Skip to main content

Home Page

MMR Vaccine in Lactation

The MMR vaccine is the best known way to prevent severe cases of measles. Measles is contagious to both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. Evidence supports that those who do receive the MMR vaccine are less likely to develop severe illness and complications associated with the measles virus. The MMR vaccine is compatible with breastfeeding. Research is currently being done to determine if antibodies increase in milk that may be beneficial to breastfed infants who are too young to receive the MMR vaccine themselves.
Breastfeeding, Surgery, and Anesthesia
Breast milk confers both direct and indirect infant benefits through at least 6 months of age and is recommended by the WHO and AAP to continue until 24 months. General anesthesia and most perioperat...
A Collaborative Approach: How to Talk to Your Provider About Medications and Breastfeeding
Empower yourself with knowledge and confidence, and remember that you have the right to question and understand the healthcare decisions that affect you and your baby.
Weight Loss in Lactation
Many women are eager to lose weight after childbirth. However, a common concern is how to do so safely without compromising milk supply. Self-compassion is very important in this process as societal p...

Research

 

Every year, the InfantRisk Center publishes studies on the transfer of various drugs into breast milk. We invite you to review these studies and consider participating in one of them. Participation is simple: you will need to collect samples of your breast milk at regular intervals, freeze them, and send them to our laboratories using prepaid overnight mailing. Your involvement will greatly contribute to our research and help ensure the safety of medications for breastfeeding mothers.

 

Participate in Research

COVID-19 Vaccines, Mechanisms, and Breast Milk Antibodies

Infants’ immune systems are immature, so they rely on maternal antibodies given through breast milk. Maternal vaccination and subsequent breastfeeding can provide the benefits of vaccination to infant...

Fad Diets During Pregnancy

It seems there is always a new diet that becomes “trendy” or popular in the media, many of which tout “healthier” or “clean” eating. It is important to consider that such diets may have negative effec...

Breastfeeding, Caffeine, and Energy Drinks

Caffeine is the most widely consumed stimulant in the world. As such, the safety of caffeine-containing drinks during lactation can raise a lot of questions for new mothers. Post-partum fatigue and fr...

ADHD Medications and Breastfeeding

For most lactating mothers with ADHD, the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh the risks of concurrent treatment with stimulants, the most commonly prescribed medications. Few patients with ADHD require...

Homemade Infant Formula Is Unsafe

The nutritional imbalances and potential foodborne illnesses from homemade infant formula could be life-threatening. For mothers who are unable to provide breast milk for their infants, commercial inf...

Neonatal Vitamin K Refusal Increasing

Vitamin K is an essential intervention recommended for all newborns to prevent Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding (VKDB), and has been part of newborn care since 1961. Unfortunately, parental refusal of ne...

Brucellosis during Breastfeeding

Untreated brucellosis is one of the few true contraindications to breastfeeding. But how do you treat a breastfeeding woman, and for how long should you withhold breastfeeding?

Breastfeeding with COVID-19 – Safety and Guidelines

Even in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, breastfeeding is still safe and highly recommended. Current guidelines from all of the major health organizations, including the World Health Organization, U...

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding may Lower Risk of Early Menopause

More research is being done on prevention of early menopause and a study recently published in JAMA found that pregnancy and breastfeeding may decrease risk of early menopause.