Disclaimer: I am neither an herbalist nor medical professional. Any of the information shared below is not intended as medical advice, and you should reach out to a professional to assess any risks or benefits for yourself.
My Background
This is part 1 of a 3 part series on all things Lavender. Today we are focusing on Lavender and Breastfeeding. Lavender is what I claim as my favorite plant. I have a fond memory of when I was first introduced to the lavender. I was about nine or ten years old and I spent a week at a summer overnight camp – specifically a horseback riding camp. (Yes, I was a horse girl and I own that energy). While there, one of my roommates had a small satchel of fresh lavender that she kept on her pillow to help her sleep every night. She made one for me and I took it home and used it until all of the scent wore off.
My mom, she was not a fan and did not like the smell – although she did let me continue to use it.
It would be a long time before I thought much about lavender after that event, but that first exposure cemented something within me. It introduced to me a holistic approach that I had never been introduced to before; it made lavender hold a special place in my mind and heart; and it set the foundation for me slowly growing up and realizing that I could uncover new interests that would shape my personality, even if they may not match what the rest of my family or peers were doing.
Maybe this is more profound than you were expecting for a conversation about a plant, but I think that there is great value in the things that impact us and stay with us for a long time, no matter how trivial it may seem.
How Did Breastfeeding Enter the Conversation?
I once posted a question in The Breastfeeding for Busy Mom’s Facebook Group about Lavender:
Hi All! I am a big fan of lavender and I have been very curious about lavender while breastfeeding. I know that diffusing and applying to baby is an absolute don’t, but what about drinking lavender tea or eating foods with natural lavender in it? Can I use lotions with lavender if I avoid the breast area and don’t immediately touch baby? I did check Lactmed but it doesn’t seem like there is a lot of conclusive data. Especially interested in any herbalist insights. Thanks! 
If you already know the answers that I received, you might wonder where I got the idea that lavender could be problematic for breastfeeding?
It came from a lack of information.
I had heard that lavender essential oil is not safe to use on young children, especially those under 2. Now, I recognize that lavender essential oil and lavender in other forms are two different contexts. Each one presents different properties as well as risks vs benefits. But, knowing that there is a form that is incredibly toxic for young children, I wanted to tread carefully so as to not harm my daughter.
The responses that I received were unanimous, and a bit confounded at my concern.
Many users shared that they regularly incorporated lavender in their daily use, and that it is such a common ingredient in both topical and internal applications. And so far, there are no conclusive case reports of it being unsafe while breastfeeding. To be fair, it is often commonly found in lotions and other hygiene products FOR babies.
Needless to say, I was slightly taken aback. Everyone was incredibly nice and supportive. But I also got the sense that somehow I was the only one who had missed the memo.
I dabbled briefly in learning about lavender in an earlier post, but, I am realizing that while I don’t need to become an expert, it is a perfect time to do a deep dive and learn more about what I call “my favorite plant.”
Concerns About Lavender and Breastfeeding
I mentioned that I was concerned about the use of lavender, in any forms, while breastfeeding. Whether this was consumed as a tea, used topically in lotions, or inhaled as an essential oil. But where did my concern stem from?
Here is some of the information that I have come across:
But applying products that contain lavender oil to the skin is possibly unsafe for young males who haven’t reached puberty. Lavender oil seems to have hormone-like effects that could disrupt normal hormones. In some cases, this has resulted in breast growth. There isn’t enough reliable information to know if lavender is safe for children to take by mouth.
WebMD
This information, about possible negative hormonal effects on young children, is the main concern that I frequently came across. I want to say that I first saw this mentioned on Tik Tok, which I recognize is not a reliable source of most information. However, fact checking, while it is something that we should all be engaging in, is not always something that is easy to do.
Depending on how quickly I need an answer, or my mental capacity at the moment, research may just be too much work. Also, even with Google at my fingertips, it is not always easy to assess what question to ask to get the information that is needed.
In these instances, I will typically err on the side of caution, so as to not cause harm. But, the downside is that I may be avoiding something that is fine to use, or that I could be enjoying, because of misinformation.
Going further, additional concerns stem more specifically from the use of lavender essential oils with infants, both topically and diffused into the air. The concern actually is not specific to breastfeeding, but it is specific to the safe use of essential oils period. In an earlier post I talk about essential oil safety and, while I don’t specifically focus on infants, there are a lot of risks to take into consideration. Babies and young children are still developing and essential oils, even lavender, may be too strong for their systems to process. But, this does not indicate that lavender, in and of itself, is unsafe in all forms.
The Data About Lavender and Breastfeeding
I am not an herbalist or medical professional, so it makes the most sense to me to just cite for you directly from well-established sources about the information that currently exists about lavender and it’s use, specifically while breastfeeding.
LactMed (this is a phenomenal resource if you are breastfeeding, to check on the safety of a long list of medications and herbs), a resource from the National Library of Medicine, states the following:
Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia) flowers, leaves and oil contain linaloyl acetate, linalool, perillyl alcohol, 1,8 cineole (eucalyptol), and at least 100 other known compounds. Lavender has no specific lactation-related uses. Lavender preparations have traditionally been used for anxiety, insomnia and other neurologic conditions, infections, pain and a variety of other conditions, often as aromatherapy. A meta-analysis of 3 randomized, controlled trials concluded that lavender in different formats (aromatherapy, cream, tea) had a positive effect improving sleep quality in postpartum mothers.[1] Lavender is “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) as a food by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In general, lavender is well tolerated, but no data exist on the safety and efficacy of lavender in nursing mothers or infants. Lavender oil has estrogenic and antiandrogenic activity, so topical application around the breast should be avoided.
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health makes the following notes about general safety concerning lavender:
What Do We Know About Safety?
- Consumption of lavender in the amounts typically used in foods is likely to be safe. Short-term oral use in the amounts tested in studies of lavender for anxiety or other conditions may also be safe.
- The topical use of products containing lavender may cause allergic skin reactions in some people.
- A few cases of swelling of breast tissue have been reported in children who used topical products containing lavender. However, it’s unclear whether the lavender was responsible for the breast swelling, a condition that can have many causes.
- Little is known about whether it’s safe to use lavender during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
Once again, there isn’t really any data to support any type of concern. While some medical professionals may err on the side of avoidance, because of the lack of evidence, that does not mean that particular plant or product is unsafe. If you feel more comfortable being conservative in the face of the unknown, that is a valid decision to make. But what is important to understand is that a lack of data DOES NOT imply a lack of safety. And often, if there haven’t been reports of issues arising from it’s use, it is more likely that lavender is something that continues to be safe.
The International Childbirth Education Association provides a great overview of the safe use of essential oils. As you read through the article (which I recommend that you check out), lavender is listed as a safe essential oil to use while pregnant and breastfeeding, and concerns are focused more on the ways that the oils are used.
Can I Use Lavender While Breastfeeding?
This feels almost repetitive to state at this point, but to close out this post –
Yes, yes you can. Lavender is safe to use.
Obviously, if you personally have any sensitivity or reaction, don’t use lavender.
And I encourage you to learn from my anxieties. If you come across information from random people, whether your family, your neighbors, or those on social media, take the time to check it out before you start worrying.
Maybe the concerns they are expressing are valid, and in those moments you are able to learn something to keep you and your family safer.
But maybe there is information that is being misunderstood, and then you are missing out things because you aren’t aware that they are actually safe.
Taking the time to find an answer from a solid source, is important regardless of the outcome.
I get to continue to enjoy my lavender tea and lotions – and I know that my babies are safe while doing so.
Great information! Thanks for sharing!