Are Weight Loss Medications Safe While Breastfeeding?

During pregnancy, our bodies go through a lot of changes and people often experience some weight gain that is more than temporary baby weight. 

This can lead some people to consider weight loss medication to try to take control of their body size. And if you’re breastfeeding, you may be wondering what the safest options are. How long does medicine stay in breast milk? Are there even breastfeeding-safe pills or injections available?

To answer these questions, the team at Felix has put together some useful information to help you safely consider treatments for your weight management journey, safely and effectively.

Is It Safe to Diet While Breastfeeding?

Mild caloric restriction may be safe for some patients with overweight or obesity, but in general, people who are breastfeeding need more calories, not less. Simply put, you shouldn’t be trying to reduce your caloric intake while breastfeeding, because your body needs those calories.

In fact, some patients may lose weight without dieting, throughout their time breastfeeding.

Exercise and maintaining a healthy diet is generally a safer choice than trying to restrict your caloric intake. However, you should consult your healthcare practitioner to discuss healthy weight management options while breastfeeding.

Keeping track of your calories? Check out our useful calorie deficit calculator to help you throughout your weight management journey.

Can I Take Weight Loss Medications While Breastfeeding?

For common, modern weight loss injections, breastfeeding while using these medications could pose a risk to nursing children, as some of these treatments have been shown to pass into breast milk.

Also, the amount of time varies for how long each medicine stays in breast milk after being taken, and weight loss medications are taken regularly to maintain their effects. This is why it’s generally not recommended to take weight loss injections while breastfeeding.

Some oral forms of the medications contain salcaprozate sodium (SNAC). It’s unknown if SNAC is present in breast milk. Because of this, it’s unknown whether using these weight loss pills is safe while breastfeeding.

According to the manufacturer:

‍“The decision to breastfeed during therapy with injectable weight loss medication should consider the risk of infant exposure, the benefits of breastfeeding to the infant, and benefits of treatment to the mother. 

Breastfeeding during therapy with oral weight loss medication is not recommended due to the unknown risks associated with potential accumulation of SNAC in the infant. Due to safety concerns, medications for weight loss therapy are not recommended for patients who are breastfeeding.”

If you’re interested in discussing these risks further with a healthcare professional, just complete a short online assessment. Your practitioner will be happy to discuss the benefits vs risks of using weight loss medications while breastfeeding. 

Do All Weight Loss Medications Pass into Breast Milk?

For most modern weight loss medications, it’s not known whether the active ingredients from these medications can pass into breast milk. Therefore, we have to treat weight loss medications as unsafe while breastfeeding.

There are some molecules in certain oral weight loss medications that aren’t safe while breastfeeding because their metabolites have been shown to pass into breast milk.

Not all medications pass into breast milk, but it’s best to seek advice from your healthcare practitioner before using any medications while breastfeeding. To learn more, explore this table of information about how different medications affect breastfeeding:

Medication Type	Breastfeeding Consideration	Potential Infant Impact
GLP-1 Receptor Agonists	Limited human data; large molecules likely have low milk transfer.	Unknown; potential gastrointestinal effects.
Stimulant-based Appetite Suppressants	Generally avoided.	Increased heart rate, irritability, and poor sleep.
Lipase Inhibitors	Low systemic absorption; unlikely to enter milk in significant amounts.	Minimal expected risk.

NOTE: Felix doesn’t endorse the use of weight loss supplements deemed ‘safe’ for breastfeeding, because the vast majority of these products are unregulated. This means there is no guarantee that they won’t cause a negative reaction for you or your child while breastfeeding.

Effects on milk production and weight loss medication

The exact effects on milk production in the body when weight loss medications are taken during breastfeeding haven’t yet been determined, other than that they may pass into breast milk.

Another factor to keep in mind is that while breastfeeding, mothers are supposed to be taking in more calories. Contrary to this, using weight loss medications encourages a lower appetite, and in turn, less calorie intake throughout the day.

Bringing in fewer calories can lead to decreases in the quantity or quality of a mother’s breast milk, which could impact your ability to breastfeed effectively.

Can nursing babies be affected by weight loss medication?

Yes, unfortunately. At this time, there are no weight loss pills or injections safe for breastfeeding. Using weight loss medications while breastfeeding isn’t recommended, because some medications have been shown to potentially pass through breast milk to nursing children.

If you’re thinking about using weight loss injections while breastfeeding, then you should talk to your practitioner about whether there are any breastfeeding-safe weight loss supplements available online to you through Felix.

SIDE NOTE: Never take over-the-counter ‘safe’ weight loss supplements for breastfeeding without first consulting with your practitioner. Some of these weight loss supplements aren’t safe for breastfeeding moms, as they may alter your breast milk in a way that’s dangerous for your nursing child.

What are the safe alternatives to weight loss medications?

Considering either psychological and behavioural therapy are great alternatives to using weight loss medication while breastfeeding.

Psychologists will be able to give you the tools that you need to make sustainable dietary choices and build healthy habits.

Together with regular exercise and counseling to manage the mental health aspect of your weight management journey, these can help you stay in control of your overall health.

The truth of the matter is that the ‘move more, eat less’ mentality doesn’t take things like biology and genetics into account. Although, it’s important to remember that a balanced diet and regular exercise are essential for everyone to maintain their health; especially as we age.

Focus on maintaining your weight now through healthy habits, because once you stop breastfeeding, you’ll have the option to use weight loss medications safely.

REMEMBER: You don’t need injections or pills for weight loss while breastfeeding to start making positive health and lifestyle changes, which can not only help you lose weight, but also improve your overall well-being.

When Should I Contact My Healthcare Practitioner?

If you’re concerned about your weight and how it’s affecting your health, or you’ve been considering using weight loss medications, but you’re planning to or are breastfeeding, it’s a good idea to talk to your healthcare practitioner at Felix.

They’ll be able to walk you through all the safe weight management options at your disposal once you’re no longer breastfeeding. With Felix in your corner, you can take back control of your health, so you can get back to living life on your terms – the way it should be.