Absolutely, you can have an X-ray while breastfeeding. Standard X-rays, like those for your chest, teeth, or limbs, don't affect breast milk 1 or the little one who's enjoying it. That's because these X-rays don't leave any radiation in your body.
However, for X-rays involving contrast agents, the tiny amount that might reach your milk-supply isn’t absorbed by your baby’s gut, according to a study published in Radiology in 2000. A common recommendation is to pump and discard breast milk for 24 hours after such X-rays just for added reassurance, but many experts now believe even this may be unnecessary 2 .
So while X-rays might seem intimidating, they're actually pretty chill when it comes to breastfeeding. But like with anything health-related, it's always good to chat it out with your doctor first!