Is Tums Safe While Breastfeeding?

Image: Shutterstock

Acidity and indigestion are common digestive issues women may face during nursing. While dietary changes are helpful, some might consider taking over-the-counter remedies such as Tums. But is Tums safe while breastfeeding?

Certain medicines can pass through breast milk and reach the baby, increasing the risk of side effects. Hence, consulting a doctor is essential before consuming any medicines, even mild antacids. It can help you avoid side effects while also ensuring you take the right dosage.

Read on as we give you an insight into what Tums is, its safety during nursing, possible side effects, and tips to ensure its safe use for lactating mothers.

In This Article

Key Pointers

Tums, an OTC medicine, should be used by lactating mothers under the guidance of a doctor to treat heartburn and acidity.
Using Tums during pregnancy may cause constipation, fatigue, frequent urination, appetite and weight loss, nausea, and vomiting.
Serious side effects of using Tums while breastfeeding include difficulty breathing, dizziness, body swelling, and rashes.
It is advisable to consult a doctor before taking Tums if a woman has pre-existing conditions such as hypercalcemia, stomach or intestinal blockage, medical allergies, kidney stones, or severe dehydration.

What Are Tums?

Tums is an antacid with a combination of sucrose and calcium carbonate

Image: Shutterstock

Tums is a type of antacid made with a combination of sucrose (which is also known as sugar) and calcium carbonate. In the U.S. it is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline. Tums is available as an OTC, in the form of a sugar-free tablet as well. It helps relieve indigestion, acidity, heartburn, and sour reflexes, and is also considered a calcium supplement.

Point to consider

Since Tums is also a source of calcium, if you’re taking the medicine during breastfeeding, make sure to keep your total calcium intake (including the calcium-enriched foods) within the RDA, i.e., 1000mg (1).

Is It Safe To Take Tums While You Are Breastfeeding?

Tums contain calcium carbonate, which can easily pass into your breast milk and onto your baby if you are a nursing mother. It also contains simethicone as an ingredient, but there is not enough evidence to show whether or not it passes into your breast milk. To ensure that your baby will not face any side effects from this antacid, consult your doctor first for breastfeeding safety.

Side Effects Of Taking Tums While Breastfeeding

Even though Tums is an over-the-counter medication, it is important to check your doctor for maternal health, especially when you are a breastfeeding mom. Do remember that not everyone will experience the same side effects. Also, the side effects you experience may range from mild to severe, but mentioning them to your doctor is essential. Here are a few side effects that you may experience when you take Tums when breastfeeding:

1. Constipation

You may experience slight or sudden constipation. If you experience any discomfort or do not pass stool for two days at a stretch after you have taken Tums, make sure to stop it and speak to your doctor about it.

2. Loss of appetite

Tums while breastfeeding cause a loss of appetite

Image: S: iStock

You may also experience a loss of appetite and may not feel hungry enough, as compared to how much you eat while you are breastfeeding.

3. Sudden and unexplained loss in weight

It is also possible that you notice a sudden loss of weight, even if you have not made any changes to your diet.

The weight loss that you will experience as a side effect of taking Tums will be sudden and kind of without any apparent reason. Also, if you do experience a loss of appetite as a result of the side effect of taking Tums, it may lead to weight loss.

4. Vomiting or nausea

In some cases, you may experience vomiting once you take Tums. Even if you experience it once or twice, do stop taking the medication and speak to your doctor about it.

Additional Side Effects Of Using Tums

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In addition to the above signs and symptoms, you may also experience the following side effects when you take Tums. Do make sure to speak to your doctor immediately if you experience:

Pain in the muscles or the bones

Sudden mood swings such as unexplained depression, over anxiousness, confusion and irritability, without any likely reason

An increase in your thirst or feeling thirsty all the time, even when you have enough water or fluids

Frequent urination or an increase in the number of times you urinate, as well as a sudden urge to urinate immediately

Feeling weak or tired all the time, even if you have rested or slept well

Serious Side Effects Of Using Tums

Tums may cause rashes on any part of your body

Image: S: iStock

Here are a few serious side effects of using Tums that are rare, but may still occur. Do visit your nearest medical center immediately if you experience:

Excessive dizziness

Difficulty in breathing

Swelling on any part of your body (especially if it is in the face, throat or tongue)

Itching on any part of your body

The appearance of rashes on any part of your body that may or may not spread or itch

Point to consider

It is advised to thoroughly chew Tums (a chewable calcium carbonate tablet) before swallowing it and to follow that up with a glass of water (2).

Before You Take Tums

Speak to your doctor before taking tums when breastfeeding

Image: Shutterstock

While you are breastfeeding your baby, you have to check with your doctor before you take Tums. Also, if you have any health issues that you are currently being treated for, or are aware of, make sure you mention the same to your doctor. Here are a few health conditions about which you should speak to your doctor , when you ask about taking tums while breastfeeding:

Speak to your doctor if you are aware of any medical allergies that you have experienced in the past. In case you are allergic to calcium carbonate or simethicone, make sure you tell your doctor about the same.

Sometimes, Tums can contain some inactive ingredients, such as soy, which may not always be mentioned in the ingredient list, or which you may not be aware of. If you know that you have an allergic reaction to soy, make sure to tell your doctor about it.

If you have suffered from or are currently suffering from very high levels of calcium in your body, a condition that is known as hypercalcemia, make sure you inform your doctor about it.

If you have suffered from any blockage in the stomach or intestines, do keep your doctor informed.

If you have ever experienced kidney stones or severe dehydration or are currently experiencing these symptoms, do speak to your doctor about it.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can Tums affect the quality or quantity of breast milk?

Tums has not been reported to affect the quality or quantity of breast milk production.

2. Is it necessary to pump and dump after taking Tums while breastfeeding?

No special precautions are required when taking simple antacids containing calcium, magnesium, aluminum salts and simethicone as they are not likely to affect breastmilk (3). Hence it is not necessary to pump and dump after taking Tums while breastfeeding.

3. Can a mother take Tums and continue to breastfeed at the same time?

Calcium is found in breastmilk, and taking calcium carbonate (Tums) to keep its intake within recommended limits (1000mg per day) is unlikely to harm the infant’s health. Therefore, mothers may take Tums occasionally and continue breastfeeding (1). However, self-medication is not advisable.

4. Are there any alternative treatments for heartburn during breastfeeding?

Antacids containing aluminum and magnesium salts and simethicone may help relieve heartburn when breastfeeding. These salts show poor oral absorption, which means that they reach the maternal blood circulation in little amounts (3).

5. What should I do if I experience side effects from taking Tums?

If you experience side effects such as nausea, constipation, or any severe reactions, discontinue use immediately and consult your healthcare provider.

Tums is an over-the-counter antacid that can help with indigestion, acid reflux, heartburn, sour reflexes, and other digestive discomforts. However, whether or not you can take Tums while breastfeeding is unknown. This is because the ingredients might pass into breast milk and cause potential side effects, including sudden loss of weight, loss of appetite, nausea, muscle pain, and sudden mood swings. It may also cause severe side effects, such as dizziness, swelling, or itching. Therefore, make sure to consult your doctor before taking this OTC medicine.

Infographic: Side Effects Of Taking Tums While Breastfeeding

Tums is an over-the-counter medication used to treat heartburn and indigestion; however, it may also pose the risk of specific side effects for nursing mothers, as suggested in this infographic. Therefore, consider taking medical advice while breastfeeding to determine if it is appropriate for you and your infant.

possible adverse effects of taking tums while nursing (infographic)

Illustration: Tums While Breastfeeding - Everything You Should Know

Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team

References

MomJunction's articles are written after analyzing the research works of expert authors and institutions. Our references consist of resources established by authorities in their respective fields. You can learn more about the authenticity of the information we present in our editorial policy.

Calcium Carbonate.
https://mothertobaby.org/fact-sheets/calcium-carbonate-pregnancy/pdf/
Calcium Carbonate Chewable Tablets.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/20402-calcium-carbonate-chewable-tablets
Antacids.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK501322/

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