Ibuprofen in the nursing period
The answer to the question of whether a drug may be taken while breastfeeding or not depends on whether the active ingredient and its degradation products are released into breast milk and thus into the child. Ibuprofen is only passed on in small quantities through breast milk. So if it is unavoidable or if it is only a short-term intake of ibuprofen, it can be used during the breastfeeding period.
However, if it is foreseeable that therapy with ibuprofen will last longer, consideration should be given to discontinuing breastfeeding. It is not recommended to stop breastfeeding in such a case only for the duration of the therapy, as it cannot be said when the relevant amounts of breakdown products will no longer be present in breast milk. If ibuprofen is to be used because of pain or fever, it is possible to switch to paracetamol to avoid weaning. This is usually the first choice for pain and fever in pregnant women and nursing mothers. If the ibuprofen is to be used because of inflammation, it cannot be replaced by paracetamol because paracetamol does not have an anti-inflammatory effect.
Price
Since there is always talk of cost pressure in the health care system, I think it is important to know the prices of drugs: Ibuprofen from Ratiopharm® | 10 Filmtbl. (N1) 400 mg | 10.97 € Ibuprofen from Ratiopharm® | 100 Filmtbl. (N3) 800 mg | 27.23 € Manufacturers are given as examples and were selected at random. We have no personal connection with any manufacturer!
Prescription requirement
Ibuprofen is available without prescription up to a dosage of 400 mg per tablet, from 600 mg on a prescription is required! More about ibuprofen and headaches at our partner.
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