Chapter ten - Medications and toxins in mother’s milk

Abstract

Evidence for medication use during lactation supports that very few medications are absolutely contraindicated. Despite this, certain medications may still incur changes in the infant that may not be immediately evident but should be considered and minimized when possible. These include antibiotics and pain medications. Numerous environmental toxins can be found in human milk, and these appear to be increasing over the past several decades. These should not be ignored and medical as well as policy decisions should be based on the emerging science in these areas.