Is Glycerin Safe in Breastfeeding

Question

I am a breastfeeding mother and i want to know if it is safe to use Glycerin? Is Glycerin safe for nursing mother and child? Does Glycerin extracts into breast milk? Does Glycerin has any long term or short term side effects on infants? Can Glycerin influence milk supply or can Glycerin decrease milk supply in lactating mothers?

Glycerin lactation summary

Glycerin usage has low risk in breastfeeding

DrLact safety Score for Glycerin is 3 out of 8 which is considered Low Risk as per our analyses.
A safety Score of 3 indicates that usage of Glycerin may cause some minor side effects in breastfed baby.
Our study of different scientific research indicates that Glycerin may cause moderate to no side effects in lactating mother.
Most of scientific studies and research papers declaring usage of Glycerin low risk in breastfeeding are based on normal dosage and may not hold true for higher dosage.
While using Glycerin We suggest monitoring child for possible reactions. It is also important to understand that side effects vary largely based on age of breastfed child and time of medication in addition to dosage.
Score calculated using the DrLact safety Version 1.2 model, this score ranges from 0 to 8 and measures overall safety of drug in lactation. Scores are primarily calculated using publicly available case studies, research papers, other scientific journals and publically available data.

Answer by Dr. Ru: About Glycerin usage in lactation

Glycerin or glycerol is a normal component of human tissues. Involved in lipid and galactose synthesis which is metabolized to glucose or glycogen.It is found naturally in breast milk, with a highest concentration in colostrum. When it is used rectally as a laxative, has little or no absorption. It has been used in preterm infants. The oral or intravenous administration is rarely used (extracellular edema, intracranial hypertension, diagnosis of Meniere's disease). A short half-life span makes it compatible with breastfeeding in these rare cases.It also compatible with intraocular administration. It has been used in creams and gels to treat pain and cracks of nipple during lactation without clear results on effectiveness. In those cases it should be cleaned thoroughly with water before the next breast suckling to prevent it could be swallowed by the infant, since a high intestinal absorption may induce an increased plasma osmolality that can result in dehydration of the infant.