What anxiety medications are safe while breastfeeding?

Understanding Anxiety Medications During Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding mothers often face the challenge of managing anxiety while ensuring the safety of their infants. The choice of medication can be complex, as some drugs may pass into breast milk and affect the baby. However, several options are considered relatively safe for breastfeeding mothers.
Preferred Medications
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), particularly sertraline (Zoloft), are frequently recommended for treating anxiety and depression in breastfeeding women. Research indicates that sertraline has a low relative infant dose (RID) of 0.4% to 2.2%, meaning that only a small amount of the medication is transferred to breast milk. This low transfer rate suggests that it is unlikely to cause significant adverse effects in infants. Many healthcare providers consider sertraline a first-line treatment for postpartum depression and anxiety due to its safety profile.
Another SSRI, citalopram (Celexa), has also been used successfully by breastfeeding mothers. Anecdotal evidence from mothers who have taken citalopram during breastfeeding indicates that their children have developed normally without any reported issues.
Other Options
In addition to SSRIs, propranolol, a beta-blocker often used for anxiety, is also deemed safe for breastfeeding mothers. It can help manage physical symptoms of anxiety, such as rapid heartbeat.
For short-term management of acute anxiety, benzodiazepines like lorazepam and diazepam may be prescribed. However, these should be used cautiously and typically only for brief periods due to potential sedation effects on the infant.
Monitoring and Consultation
While many medications are considered safe, it is crucial for breastfeeding mothers to consult with their healthcare providers before starting any medication. The provider may recommend monitoring the infant for any signs of adverse reactions, especially if the mother is on a higher dosage of medication. In some cases, measuring drug levels in the infant can provide additional reassurance regarding safety.
Conclusion
Managing anxiety while breastfeeding is a delicate balance, but several medications, particularly SSRIs like sertraline and citalopram, are generally regarded as safe. Mothers should work closely with their healthcare providers to choose the best treatment plan that prioritizes both their mental health and the well-being of their infants.

What medication is used for anxiety in nursing?

Benzodiazepines most commonly used to treat anxiety disorders are clonazepam (Rivotril)*, alprazolam (Xanax) and lorazepam (Ativan). Also used are bromazepam (Lectopam), oxazepam (Serax), chlordiazepoxide (once marketed as Librium), clorazepate (Tranxene) and diazepam (Valium).

Is Lexapro or Zoloft better for anxiety?

SSRIs like Lexapro and Zoloft make more serotonin available in your brain—which in turn helps to relieve symptoms.. Some research suggests that Lexapro might be slightly more effective than Zoloft in treating depression and anxiety because it works slightly differently from other SSRIs.

What antidepressants are not affecting breast milk?

In terms of selecting an appropriate antidepressant, one should try to choose an antidepressant for which there are data to support its safety during breastfeeding (i.e., sertraline, paroxetine, fluoxetine, tricyclic antidepressants).

What to do for anxiety while breastfeeding?

Self-care is crucial for nursing moms’ mental health. Accortt encourages active relaxation, such as deep breathing, gentle yoga poses or a grounding meditation, before each breastfeeding shift. These techniques power down the body’s fight-or-flight instinct, lowering the stress hormone cortisol.

What is the safest anxiolytic medication for breastfeeding?

In cases where high doses are to be used or repeated administration will be needed then breastfeeding should probably be discontinued. The shorter-acting benzodiazepines (alprazolam, lorazepam) are favored over those with longer half-lives (clonazepam, diazepam).

What medication is best for postpartum anxiety?

SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) are the most widely used and most researched medication for postpartum anxiety and postpartum depression.

Can you pass anxiety through breast milk?

In line with the fetal programming hypothesis, it might be argued that, when the environment is stressful, mothers could physiologically signal this information to their infants via breast milk cortisol, and infants could subsequently adjust their behavioral phenotype to their (future) environment.

Which drug is usually avoided with breastfeeding?

Table. Examples of drugs contraindicated in breastfeeding.

Drug	Comment
Iodine	High doses (>150 micrograms daily) lead to risk of infant hypothyroidism
Lithium	Breastfeeding only feasible with rigorous monitoring
Radiopharmaceuticals	Contact obstetric information service
Retinoids (oral)	Potential for serious adverse effects

What anxiety medication can you take while breastfeeding?

Safe medication in breastfeeding
They include, in no particular order: SSRI antidepressants e.g. sertraline, citalopram, fluoxetine, paroxetine all have anti- anxiety activity. They take 4 to 6 weeks to exert full benefit. Tri-cyclic antidepressants e.g. amitriptyline, imipramine.

What is the safest SSRI for breastfeeding?

Paroxetine and sertraline are the SSRIs of choice during breastfeeding. More evidence is available on the use of SSRIs during breastfeeding than other antidepressant groups and limited data show encouraging outcomes when considering longer term effects on infants. However, they all have relatively long half-lives.