3 Medications That Can Dry Up Your Breast Milk Supply

If you’ve ever had a baby and decided to breastfeed, you probably had some goals in mind. Maybe you wanted a way to bond with your baby. Or maybe you wanted them to receive the nutrients breast milk can provide.

But you may have also learned that breastfeeding isn’t always easy. Many families run into one problem or another during their breastfeeding journey.

One of these problems may be low breast milk production. The amount of breast milk you make can dwindle for many reasons, including the medications you take. Both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications can affect your breast milk supply.

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Here, we’ll discuss medications known to affect, or “dry up,” breast milk supply.

First, a bit about breast milk

Before we jump into medications that can affect your breast milk supply, let’s take a quick look at how breast milk gets made. Two main hormones are involved in breast milk production: prolactin and oxytocin. Medications that lower breast milk supply usually affect one of these hormones. 

Prolactin is the hormone that tells your body to make breast milk. And when your baby nurses, that suckling action helps you make more prolactin, which means more milk. 

Oxytocin is the hormone that helps your milk flow out of your breasts while you’re breastfeeding. We usually refer to this release of oxytocin as the “letdown reflex.” 

The letdown reflex helps breast milk get to your baby easily. It can even be triggered by feelings — like the way you feel when you hear your baby cry or when you have fond thoughts about your baby.

Medications that affect breast milk production

Below, we’ll dive into three kinds of prescription and OTC medications that may impact how much breast milk you make.

1. Cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine

Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) is an OTC medication that treats nasal congestion. It’s also combined with other medications in some cold and flu products. Often, these medications contain the letter “D” (for decongestant) in their name. Examples include:

• Zyrtec-D (cetirizine/pseudoephedrine)

• Claritin-D (loratadine/pseudoephedrine)

• Allegra-D (fexofenadine/pseudoephedrine)

• Aleve-D Sinus and Cold (naproxen/pseudoephedrine)

One small study of eight women showed that just one dose of pseudoephedrine (60 mg) lowered breast milk production. It’s not completely clear why, but researchers think that pseudoephedrine may lower how much prolactin your body makes.

While pseudoephedrine may lower your breast milk supply, it’s likely safe for your baby. But it’s possible that a mother’s use of pseudoephedrine may cause irritability in a breastfed baby, though.

Talk to your pharmacist or healthcare provider if you have questions about which cold medicines are safe to take while breastfeeding. If you’re currently breastfeeding and don't know if your medication contains pseudoephedrine, your pharmacist can check for you.

2. Fertility medications like clomiphene

Clomiphene is sometimes used as a fertility treatment. It stimulates ovulation (the release of an egg) to help you get pregnant. But several studies have shown that it can also lower your breast milk supply. 

Clomiphene lowers prolactin levels, especially the prolactin you make when your baby nurses. In fact, clomiphene has been shown to help stop lactation in mothers who don’t want to breastfeed. But it’s not FDA-approved for this purpose.

3. Birth control containing estrogen

Not all types of birth control affect your breast milk supply, but ones containing estrogen might. 

Taking estrogen isn’t harmful to a breastfed baby. But some studies have suggested it may lower your milk supply.

If you’re breastfeeding and taking birth control, ask your pharmacist if your medication contains estrogen. Many birth control products contain a combination of the sex hormones estrogen and progestin (a type of progesterone). These types of birth controls come as pills, vaginal rings, and skin patches.

If you use a birth control product with estrogen while breastfeeding, choose one with the lowest dose of estrogen available. And start your birth control as late as possible after giving birth, when your breast milk supply is fully established (about 4 to 6 weeks postpartum).

What about Benadryl and breastfeeding?

Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) probably won’t affect your breast milk supply if you’ve been breastfeeding for a while.

Benadryl is part of a group of medications called antihistamines. These are common OTC medications that treat allergic conditions. Because antihistamines are commonly used, people often wonder if they can take Benadryl while breastfeeding.

You might see Benadryl listed as a medication that can dry up breast milk on some websites. This is because a few older studies showed that injecting high doses of antihistamines lowers the amount of prolactin in the body. But OTC Benadryl products are taken by mouth, so they’re not the same as injectable antihistamines.

There’s not a lot of studies on Benadryl and breastfeeding, specifically. But people who have been breastfeeding for a while probably won’t experience lowered breast milk production from Benadryl. However, if you’re still establishing your breast milk supply, it’s best to avoid prolonged use or large doses of the medication.

What about other antihistamines?

Taking antihistamines while breastfeeding is considered safe, but some are more likely to make you or your baby drowsy. These are called first-generation antihistamines, and include Benadryl.

Less-sedating antihistamines are called second-generation antihistamines. These include loratadine (Claritin) and cetirizine (Zyrtec). They may be preferred by breastfeeding mothers because they usually have less side effects. They’re less likely than Benadryl to make your baby drowsy. And they don’t show up in large amounts in breast milk, meaning it’s unlikely that any significant amount of the medication is passed onto your baby.

What can I take to increase my milk supply?

Some cultures have used herbal products to promote breast milk production for generations. Medications, herbs, and foods that are said to increase breast milk production are called galactagogues. Some examples of herbal galactagogues are fennel, dill, and fenugreek.

Despite their long history, we don’t have well-designed studies testing how well products in this category work, and if they’re safe. Many galactagogues aren’t regulated by the FDA because they’re considered dietary supplements. This means they aren’t required to undergo the same testing as prescription and OTC medications. And many liquid herbal products contain alcohol, which can make them unsafe for breastfeeding mothers to use.

Fortunately, there are other ways to raise your breast milk supply. Nursing frequently, especially when you are first starting to breastfeed, is vital to maintaining your milk supply. This is because breastfeeding is a process of “supply and demand”: The more milk you remove through nursing or pumping (demand), the more breast milk your body will make (supply). 

Other ways to actively increase milk supply include making sure your baby has a good latch, staying hydrated, and eating a healthy diet. 

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Tegan Smedley, PharmD, APh

Tegan Smedley, PharmD, APh, has 10 years of experience as a pharmacist. She has worked in a variety of settings, including retail, hospital, and ambulatory care.

Written by:

Amy B. Gragnolati, PharmD, BCPS

Amy Gragnolati, PharmD, BCPS, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. Amy currently holds her pharmacist license in Georgia and California.

Reviewed by:

Christina Aungst, PharmD

Christina Aungst, PharmD, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. She began writing for GoodRx Health in 2019, transitioning from freelance writer to editor in 2021.

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