Can you take pentazocine 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.
No information is available on the use of pentazocine during breastfeeding. Maternal use of oral opioids during breastfeeding can cause infant drowsiness, which may progress to rare but severe central nervous system depression. Newborn infants seem to be particularly sensitive to the effects of even small dosages of narcotic analgesics. If pentazocine is required by the mother of a newborn, it is not a reason to discontinue breastfeeding; however, once the mother's milk comes in, it is best to provide pain control with a nonnarcotic analgesic and limit maternal intake of pentazocine to 2 to 3 days at a low dosage with close infant monitoring. If the baby shows signs of increased sleepiness (more than usual), difficulty breastfeeding, breathing difficulties, or limpness, a physician should be contacted immediately. Combination products with naloxone carry the same considerations. Withdrawal symptoms can occur in breastfed infants when maternal administration of an opioid analgesic is stopped, or when breastfeeding is stopped. Other agents are preferred over pentazocine during breastfeeding.
Quoted from Pentazocine — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised March 15, 2026.
What LactMed would consider instead
LactMed ends this record by naming the drugs it would consider in place of pentazocine. Whether any of them fits depends on what you are treating — this is the database’s list, not a recommendation from us.
How much pentazocine gets into breastmilk
Maternal Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
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
Pentazocine can increase serum prolactin. However, the prolactin level in a mother with established lactation may not affect her ability to breastfeed.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take pentazocine while breastfeeding?
No information is available on the use of pentazocine during breastfeeding. 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 pentazocine while breastfeeding?
LactMed lists Acetaminophen, Butorphanol, Fentanyl, Hydromorphone, Ibuprofen, Morphine 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 pentazocine pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for pentazocine are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking pentazocine?
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 pentazocine
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.