Introduction to Pharmacokinetics

What makes one medication safe for use while breastfeeding, and another one unsafe? What determines whether a medication a parent takes passes into their milk, and in what quantity? And how should all of this inform how you counsel a lactating parent who is asking you whether the drug they've been prescribed is okay to take? If you've ever wished your understanding of these answers went deeper than it does, this course is for you. 

A board certified pediatric pharmacist explains: 

• How medications transfer into human milk and the drug characteristics that influence the degree of transfer
• Maternal and infant factors that affect exposure, including stage of lactation, timing of doses, infant age, and prematurity
• How to calculate and interpret the Relative Infant Dose (RID)
• Hale's Lactation Risk Categories (L1–L5) and how to use them alongside other clinical evidence
• Trusted free and subscription resources for medication safety in lactation, including LactMed, Infant Risk Center, and Hale's
• A practical review of commonly prescribed medication classes with specific guidance on preferred agents and ones to avoid
• Why herbal supplements are not automatically safe during lactation, and how to counsel families accordingly
• A framework for shared decision-making that weighs infant risk, maternal health, and breastfeeding continuation

Whether you are a lactation consultant, pharmacist, nurse, or other clinician, this course equips you to move beyond overly conservative guidance and make evidence-informed recommendations that protect both the lactating parent and their infant.

Accrediation Recognition:

1.0 L-CERP (through August 4, 2028)
1.0 Nursing Contact Hour (through August 4, 2029)

Lactation Education Resources has been accepted by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners® (IBLCE®) as a Preferred Provider for the listed Continuing Education Recognition Points (CERPs) programme. Determination of CERPs eligibility or CERPs Provider status does not imply IBLCE’s endorsement or assessment of education quality. As a Preferred Provider, Lactation Education Resources attests that it complies with the WHO Code and subsequent WHA resolutions.