Yes. Most cough drops are fine to use while breastfeeding. Halls, Ricola, Luden's, Cepacol, and similar drops rely on menthol, pectin, or benzocaine, which work in your mouth and throat, and very little of any of them reaches your milk. The products to be careful with are the cold medicines on the same shelf: oral decongestants like pseudoephedrine can lower your milk supply, and the FDA recommends against codeine while breastfeeding.
Which Cough Drops Are Safe While Breastfeeding?
Look at the active ingredient in the Drug Facts box rather than the brand name. Most cough drops use one of three:
- Menthol (Halls, Ricola, Vicks VapoDrops, Fisherman's Friend, some Luden's flavors). The InfantRisk Center at Texas Tech says only minimal amounts pass into milk and calls menthol drops "an excellent choice for cough relief in breastfeeding mothers."
- Pectin (Luden's fruit flavors). A fruit fiber, the same one used to set jam, that soothes by coating an irritated throat. It's the simplest option on the shelf.
- Benzocaine (Cepacol Extra Strength, Chloraseptic lozenges). A numbing agent that is poorly absorbed by mouth. InfantRisk lists benzocaine lozenges, with or without menthol, as another excellent choice.
What's in Popular Cough Drops
| Brand | Active ingredient | Breastfeeding notes |
|---|---|---|
| Halls | Menthol | Compatible with normal use. |
| Ricola | Menthol, plus an herb extract listed with the inactive ingredients | Compatible with normal use. Some flavors add echinacea, which InfantRisk considers likely safe but unstudied. |
| Luden's | Pectin (fruit flavors), menthol (honey and menthol flavors), or both (Dual Relief) | Compatible. The pectin flavors are the simplest choice. |
| Cepacol Extra Strength | Benzocaine and menthol | Compatible. The Sore Throat and Cough version adds dextromethorphan, which is also considered compatible. |
| Chloraseptic | Lozenges: benzocaine, often with menthol. Spray: phenol | Lozenges are compatible. Phenol spray has no published breastfeeding data. |
| Vicks VapoDrops, Fisherman's Friend | Menthol | Compatible with normal use. |
| Sucrets | Dyclonine, some with menthol | No breastfeeding studies; LactMed describes topical dyclonine as relatively safe. |
| Mucinex InstaSoothe | Hexylresorcinol, with menthol in some versions; the Cough version is dextromethorphan | No breastfeeding data on hexylresorcinol. The dextromethorphan version is better studied. |
| Cold-EEZE | Zinc gluconate (about 13 mg of zinc per lozenge) | Fine for a few days, but the zinc adds up quickly. See the FAQ below. |
Brands sell several formulas under the same name, and formulas change, so check the Drug Facts box on the bag you actually buy.
Do Cough Drops Affect Milk Supply?
There's no evidence that normal cough drop use lowers supply. The worry comes from peppermint, a menthol-rich herb with a folk reputation for drying up milk. According to LactMed, the National Institutes of Health's drug and lactation database, that effect has only been shown in lab and animal studies at high doses, and menthol passes into milk in small quantities.
Ricola gets its own mention because its herb extract includes sage and peppermint, two herbs some parents use on purpose to reduce an oversupply, although LactMed found no studies showing sage actually does this. If you notice a dip while using Ricola or any menthol drop, switching to a pectin drop is an easy way to rule it out. Keep nursing or pumping on your usual schedule while you're sick, and look at decongestants first (below), since they have a measured effect on supply. Our guide to low milk supply causes covers the other common reasons.
How to Read a Cough Drop Label
- Find the active ingredient. Menthol, pectin, or benzocaine on its own is the straightforward case.
- Watch for "plus cough," "total," or "multi-symptom" versions. Some only add dextromethorphan, which is fine. Others are full cold medicines. Put back anything with pseudoephedrine, phenylephrine, or a sedating antihistamine unless your doctor has suggested it.
- Don't let "natural" or "herbal" make the decision. Herbal blends often combine plants with little breastfeeding research, so a short ingredient list is more reassuring than a long one. Licorice root, found in some cold lozenges, can lower prolactin and might reduce supply in early breastfeeding, according to LactMed.
- Follow the dosing directions. Most drops are labeled for one or two drops every two hours as needed.
- Keep numbing products off your nipples. LactMed warns that benzocaine applied to the breast or nipple can be swallowed by the baby and has been linked to methemoglobinemia, a serious blood disorder, in children under 2.
Almost every package also says "If pregnant or breast-feeding, ask a health professional before use." That is a general warning the FDA requires on many over-the-counter drugs, so its presence alone doesn't mean a product is risky.
Cough Syrup and Cold Medicine While Breastfeeding
Treat the symptom you actually have with a single-ingredient product. Multi-symptom syrups often pair an ingredient that's fine with one you'd rather avoid.
| Ingredient | Found in | Breastfeeding guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Dextromethorphan (cough suppressant) | Delsym, Robitussin DM, most "DM" syrups | The preferred cough suppressant. LactMed says amounts in milk are very low and not expected to affect a nursing baby. Choose alcohol-free versions. |
| Guaifenesin (expectorant) | Mucinex, chest-congestion syrups | Not studied in breastfeeding, but LactMed considers harm unlikely at usual doses, especially for babies older than 2 months. |
| Acetaminophen | Tylenol, many multi-symptom products | A good choice for fever and aches. Amounts in milk are much smaller than doses given directly to infants. |
| Ibuprofen | Advil, Motrin | A preferred pain reliever while nursing because levels in milk are extremely low. |
| Pseudoephedrine (oral decongestant) | Sudafed, "-D" allergy products | Avoid, especially in the early weeks or if your supply is already low. In a small study, a single 60 mg dose cut milk production by an average of 24% over the next 24 hours (LactMed). |
| Phenylephrine (oral decongestant) | Sudafed PE, DayQuil Cold and Flu, "plus congestion" formulas | Skip it. LactMed notes it might lower supply, and the FDA has proposed removing oral phenylephrine from decongestants because it doesn't relieve congestion. |
| Oxymetazoline (nasal spray) | Afrin, Zicam Intense Sinus Relief | LactMed recommends it over oral decongestants because so little is absorbed. Use it for no more than 3 days to avoid rebound congestion. |
| Sedating antihistamines (diphenhydramine, doxylamine) | Benadryl, NyQuil, "PM" products | An occasional small dose is unlikely to affect your baby. Larger or repeated doses can make babies drowsy and may reduce supply, especially combined with a decongestant. |
| Codeine | Prescription cough syrups | Avoid. The FDA recommends against codeine while breastfeeding because some people convert it to morphine very quickly, which can cause dangerous sleepiness and breathing problems in a nursing baby. |
For a closer look at one of the most common syrups, see our guide to Robitussin while breastfeeding.
For a Stuffy Nose
Start with saline spray or rinses, steam, or a humidifier. InfantRisk calls saline irrigation "the safest possible treatment" for nasal and sinus congestion in breastfeeding mothers. If you need something stronger, a short course of a decongestant nasal spray is a better bet than a pill.
Natural Ways to Soothe a Cough While Nursing
- Salt water gargle. Mayo Clinic suggests 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of table salt in 4 to 8 ounces of warm water. Gargle, then spit it out.
- Warm drinks with honey. Honey can ease a cough, and the CDC lists it as a cold remedy for anyone at least 1 year old. Never give honey to your baby before their first birthday, because of the risk of infant botulism.
- Moist air. A clean humidifier or cool-mist vaporizer, or a few minutes in a steamy bathroom, can make a cough less irritating.
- Fluids and rest. Fluids keep your throat moist; broth, water, and caffeine-free tea all count. Rest as much as your baby allows, and accept any help that's offered.
If you're wondering whether to keep nursing through a cold, see our guide to breastfeeding while sick.
When to Call a Doctor
The CDC recommends medical care if you have:
- Trouble breathing or fast breathing
- Signs of dehydration
- A fever lasting more than 4 days
- Symptoms lasting more than 10 days without getting better
- A fever or cough that improves, then comes back or gets worse
Call your baby's pediatrician if, after you start a new medicine, your baby is much sleepier than usual, feeds poorly, or is unusually irritable. These reactions are uncommon with the products above, but they are the signs LactMed and InfantRisk tell parents to watch for.
A lactation consultant can also help. Answering questions about over-the-counter medicines and their effect on milk production is part of an IBCLC's scope of practice. Here's how to find a lactation consultant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Take Halls While Breastfeeding?
Yes. Halls cough drops use menthol as the active ingredient, and InfantRisk considers menthol drops an excellent choice while breastfeeding. Use them as the package directs rather than one after another all day.
Are Ricola Cough Drops Safe While Breastfeeding?
Yes, with normal use. Ricola's active ingredient is menthol, and InfantRisk names Ricola among the menthol drops it considers an excellent choice while breastfeeding. If you notice a supply dip, switch to a pectin drop such as Luden's wild cherry.
Can I Take Cepacol While Breastfeeding?
Yes. Cepacol Extra Strength lozenges contain benzocaine and menthol, and InfantRisk names benzocaine lozenges like Cepacol an excellent choice for nursing parents. The Sore Throat and Cough version adds dextromethorphan, which LactMed also considers compatible.
Can I Use Chloraseptic While Breastfeeding?
Chloraseptic lozenges contain benzocaine, usually with menthol, so they belong in the same compatible group as Cepacol. The spray is different: its active ingredient is phenol, which hasn't been studied in breastfeeding. If you want a numbing option with breastfeeding guidance behind it, a benzocaine lozenge is the better-documented choice. Otherwise, ask your pharmacist about the spray.
Is NyQuil Safe While Breastfeeding?
Use caution. Most NyQuil cold and flu formulas combine acetaminophen and dextromethorphan, both compatible, with doxylamine, a sedating antihistamine, and the "plus congestion" versions add phenylephrine. LactMed says an occasional small dose of doxylamine is unlikely to affect your baby, but larger or repeated doses can cause infant drowsiness or lower your supply, especially alongside a decongestant. If you take a nighttime product, choose one without a decongestant and have another adult available to help with night feeds.
Can I Take Cold-EEZE or Zicam While Breastfeeding?
For a few days, probably yes. LactMed says zinc lozenges haven't been studied in breastfeeding, but using them several times a day for a short time wouldn't be expected to harm a breastfed baby. The catch is the dose: each Cold-EEZE lozenge has about 13 mg of zinc, while the recommended intake while breastfeeding is 12 to 13 mg a day from all sources. InfantRisk advises avoiding heavy zinc use in the first month after birth. Zicam RapidMelts are also zinc. Zicam Intense Sinus Relief spray is oxymetazoline, covered in the table above.
If you have questions about a medicine, your milk supply, or feeding while you're sick, you can compare lactation consultants near you on Bornbir, read their reviews, and message them directly.