Can you take pseudoephedrine 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.
Although the small amounts of pseudoephedrine in breastmilk are unlikely to harm the nursing infant, it may cause irritability occasionally. A single dose of pseudoephedrine decreases milk production acutely and repeated use seems to interfere with lactation. Mothers with newborns whose lactation is not yet well established or in mothers who are having difficulties producing sufficient milk should not receive pseudoephedrine. A treatment scheme has been reported for mothers with hypergalactia that uses pseudoephedrine to decrease milk supply.
Quoted from Pseudoephedrine — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised April 20, 2026.
What LactMed would consider instead
LactMed ends this record by naming the drugs it would consider in place of pseudoephedrine. Whether any of them fits depends on what you are treating — this is the database’s list, not a recommendation from us.
How much pseudoephedrine gets into breastmilk
Maternal Levels. A single oral dose of 60 mg of pseudoephedrine in 3 women resulted in peak milk levels of less than 1 mg/L 1 hour after the dose. Other authors used data from this study to calculate the amount excreted in milk to be 5.5% of the weight-adjusted maternal dosage.
After a 60 mg oral dose of immediate-release pseudoephedrine, peak milk levels averaging 698 mcg/L occurred 1.7 hours after the dose and half-life in milk was 5.5 hours. A fully breast-fed infant would receive a dose of 4.3% (range 2.2 to 6.7%) of the maternal weight-adjusted dose.
Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
What has been seen in breastfed infants
Mothers reported irritability was reported in 20% of infants exposed to pseudoephedrine in one study of breastfeeding mothers.
All adverse reactions in breastfed infants reported in France between January 1985 and June 2011 were compiled by a French pharmacovigilance center. Of 174 reports, pseudoephedrine was reported to cause adverse reactions in 4 infants, primarily agitation.
Effects on milk supply
After a single dose of pseudoephedrine 60 mg orally in 8 nursing mothers, there was a mean 24% decrease in milk production over the following 24 hours. No change in blood flow to the breast was detected that could explain the decreased milk production; there was a 13.5% decrease in serum prolactin after pseudoephedrine, but this change did not achieve statistical significance. Oxytocin levels were not measured.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take pseudoephedrine while breastfeeding?
Although the small amounts of pseudoephedrine in breastmilk are unlikely to harm the nursing infant, it may cause irritability occasionally. 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 pseudoephedrine while breastfeeding?
LactMed lists Oxymetazoline 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 pseudoephedrine pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for pseudoephedrine are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking pseudoephedrine?
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 pseudoephedrine
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.