Is it safe to take Pepto-Bismol if I am breastfeeding? I have avoided it, because I think it may contain aspirin (but I'm not sure whether that's really true).
Pepto-Bismol (bismuth subsalicylate) is used to treat diarrhea and relieve the symptoms of an upset stomach.
Though the bismuth salts are poorly absorbed, "significant levels of salicylate could be absorbed from these products" (Medications and Mothers' Milk, Thomas Hale, R.Ph., Ph.D., 1996) With the concern of use of salicylates (such as aspirin) in children, this would definitely not be the drug of choice for nursing mothers. The American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Drugs, considers this a drug whose effect is unknown, and may be a cause for concern.
Talk with your Health Care Provider about alternate medications that will be safer to use while breastfeeding.
