Balancing the Use of Medications while Breastfeeding.

Breast milk is the most beneficial nutrition for an infant. Most medications are suitable for use in breastfeeding mothers and the dose of most drugs transferred into milk is often subclinical and the mother should frequently be advised to continue breastfeeding. An improved understanding of the relationship between maternal and infant exposure to medications would provide a more enlightened understanding of risk-benefit analysis. The Drugs and Lactation Database, published by the National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health, is available online and is the most comprehensive source of information regarding the safety of maternal medications during breastfeeding.