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I have a mom whose baby is 3 weeks old. Dad is very allergic to penicillin. Can the mom breastfeed on a dosage of 2000mg of penicillin (a one time dose) and if so at how many hours after taking the medication. Is there a risk of transference of penicillin at a level that could cause a reaction in the baby and at how many hours after taking the medication would it be ok to breastfeed? The same questions applies to amoxicillin.
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Dear lweinshe,
Penicillin milk levels are low and pose little risk to most breastfeeding infants. Observe for diarrhea, rash, and hypersensitivity to penicillin in the breastfed infant. Compatible with breastfeeding in non-hypersensitive infants. There is a possibility of allergic reaction even though only a small amount of medication enters your breastmilk. You should talk with your pediatrician about your concerns. If you or your pediatrician prefer for your infant not to be exposed to the drug, waiting 5 to 6 half-lives would allow the medication to be eliminated from your body. The half-life of Penicillin G is less than 1.5 hours so waiting 8 to 9 hours should eliminate risk for your infant. There are many forms of penicillin so ask your pharmacist what the half-life of the penicillin you were prescribed is and multiply that number by 5 or 6 and then wait that amount of time. Let me know if you have further questions.
Sincerely,
Cindy Pride, MSN, CPNP
TTUHSC InfantRisk Center
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