Q&A: Can I take anti-depressants while breastfeeding?

by Dr. Gerard M. DiLeo

I take Celexa to treat depression. I'm worried about how the medication might affect my baby since I'm breastfeeding.

Whether to take depression medications during pregnancy and when breastfeeding is a personal decision that you should make with the help of your healthcare provider.

Celexa has been designated a Category C drug by the FDA, which means it carries a theoretical risk to your growing baby, so your doctor needs to determine, along with you, whether the benefit of taking the medication outweighs the potential risk to your baby. A small amount of the medication does make its way into the breast milk, but so far it seems the worst complications for babies have been sleepiness, which went away once the mother discontinued use.

If your clinical depression puts you in danger or is ruining your life, you need to keep taking the medication. If it's just a take-it-or-leave-it thing, leave it, although in my practice I wouldn't be particularly worried. But base your decision on what the prescribing doctor says.

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