ABSTRACT
Medications present in milk can and do in rare instances produce gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in the infant such as diarrhoea or constipation. Diarrhoea has been reported in some infants exposed to antibiotics or 5-aminosalcylic acid products, but most medications must be systemically absorbed in the infant’s plasma compartment to produce untoward systemic effects. Thus, in breastfeeding mothers, poorly bioavailable drugs are often preferred as it ultimately reduces the infants’ oral absorption and produces fewer systemic side effects. Table 5.1 lists a number of medications that are poorly bioavailable and are ideal for breastfeeding mothers simply because they are poorly absorbed even in infants.
