Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesTreating Breastfeeding HeadachesMedications That Are SafeMedications to AvoidAlternative Treatments
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
Treating Breastfeeding Headaches
Medications That Are Safe
Medications to Avoid
Alternative Treatments
Postpartum headaches are common but may cause concern if you’re breastfeeding. Headache treatments that are safe while breastfeeding include over-the-counter (OTC)acetaminophen(Tylenol) andibuprofen(Motrin).
Some headache medications can enter your breastmilk, so you should discuss the best option with your healthcare provider.
There are also alternative treatments such as lifestyle changes and non-medicinal home remedies that may help ease headache pain when you’re nursing.
Causes of Postpartum Headaches
They tend to be more painful and last longer than ordinary headaches. Likely, this is due to fluctuating hormones after birth.
Risk factors for post-partum headaches include:
If You Had Migraines Before PregnancyBreastfeeding may protect you from migraine headaches returning after delivery. Researchers found that people who previously suffered from migraines were 100% likely to have them again after delivery if they bottle-fed. Women who breastfeed had a 43% risk.
If You Had Migraines Before Pregnancy
Breastfeeding may protect you from migraine headaches returning after delivery. Researchers found that people who previously suffered from migraines were 100% likely to have them again after delivery if they bottle-fed. Women who breastfeed had a 43% risk.
Verywell / Cindy Chung
Research also shows that women who havemenstrual migrainesare more likely to experience them during both pregnancy and postpartum.
Treating Headaches While Breastfeeding
Hale’s Lactation Risk Categories is a standard guide used to assess which medications are safe during lactation. Medications are assigned a rating:
For a headache during breastfeeding, the following medications have been assessed:
How Medications Help With Nursing Headaches and Migraines
Beyond checking which medications have been assessed as potentially safe for regular headaches and migraines, it’s important to consider how the drugs work. This can help you and your healthcare provider determine which medication will work best for you.
First Line Medications
The following are usually the first choices for headache and migraine treatment for those who are nursing.
How Much Headache Medication Should I Take>When breastfeeding, you should always take the smallest effective dose.For example, the adult dose for Tylenol is 325 to 650 mg every four to six hours.Start with 325 mg every six hours. If that isn’t effective, talk to your healthcare provider about increasing the dosage.
How Much Headache Medication Should I Take>
When breastfeeding, you should always take the smallest effective dose.For example, the adult dose for Tylenol is 325 to 650 mg every four to six hours.Start with 325 mg every six hours. If that isn’t effective, talk to your healthcare provider about increasing the dosage.
When breastfeeding, you should always take the smallest effective dose.
For example, the adult dose for Tylenol is 325 to 650 mg every four to six hours.Start with 325 mg every six hours. If that isn’t effective, talk to your healthcare provider about increasing the dosage.
Other Recommendations
When first-line treatments don’t work or you can’t use them for some reason, these are typically the next choices:
Can I Use Opioids for Nursing Headaches?There is some concern about weakeropioidslike codeine and tramadol causing infant sedation, breathing difficulties, constipation, or a poor suckling response, particularly when they’re used repeatedly or at high doses.However, these medications can be taken occasionally for migraine pain while you’re breastfeeding. Discuss options with your healthcare provider.
Can I Use Opioids for Nursing Headaches?
There is some concern about weakeropioidslike codeine and tramadol causing infant sedation, breathing difficulties, constipation, or a poor suckling response, particularly when they’re used repeatedly or at high doses.However, these medications can be taken occasionally for migraine pain while you’re breastfeeding. Discuss options with your healthcare provider.
Headache Medications to Avoid When Breastfeeding
There are contraindications for the following medications, and they should be avoided when you’re nursing.
You can treat headaches and migraines while you’re breastfeeding without medication. Theselifestyle changes and at-home treatmentscan bring relief:
Summary
You can also talk to your healthcare provider about migraine medications that are okay to use while nursing, or try non-medicinal ways to manage pain such as getting enough sleep and avoiding triggers.
7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Negro A, Delaruelle Z, Ivanova TA, et al.Headache and pregnancy: a systematic review.J Headache Pain. 2017;18(1):106. doi:10.1186/s10194-017-0816-0Petrovski BÉ, Vetvik KG, Lundqvist C, Eberhard-gran M.Characteristics of menstrual versus non-menstrual migraine during pregnancy: a longitudinal population-based study.J Headache Pain. 2018;19(1):27. doi:10.1186/s10194-018-0853-3Ito S.Opioids in breast milk: Pharmacokinetic principles and clinical implications.J Clin Pharmacol.2018;58(10):S151-S163. doi:10.1002/jcph.1113Association of Migraine Disorders.Breastfeeding and Migraine.National Library of Medicine.Tylenol Regular Strength - Acetaminophen tablet.U.S. National Library of Medicine.Nortriptyline. August 2017.Hutchinson S, Marmura MJ, Calhoun A, Lucas S, Silberstein S, Peterlin BL.Use of common migraine treatments in breast-feeding women: a summary of recommendations.Headache. 2013;53(4):614-27. doi:10.1111/head.12064Additional ReadingBurch R.Headache in pregnancy and the puerperium.Neurologic Clinics. 2019;37(1):31–51. doi:10.1016/j.ncl.2018.09.004Faubion SS, Batur P, Calhoun AH.Migraine throughout the female reproductive life cycle.Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2018;93(5):639–645. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2017.11.027Hutchinson S, Marmura MJ, Calhoun A, Lucas S, Silberstein S, Peterlin BL.Use of common migraine treatments in breast-feeding women: a summary of recommendations.Headache.2013;53(4):614–27. doi:10.1111%2Fhead.12064Lee MJ, Guinn D, Hickenbottom S.Headache in pregnant and postpartum women. UpToDate. Updated June 4, 2018Negro A, Delaruelle Z, Ivanova TA, et al.Headache and pregnancy: a systematic review.J Headache Pain. 2017;18(1):106. doi:10.1186/s10194-017-0816-0
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Negro A, Delaruelle Z, Ivanova TA, et al.Headache and pregnancy: a systematic review.J Headache Pain. 2017;18(1):106. doi:10.1186/s10194-017-0816-0Petrovski BÉ, Vetvik KG, Lundqvist C, Eberhard-gran M.Characteristics of menstrual versus non-menstrual migraine during pregnancy: a longitudinal population-based study.J Headache Pain. 2018;19(1):27. doi:10.1186/s10194-018-0853-3Ito S.Opioids in breast milk: Pharmacokinetic principles and clinical implications.J Clin Pharmacol.2018;58(10):S151-S163. doi:10.1002/jcph.1113Association of Migraine Disorders.Breastfeeding and Migraine.National Library of Medicine.Tylenol Regular Strength - Acetaminophen tablet.U.S. National Library of Medicine.Nortriptyline. August 2017.Hutchinson S, Marmura MJ, Calhoun A, Lucas S, Silberstein S, Peterlin BL.Use of common migraine treatments in breast-feeding women: a summary of recommendations.Headache. 2013;53(4):614-27. doi:10.1111/head.12064Additional ReadingBurch R.Headache in pregnancy and the puerperium.Neurologic Clinics. 2019;37(1):31–51. doi:10.1016/j.ncl.2018.09.004Faubion SS, Batur P, Calhoun AH.Migraine throughout the female reproductive life cycle.Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2018;93(5):639–645. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2017.11.027Hutchinson S, Marmura MJ, Calhoun A, Lucas S, Silberstein S, Peterlin BL.Use of common migraine treatments in breast-feeding women: a summary of recommendations.Headache.2013;53(4):614–27. doi:10.1111%2Fhead.12064Lee MJ, Guinn D, Hickenbottom S.Headache in pregnant and postpartum women. UpToDate. Updated June 4, 2018Negro A, Delaruelle Z, Ivanova TA, et al.Headache and pregnancy: a systematic review.J Headache Pain. 2017;18(1):106. doi:10.1186/s10194-017-0816-0
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Negro A, Delaruelle Z, Ivanova TA, et al.Headache and pregnancy: a systematic review.J Headache Pain. 2017;18(1):106. doi:10.1186/s10194-017-0816-0Petrovski BÉ, Vetvik KG, Lundqvist C, Eberhard-gran M.Characteristics of menstrual versus non-menstrual migraine during pregnancy: a longitudinal population-based study.J Headache Pain. 2018;19(1):27. doi:10.1186/s10194-018-0853-3Ito S.Opioids in breast milk: Pharmacokinetic principles and clinical implications.J Clin Pharmacol.2018;58(10):S151-S163. doi:10.1002/jcph.1113Association of Migraine Disorders.Breastfeeding and Migraine.National Library of Medicine.Tylenol Regular Strength - Acetaminophen tablet.U.S. National Library of Medicine.Nortriptyline. August 2017.Hutchinson S, Marmura MJ, Calhoun A, Lucas S, Silberstein S, Peterlin BL.Use of common migraine treatments in breast-feeding women: a summary of recommendations.Headache. 2013;53(4):614-27. doi:10.1111/head.12064
Negro A, Delaruelle Z, Ivanova TA, et al.Headache and pregnancy: a systematic review.J Headache Pain. 2017;18(1):106. doi:10.1186/s10194-017-0816-0
Petrovski BÉ, Vetvik KG, Lundqvist C, Eberhard-gran M.Characteristics of menstrual versus non-menstrual migraine during pregnancy: a longitudinal population-based study.J Headache Pain. 2018;19(1):27. doi:10.1186/s10194-018-0853-3
Ito S.Opioids in breast milk: Pharmacokinetic principles and clinical implications.J Clin Pharmacol.2018;58(10):S151-S163. doi:10.1002/jcph.1113
Association of Migraine Disorders.Breastfeeding and Migraine.
National Library of Medicine.Tylenol Regular Strength - Acetaminophen tablet.
U.S. National Library of Medicine.Nortriptyline. August 2017.
Hutchinson S, Marmura MJ, Calhoun A, Lucas S, Silberstein S, Peterlin BL.Use of common migraine treatments in breast-feeding women: a summary of recommendations.Headache. 2013;53(4):614-27. doi:10.1111/head.12064
Burch R.Headache in pregnancy and the puerperium.Neurologic Clinics. 2019;37(1):31–51. doi:10.1016/j.ncl.2018.09.004Faubion SS, Batur P, Calhoun AH.Migraine throughout the female reproductive life cycle.Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2018;93(5):639–645. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2017.11.027Hutchinson S, Marmura MJ, Calhoun A, Lucas S, Silberstein S, Peterlin BL.Use of common migraine treatments in breast-feeding women: a summary of recommendations.Headache.2013;53(4):614–27. doi:10.1111%2Fhead.12064Lee MJ, Guinn D, Hickenbottom S.Headache in pregnant and postpartum women. UpToDate. Updated June 4, 2018Negro A, Delaruelle Z, Ivanova TA, et al.Headache and pregnancy: a systematic review.J Headache Pain. 2017;18(1):106. doi:10.1186/s10194-017-0816-0
Burch R.Headache in pregnancy and the puerperium.Neurologic Clinics. 2019;37(1):31–51. doi:10.1016/j.ncl.2018.09.004
Faubion SS, Batur P, Calhoun AH.Migraine throughout the female reproductive life cycle.Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2018;93(5):639–645. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2017.11.027
Hutchinson S, Marmura MJ, Calhoun A, Lucas S, Silberstein S, Peterlin BL.Use of common migraine treatments in breast-feeding women: a summary of recommendations.Headache.2013;53(4):614–27. doi:10.1111%2Fhead.12064
Lee MJ, Guinn D, Hickenbottom S.Headache in pregnant and postpartum women. UpToDate. Updated June 4, 2018
Negro A, Delaruelle Z, Ivanova TA, et al.Headache and pregnancy: a systematic review.J Headache Pain. 2017;18(1):106. doi:10.1186/s10194-017-0816-0
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