Wegovy and breastfeeding: Is it safe for new mums?

There are so many things to love about being a new mum — from first smiles to happy gurgles and getting to know the little person you have made.

But, it’s not all flowers and rainbows. There are also sleepless nights, plenty of crying, and for many women, a struggle to get back to a healthy weight.

Weight loss medications are a new, convenient option helping them reach their weight goals. But, are they safe to use while breastfeeding?

It’s generally up to your healthcare provider to decide what’s best for you both during and after pregnancy.

What we can do though, is help you stay informed by sharing what the latest research says about Wegovy, breastfeeding, and the potential risks.

Breastfeeding and medication: An overview

Before we get into breastfeeding advice related to Wegovy, we thought it was a good idea to share how medications in general can affect breastfed infants.

It might surprise you to know that a majority of medications, including common ones like painkillers and allergy medication, are not licensed for breastfeeding [1].

This doesn’t mean they are absolutely unsafe, but it does mean you need to work closely with your healthcare provider to decide what you can or can’t take.

Your doctor can help you make a decision based on a lot of factors, such as [1]: 

• The age of your baby: For example, a preterm infant may be particularly affected by drugs;
• The volume of breast milk each day: For example, a new baby who feeds multiple times a day compared to a 9-month-old who only feeds 1-2 times per day;
• Your need for treatment: Your doctor will consider how important it is for you to receive treatment for a condition.

Are any drugs safe for a breastfed infant?

Most drugs have the potential to show up in breast milk, though in general, less than 1% is likely to pass through to your baby [1].

Certain drugs are known to be safe during breastfeeding; such as antibiotics, vitamins, and paracetamol. While others; like antihistamines, decongestants, and aspirin are not recommended [2].

It’s important to speak with a healthcare professional about your particular situation before taking any medications. For example, you could ask your doctor, dentist, pharmacist, or midwife for advice.

Most medications will also include any required warnings on the packaging or in the drug information contained inside the box.

This might sound scary, but we promise it’s not so bad. The reason we wanted to share a bit more detail is to help you understand that being careful with medication while breastfeeding is nothing new.

What is relatively new are weight management medications, like Wegovy. So, is it safe for you and your baby? We checked the latest research to find out.

Can you take Wegovy while breastfeeding?

We would love to give you a simple yes or no answer for this, but the truth is — it’s more like a maybe.

Some research tells us that taking Wegovy while breastfeeding is safe, but we also haven’t had access to the medication for very long. Here’s what we know so far.

What is Wegovy?

Wegovy is a brand name for the drug semaglutide, which has been approved for weight management. It has been available in the UK since September 2023 [6].

Semaglutide is a peptide medication, specifically a GLP-1 which helps reduce hunger and control your appetite [5].

There are a couple of reasons that health providers are concerned that a drug like Wegovy may not be recommended for breastfeeding, including:

• A drug that reduces hunger could impact the development of your baby if the effects are passed on through breast milk
• Women need to consume up to 500 more calories per day while breastfeeding, which means it's not ideal to be on a reduced-calorie diet or appetite-regulating drugs

We should mention that even though there are concerns, studies show that up to 40% of women who are at a normal weight pre-pregnancy and 60% who are considered overweight will gain excess weight during pregnancy [5].

Getting back to a healthy weight range after pregnancy is important to reduce risks to your health, and medication is a good option for this. You just need to know when the right time to start treatment is.

So, how do we decide if a drug is safe for breastfeeding? We use research.

Research on breastfeeding, semaglutide, and drug interactions

Since Wegovy is a new medication, the studies we have on whether it can adversely affect new mums and breastfed infants are new too.

For example, the Drugs and Lactation Database is a register of different drug effects on breastfeeding and alternate drugs you can take. They published research on Wegovy in October 2024 [3].

The study included 8 nursing mothers who each took a low dose of subcutaneous semaglutide. That means the drug was taken via injection, which is also how you take Wegovy.

When they tested samples of the mothers’ breast milk, the drug was not detected.

They also checked on their babies’ development after 3-9 weeks of breastfeeding and found no issues — all of the babies had normal growth and development.

Based on this study, it seems no special precautions would be needed to take semaglutide while breastfeeding. But, there are a few limitations to be aware of [5].

First, the study had a very small sample size; with only 8 mothers included. This means it’s not enough evidence to apply to the general population.

Second, all the women in the study had mature breast milk. So, we can’t apply this research to new mums whose milk is still in the colostrum stages. 

We’ll need more research to be able to answer this question once and for all. Until we have it, you should work closely with your healthcare providers to understand what Wegovy treatment could mean for you and your baby.

We know that accessing healthcare can be difficult, which is why Juniper is doing things differently. 

Not only does Juniper’s Weight Reset Programme provide access to the latest weight loss medication, but we also offer unlimited follow-ups with your prescribers. This makes it easier to get answers to your important questions when you need them.

As a telehealth service, we help you swap long wait times and pharmacy queues for consults in the comfort of your home and medication delivered to your door.

Can Wegovy transfer through breast milk?

As we mentioned earlier, it’s generally accepted that up to 1% of any drug could pass through to a breastfed infant [1]. This is not usually enough to be a major concern.

We know from animal studies that semaglutide can be found in breast milk [4]. However, early results from human studies seem to suggest that semaglutide is not detectable in breast milk [5].

So, what does it all mean? We hate to be wishy-washy, but it’s another maybe.

There is a chance that Wegovy could transfer through your breast milk. But, there’s also some evidence that it won’t.

It depends a lot on the individual. For example, in the study of 8 breastfeeding mothers, there was 1 participant who had side effects in the gut and noticed these in her baby too [5].

But, for the rest of the group; no adverse effects were recorded in either themselves or their babies.

If your doctor does prescribe Wegovy while you are breastfeeding, it’s a good idea to keep in touch with them about your progress. Make sure to let them know if you have any side effects or notice any changes in your baby.

Can Wegovy impact your milk supply?

There are lots of reasons that a new mum might have a low milk supply, and sometimes medications can be an issue.

For example, we know that taking birth control, cold and flu tablets, and some herbal remedies can impact your milk production [8].

But, what about Wegovy and similar weight management medications? Researchers haven’t looked into this yet — so, unfortunately, we don’t know.

There is a theory being floated around though. We know breastfeeding takes a lot of energy from new mums — in fact, breastfeeding women can lose up to 0.5kg per week because of it [5].

So, the theory goes — on a weight loss plan including a reduced-calorie diet, increased physical activity, and medication; you'll likely lose weight faster than this.

If you lose weight too quickly, your milk supply could be affected. But again, we don’t have the research yet to back it up — it’s just a theory right now [5].

How to increase your milk supply

Even if your milk supply did become low, there are quite a few ways to try and increase it. Some recommendations include [7][8]:

• Breastfeed as often as possible, aiming for around 8 feeds in 24 hours
• Switch breasts with each feed
• Hold your baby close for skin-to-skin contact which helps increase the hormones needed for milk production
• Express milk after breastfeeding to stimulate your breasts 

Finally, if you’re taking Wegovy while breastfeeding (or any other medication) and feel like it has changed your milk supply; that’s definitely something to mention to your doctor.

Is Wegovy safe during pregnancy?

On this, we can give you a proper answer. Wegovy is not recommended for pregnant women.

Animal studies have found that semaglutide can affect pregnancy outcomes; increasing risks of preterm birth, miscarriage, and certain birth defects [4].

When should you stop Wegovy treatment?

Experts suggest stopping Wegovy treatment at least 2 months before becoming pregnant.

This is because drugs like semaglutide can hang around in the body for up to 6 weeks after you stop taking them [4].

You should be able to restart treatment after your baby is born. Whether that is during breastfeeding or not is up to a licensed healthcare professional, like your doctor, who can use their professional judgment based on the evidence at the time.

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