Is Cranberry safe while breastfeeding?
Here is what NIH LactMed, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's authority on medicines and breastfeeding, reports about Cranberry. This is a summary of that source — not our own verdict.
Effects on the breastfed infant
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Effects on milk supply
Thirty nursing women, 15 with mastitis and 15 without mastitis, were administered cranberries 20 grams daily for 21 days. Another 30 women, 15 with mastitis and 15 without mastitis, did not receive cranberries and served as a control group. Two samples of mature milk were obtained from each mother, one at the beginning of the study and another at the end. Total antioxidant activity was higher at the beginning of the study in milk from the women with mastitis group compared to those without mastitis. With antibiotic treatment, the total antioxidant capacity was similar to control women at the end of the study. In both the control and mastitis groups, the women who receive cranberry supplementation had higher total antioxidant capacity than those who did not. Cranberry supplementation also increased total polyphenol levels in milk both in women with and without mastitis, although the difference from baseline was only statistically significant for those with mastitis. Cranberry supplementation had no effect on milk levels of glutathione or glutathione peroxide.[ 1 ]
Levels in milk
Maternal Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date. Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Source: NIH LactMed (National Library of Medicine).
Educational summary of an authoritative source — not medical advice. Never start, stop, or change a medicine while breastfeeding without confirming with your doctor.