Can a pregnant or breastfeeding mother take cold medicine and continue breastfeeding?
Disease description:
I have caught a cold while breastfeeding, and it’s quite severe. I’ve taken some medication—may I ask whether a nursing mother can continue breastfeeding after taking cold medicine?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Xie Zixing
Whether a breastfeeding mother with a cold can continue nursing depends on the severity of her cold and the specific medication she is taking. If the cold is mild and she is taking traditional Chinese patent medicines—which have minimal impact on the infant—she may continue breastfeeding normally. However, if the cold is severe and she is taking medications such as sulfonamides, which may harm the infant’s liver or kidneys, breastfeeding should be temporarily discontinued.
