their babies to make sure the infants are adequately nourished and not getting dehydrated.

Minimizing Risk

Although taking Robitussin while breastfeeding is considered safe, there are ways to minimize the risk even further. Nursing mothers taking Robitussin should drink more water and nurse more often than usual to ensure that milk production stays high enough. Take the lowest effective dose of the drug and avoid multiple-ingredient medications when possible.