Identification

• Aspirin is a salicylate drug that is used for pain relief and as a blood thinner. According to the Drug Safety Site, it is excreted into breast milk in low concentrations.
  
  

History

• Sodium salicylate, a drug closely related to aspirin, was first detected in human breast milk in 1935.
  
  

Time Frame

• When a nursing mother takes aspirin, either in a single dose or in repeated doses, the concentration of the drug in her breast milk peaks nine hours later.
  
  

Potential

• Aspirin in human milk could potentially impact platelet function in the nursing infant. This can cause blood thinning, rashes, and bleeding.
  
  

Expert Insight

• AAP includes aspirin in its list of "drugs that have been associated with some significant effects in some nursing infants and should be given to nursing mothers with caution."