Is it safe to take ibuprofen (Advil) while breastfeeding?

Ibuprofen is Safe During Breastfeeding

Ibuprofen (Advil) is completely safe to use while breastfeeding and requires no interruption of nursing or waiting period after taking the medication. 1

Evidence-Based Safety Profile

• The Association of Anaesthetists explicitly lists ibuprofen as compatible with breastfeeding, with no requirement to interrupt nursing or express and discard breast milk, posing no risk to the infant 1

• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends ibuprofen as a preferred non-opioid analgesic for breastfeeding women 1

• Ibuprofen has been used extensively for postpartum pain and during lactation, with low levels of excretion in human milk 1

• Multiple studies confirm that ibuprofen can be used without interrupting breastfeeding 1

Practical Recommendations

You can breastfeed immediately after taking ibuprofen without any waiting period. 1

• Use the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration needed 1

• Consider combining ibuprofen with acetaminophen (paracetamol) for multimodal analgesia, which can minimize the need for stronger medications 1

• No special monitoring of the infant is required when taking ibuprofen 1

Special Considerations for Young Infants

• If your infant is less than 6 weeks of age (corrected for gestation), exercise extra caution with any medication due to immature hepatic and renal function, though ibuprofen remains a safe option 1

• Preterm infants have the highest sensitivity to medications, followed by neonates, then young infants 1

Alternative Safe Options

• Acetaminophen (paracetamol) is equally safe and compatible with breastfeeding 1

• Other NSAIDs including diclofenac, naproxen, and ketorolac are also safe alternatives 1

• Ibuprofen is preferable to opioid medications, which carry risks of infant sedation and respiratory depression 2