Can you take zolpidem 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.
The levels of zolpidem in breastmilk are low and is rapidly eliminated from milk, so it would not be expected to cause any adverse effects in older breastfed infants who does not breastfeed during the night after the mother’s dose. The manufacturer states that excess sedation in infants exposed to zolpidem through breastmilk has been reported, although details are lacking. Some expert opinion recommends against zolpidem use during breastfeeding, primarily because of the lack of robust documentation. Monitor the infant for sedation, poor feeding and poor weight gain.
Quoted from Zolpidem — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised July 15, 2026.
What LactMed would consider instead
LactMed ends this record by naming the drugs it would consider in place of zolpidem. Whether any of them fits depends on what you are treating — this is the database’s list, not a recommendation from us.
How much zolpidem gets into breastmilk
Maternal Levels. Five nursing mothers who were 3 to 4 days postpartum were given a single oral dose of zolpidem 20 mg. Milk collected 3 hours after the dose contained between 0.76 and 3.88 mcg of zolpidem. This corresponded to 0.004 to 0.019% of the maternal dosage. The drug was undetectable (<0.5 mcg/L) in milk 13 and 16 hours after the dose. The authors estimated the half-life in milk to average 2.6 hours.
A woman was taking zolpidem 5 mg nightly for sleep. Breastmilk concentrations were measured at 3 times postpartum: day 1 at 8.2 hours after a dose the concentration was 12.8 mcg/L; day 2 at 9 hours after the dose the concentration was 6.4 mcg/L; day 3 at 2.2 hours after the dose the concentration was 26.5 mcg/L. The authors estimated the maximum infant dose to be 4 mcg/kg daily based on the day 3 value.
Two pregnant women took zolpidem 5 mg doses daily during pregnancy and postpartum. One woman had a breastmilk zolpidem concentration of 10.1 mcg/L at 6.5 hours after a dose on day 6 postpartum. The other woman had milk zolpidem concentrations ranging from 0.6 mcg/L mcg/L at 18.1 hours after a dose on day 2 postpartum to 4.8 mcg/L at 10.1 hours after a dose on day 3 postpartum. A third woman who took a 5 mg dose as needed had a milk level of 3.4 mcg/L at 17.2 hours after a dose on day 1 postpartum. On day 7, 105 hours after a dose, zolpidem was undetectable in milk.
A woman taking zolpidem 5 mg daily provided 3 milk samples on day 6 postpartum at 35.7 to 69.8 hours after the last dose. Milk zolpidem concentrations were all <0.1 mcg/L.
Infant Levels. Three infants were breastfed by mothers taking zolpidem 5 mg daily (n = 2) or as needed (n = 1). The infants were breastfed 4 to 6 times daily. All of the infants had undetectable (< 0.05 mcg/L) serum levels of zolpidem.
An infant was partially breastfed by a mother taking zolpidem 5 mg daily. A serum concentration of 20 mcg/L at 5.8 hours after the dose on day 1 postpartum probably reflects transplacental passage. A serum concentration of 2.1 mcg/L at 17.4 hours after the mother’s dose on day 2 day postpartum likely reflects breastmilk passage.
What has been seen in breastfed infants
The mother of a newborn was taking 5 to 10 mg of zolpidem nightly. At the one-month checkup, no adverse effects were noted by the patient’s pediatrician.
Three infants were breastfed by mothers taking zolpidem 5 mg daily (n = 2) or as needed (n = 1). No abnormalities were found at the one-month checkup.
An infant was partially breastfed by a mother taking zolpidem 5 mg daily and bromazepam 6 mg daily. No abnormalities were found at the infant’s 1-month and the 3-month checkups.
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take zolpidem while breastfeeding?
What the NIH's Drugs and Lactation Database says about Zolpidem 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 zolpidem while breastfeeding?
LactMed lists Zaleplon 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 zolpidem pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for zolpidem are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking zolpidem?
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 zolpidem
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.