Is Zaleplon safe while breastfeeding?
Here is what NIH LactMed, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's authority on medicines and breastfeeding, reports about Zaleplon. 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
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Levels in milk
Maternal Levels. Five nursing mothers who were at least 14 days postpartum were given a single oral dose of zaleplon 10 mg. The peak milk level averaged 14 mcg/L at 1.2 hours after the dose. The mean half-life in milk was 1.1 hours.[ 2 ] Using the peak milk level data from this study, an exclusively breastfed infant would receive an estimated maximum of 2.1 mcg/kg daily with this maternal dosage regimen or about 1.4% of the maternal weight-adjusted dosage. Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Alternatives LactMed lists
“No published information” means the studies do not exist yet — not that Zaleplon is known to be harmful, and not that it is known to be safe. Your prescriber or pharmacist can weigh your baby's age and whether a better-studied alternative would do the same job. Worth asking before stopping a medicine you need.
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.