Can you take flurbiprofen 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.
Because of the low levels of flurbiprofen in breastmilk and its short half-life it is unlikely to adversely affect the breastfed infant, especially if the infant is older than 2 months.
Maternal use of flurbiprofen eye drops would not be expected to cause any adverse effects in breastfed infants. To substantially diminish the amount of drug that reaches the breastmilk after using eye drops, place pressure over the tear duct by the corner of the eye for 1 minute or more, then remove the excess solution with an absorbent tissue.
Quoted from Flurbiprofen — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised April 15, 2026.
What LactMed would consider instead
LactMed ends this record by naming the drugs it would consider in place of flurbiprofen. Whether any of them fits depends on what you are treating — this is the database’s list, not a recommendation from us.
How much flurbiprofen gets into breastmilk
Maternal Levels. Ten women who were at least 1 month postpartum were given a single 100 mg tablet of flurbiprofen. Flurbiprofen was undetectable (<70 mcg/L) in the milk of 5 of the women. In the remaining 5 women, an average peak milk level of 92 mcg/L occurred at about 3 hours after the dose. Flurbiprofen was undetectable in any mother's milk by 24 hours after the dose. Using data from this study, a fully breastfed infant would ingest an estimated maximum daily dosage of 2.2 mcg/kg after this maternal dosage or about 0.1% of the maternal weight-adjusted dosage.
Twelve women who were 3 to 5 days postpartum received flurbiprofen 50 mg orally four times a day for 9 doses over 3 days. Milk samples were collected at various unspecified times during this regimen. Flurbiprofen was undetectable (<50 mcg/L) in all but 3 milk samples. One woman had levels of 70 mcg/L one hour after her first dose and 60 mcg/L just before her second dose. Another mother had a milk flurbiprofen concentration of 80 mcg/L two hours after her last dose. The authors estimated that the maximum dose that a completely breastfed infant would ingest is less than 0.5% of the maternal weight-adjusted dosage.
Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
What has been seen in breastfed infants
A retrospective medical record review in Taiwan compared the full-term breastfed infants of women who received acetaminophen (n = 348) to those who received flurbiprofen (n = 132) for postpartum analgesia after a vaginal birth. There was no statistically significant difference in the percentage of infants with hyperbilirubinemia between those whose mothers received flurbiprofen (0.76%) and those whose mothers received acetaminophen(2.01%).
A study of full-term, vaginally delivered breastfed neonates compared those whose mothers received acetaminophen (n = 348) to those whose mothers received flurbiprofen (n = 132) for postpartum pain. Seven (2%) newborns of acetaminophen users had hyperbilirubinemia and 1 (0.76%) newborn of the flurbiprofen users had hyperbilirubinemia. The differences was not statistically significant.
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take flurbiprofen while breastfeeding?
What the NIH's Drugs and Lactation Database says about Flurbiprofen while breastfeeding — quoted in full. 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 flurbiprofen while breastfeeding?
LactMed lists Acetaminophen, Celecoxib, Diclofenac, Ibuprofen, Indomethacin, Naproxen, Piroxicam 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 flurbiprofen pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for flurbiprofen are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking flurbiprofen?
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 flurbiprofen
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.