1) Nearly all drugs taken by a breastfeeding mother pass into her breastmilk in small amounts, usually less than 1% of the maternal dose.
2) Many factors influence how much of a drug passes into breastmilk, including the drug's properties, dosage and duration, and the infant's ability to metabolize the drug.
3) When counseling breastfeeding mothers about drug use, healthcare providers should consider whether the drug is absolutely necessary, timing of feeds around medication, and choosing short-acting or locally-acting drugs when possible to minimize infant exposure.