Medications in the breast-feeding mother

Prescribing medications for a breast-feeding mother requires weighing the b enefits of medication use for the mother against the risk of not breast-fee ding the infant or the potential risk of exposing the infant to medications . A drug that is safe for use during pregnancy may not be safe for the nurs ing infant. The transfer of medications into breast milk depends on a conce ntration gradient that allows passive diffusion of nonionized, non-protein- bound drugs. The infant's medication exposure can be limited by prescribing medications to the breast-feeding mother that are poorly absorbed orally, by avoiding breast-feeding during times of peak maternal serum drug concent ration and by prescribing topical therapy when possible. Mothers of prematu re or otherwise compromised infants may require altered dosing to avoid dru g accumulation and toxicity in these infants. The most accurate and up-to-d ate sources of information, including Internet resources and telephone cons ultations, should be used.