Is Zaleplon safe while breastfeeding?
Here is what LactMed, the Drugs and Lactation Database published by the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), reports about Zaleplon. The text below is quoted from that source — it is not our own verdict.
Summary of use during breastfeeding
Little information is available on the use of zaleplon during breastfeeding. A safety scoring system finds zaleplon to be not recommended during breastfeeding.[1] However, the low levels of zaleplon in breastmilk and its short half-life indicate that amounts ingested by the infant are small and would not be expected to cause any adverse effects in older breastfed infants. Other agents may be preferred in newborn and preterm infants. Monitor the infant for sedation, poor feeding and poor weight gain.
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: Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), via NCBI Bookshelf, record “Zaleplon” (LM395). LactMed on NCBI Bookshelf. LactMed is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Educational summary of an authoritative source — not medical advice. Never start, stop, or change a medicine while breastfeeding without confirming with your doctor.