Can you take cyclobenzaprine while breastfeeding?
What LactMed says
The National Library of Medicine’s own summary, quoted in full. We do not write a verdict of our own on this question, and we do not compress theirs into a label.
Amounts of cyclobenzaprine in milk appear to be very small and two infants apparently tolerated the drug in milk well. If the mother requires cyclobenzaprine, it is not a reason to discontinue breastfeeding. Monitor the infant for (drowsiness, adequate weight gain, and developmental milestones), especially in neonates and preterm infants and when using combinations of sedating drugs.
Quoted from Cyclobenzaprine — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised January 15, 2026.
What LactMed would consider instead
LactMed ends this record by naming the drugs it would consider in place of cyclobenzaprine. Whether any of them fits depends on what you are treating — this is the database’s list, not a recommendation from us.
How much cyclobenzaprine gets into breastmilk
Maternal Levels. Two mothers were taking chronic cyclobenzaprine therapy. One mother was taking 5 mg once daily for temporomandibular joint pain and the other mother was taking 10 mg twice daily for fibromyalgia pain. Each collected milk at 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12 hours after a dose. After the 5 mg dose, the peak milk level was 6.6 mcg/L, and the average level was 2.2 mcg/L. After the 10 mg dose, the peak milk level was 24.5 mcg/L, and the average level was 10.3 mcg/L. These amounts resulted in the respective infant dosages of 0.3 mcg/kg and 0.7 mcg/kg daily. In both cases, the weight-adjusted dosage was 0.5% of the maternal dosage.
Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
What has been seen in breastfed infants
Two mothers were taking chronic cyclobenzaprine therapy. One mother was taking 5 mg once daily for temporomandibular joint pain and the other mother was taking 10 mg twice daily for fibromyalgia pain. The latter mother was also taking unspecified antidepressants, levothyroxine, zolpidem, alprazolam and famotidine. Both mothers were breastfeeding their infants (extent not stated). Neither infant had any noticeable adverse reaction such as sedation.
A search was performed of the shared database of all U.S. poison control centers for the time period of 2001 to 2017 for calls regarding medications and breastfeeding. Of 2319 calls in which an infant was exposed to a substance via breastmilk, 1 of 7 classified as resulting in a major adverse effect involved cyclobenzaprine. A 16-day-old infant was exposed to cyclobenzaprine, acetaminophen and oxycodone in breastmilk. The infant was admitted to the hospital in a noncritical care unit for bradycardia, hypotension, and respiratory arrest. The dosages and extent of breastfeeding were not reported and the infant survived.
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take cyclobenzaprine while breastfeeding?
Amounts of cyclobenzaprine in milk appear to be very small and two infants apparently tolerated the drug in milk well. The full record is quoted on this page, and the decision is one to make with the person who prescribed it — LactMed itself states it is not a substitute for professional judgement.
What can I take instead of cyclobenzaprine while breastfeeding?
LactMed lists Carisoprodol as alternate drugs to consider. That is the database's own list for this drug — whether any of them suits you depends on what you are treating.
Does cyclobenzaprine pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for cyclobenzaprine are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking cyclobenzaprine?
LactMed does not frame its records that way — it reports measured drug levels in milk and what has been observed in breastfed infants, which is what this page quotes. "Pump and dump" advice for a specific drug and dose should come from your clinician or a pharmacist, not from a general rule.
More on cyclobenzaprine
LactMed states that the information it presents is not a substitute for professional judgement, and that you should consult your healthcare provider for breastfeeding advice related to your particular situation. Nothing on this page is medical advice.