Can you take nizatidine 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 nizatidine in breastmilk, amounts ingested by the infant are small and would not be expected to cause any adverse effects in breastfed infants. No special precautions are required. Histamine H2-antagonists with more extensive use might be preferred in newborns.
Quoted from Nizatidine — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised February 15, 2021.
What LactMed would consider instead
LactMed ends this record by naming the drugs it would consider in place of nizatidine. Whether any of them fits depends on what you are treating — this is the database’s list, not a recommendation from us.
How much nizatidine gets into breastmilk
Maternal Levels. Three women who had been breastfeeding for 3 to 8 months were given nizatidine 150 mg orally every 12 hours for 5 doses. Milk nizatidine was measured at several times after the first and fifth doses. Peak milk levels of about 1.2 mg/L occurred about 2 hours after the dose. The mothers excreted a combined average of 96 mcg (range 55 to 137 mcg) of nizatidine into breast milk over the 12 hours after the first and last doses which was less than 0.1% of the mothers' total dose. The half-life in milk averaged less than 2 hours.
Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
What has been seen in breastfed infants
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Effects on milk supply
Histamine H2-receptor blockade is known to stimulate prolactin secretion. No reports of hyperprolactinemia, galactorrhea or effects on breastfeeding women caused by nizatidine were found as of the revision date. The maternal prolactin level in a mother with established lactation may not affect her ability to breastfeed.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take nizatidine while breastfeeding?
What the NIH's Drugs and Lactation Database says about Nizatidine 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 nizatidine while breastfeeding?
LactMed lists Antacids, Cimetidine, Famotidine, Omeprazole, Pantoprazole, Sucralfate 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 nizatidine pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for nizatidine are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking nizatidine?
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 nizatidine
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.