Is Insect Repellent Safe for Breastfeeding Mothers?

TL;DR — key takeaways

• Yes — the CDC and the NHS both state that breastfeeding mothers can use registered insect repellents, including DEET, picaridin, IR3535 and plant-based PMD, when applied as directed on the label.
• Only a small amount of a skin-applied repellent is absorbed through the skin, and there is no evidence that normal, label-directed use makes breast milk unsafe for your baby.
• The practical issue is skin contact, not milk: wash your hands and any skin your baby feeds from or touches before a feed.
• Apply repellent to exposed skin such as arms, lower legs, ankles and neck — not to your chest, breasts or hands.
• Protect the baby separately with physical barriers: a fine mesh net over the pram, long sleeves and avoiding peak biting hours.

New parents get a lot of conflicting advice, and insect repellent while breastfeeding is a classic example. The honest answer is reassuring: the risk of a mosquito or tick bite — and the infections some of them carry — is usually the bigger concern, and mainstream health authorities do not ask nursing mothers to go unprotected. What they do ask is that you choose a registered active ingredient and apply it sensibly.

Does insect repellent pass into breast milk?

Skin-applied repellents are designed to sit on the surface of the skin and evaporate slowly, creating a vapour barrier that stops biting insects from locating you. Only a small fraction is absorbed systemically, and repellents such as DEET and PMD are cleared from the body relatively quickly. There is no evidence that using a registered repellent as directed produces a level in breast milk that would be a concern for a feeding infant.

This is why guidance for breastfeeding is generally the same as guidance for pregnancy: use a registered product, follow the label, and do not treat the repellent as a bigger risk than the bite. Our companion guide on insect repellent in pregnancy covers the same evidence from the other side of the birth.

What health authorities actually say

• The CDC states that pregnant and breastfeeding women can use EPA-registered insect repellents — including products containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535 and oil of lemon eucalyptus / PMD — according to the product label.
• The NHS advises that most medicines and topical products, including DEET-based repellents, can be used while breastfeeding, and points parents to the product information and a pharmacist or health visitor if in doubt.
• The EPA registers skin-applied repellent ingredients for safety and effectiveness, and publishes a search tool so you can match a product to the protection time you actually need.
• The ECDC lists repellent use alongside protective clothing and nets as core measures against mosquito-borne disease in Europe.

Notice what none of them say: none advise nursing mothers to skip repellent, and none single out plant-based products as inherently safer. What matters is that the active ingredient is a proven one.

Comparing the common actives

How to use repellent safely while breastfeeding

1. Apply to exposed skin only. Arms, lower legs, ankles, neck and the tops of your feet are where most bites land anyway.
2. Skip the chest and breasts entirely. There is no reason to treat skin your baby will be pressed against.
3. Wash your hands before a feed. This is the single most useful habit — it removes any residue before your baby grips your finger or your skin.
4. Spray into your hands, then wipe on for the face and neck area, rather than spraying near your face.
5. Wash it off when you come indoors. Repellent is for the time you are actually exposed, not all evening.
6. Sunscreen first, repellent second. Let the sunscreen absorb for a few minutes, then apply repellent on top.
7. Patch-test if your skin has changed. Post-partum skin can be more reactive than you remember.

Protecting your baby, not just yourself

Repellent guidance for infants is stricter than for adults, and depends on the age limit printed on the individual product. For very young babies, physical barriers do most of the work:

• A fine mesh mosquito net over the pram, carrycot or cot — the most effective single measure for a newborn.
• Loose, light-coloured clothing covering arms and legs at dawn and dusk.
• Removing standing water near the house, which is where mosquitoes breed.
• Checking for ticks after time in long grass or woodland, including the hairline, behind the ears and in skin folds.

When your child is old enough for a repellent of their own, the age limit on the label is the number that counts — not a general rule of thumb. Our guide to the best natural insect repellent for babies and children goes through that in detail.

Nursing while travelling

If you are travelling with a nursing infant to a region with malaria, dengue or chikungunya, bite avoidance matters more, not less. Speak to a travel-health clinic before you go — some antimalarial medication is compatible with breastfeeding and some is not, and that is a decision for a clinician who knows your history. Pack a net, plan around dawn and dusk, and take enough repellent that you are not tempted to ration it.

How incognito® helps

If you would rather avoid DEET while nursing, our Insect Repellent Spray 100ml is built around plant-based PMD (Citrepel®) — the same class of registered active the CDC and ECDC list alongside DEET. It is clinically tested, vegan, biodegradable and recommended against both mosquitoes and ticks. When your baby is old enough, the gentler Kids Insect Repellent Spray is formulated for young, sensitive skin. As with any repellent — including ours — read the product label for usage and age guidance, and check with your midwife, health visitor or pharmacist if you are unsure.

FAQs

Is insect repellent safe for breastfeeding mothers?
Yes. The CDC and NHS state that registered insect repellents, including DEET, picaridin, IR3535 and plant-based PMD, can be used while breastfeeding when applied as directed on the label. Wash your hands and avoid applying it to your chest before feeding.

Does DEET get into breast milk?
Only a small amount of skin-applied repellent is absorbed, and there is no evidence that label-directed use makes breast milk unsafe. The CDC lists DEET as suitable for breastfeeding mothers, which is why bite prevention is not something you need to give up while nursing.

Where should I not apply insect repellent when I am breastfeeding?
Avoid your chest, breasts and hands — any skin your baby feeds from, grips or is likely to mouth. Apply to arms, lower legs, ankles and neck instead, and wash your hands before a feed.

Can I put insect repellent on my newborn?
Follow the age limit printed on the specific product, and ask your health visitor if you are unsure. For very young infants, a fine mesh net over the pram or cot plus light covering clothing is usually the recommended approach rather than a skin-applied repellent.

Is a natural repellent safer while breastfeeding than DEET?
Not automatically. Plant-based only helps if the active ingredient is a proven, registered one such as PMD. An unrefined essential oil with no registration behind it offers short-lived protection and can still irritate skin.

Do I need to wash repellent off before feeding my baby?
Wash your hands and any skin your baby will be in direct contact with. You do not need to shower off completely, but repellent should be washed off once you are indoors and no longer exposed to biting insects.

Sources

• CDC — Prevent Mosquito Bites
• NHS — Breastfeeding and medicines
• NHS — Insect bites and stings
• EPA — Skin-Applied Repellent Ingredients
• EPA — Find the Repellent that is Right for You
• ECDC — Protective measures against mosquitoes
• CDC — Preventing Tick Bites

This article is general information and not medical advice. If you are breastfeeding, always read the product label and consult your midwife, health visitor, GP or pharmacist before using any insect repellent or travelling to areas with insect-borne disease.