Breastfeeding: How will smoking affect breastfeeding?
I am a nursing mother of a four-month-old baby and I smoke. I am starting a program with Nicoderm. Hopefully I can quit. Can my baby become addicted to the nicotine in my milk? How will smoking affect breastfeeding?
Question:Debbi Donovan
Debbi Donovan is a Board Certified Lactation Consultant, as well as a retired La Leche League Leader. For more than a decade, Debbi... Read more
It's great to hear that you are planning to give up smoking. Smoking does affect your health, your baby and the milk that you make.
Many experts believe that it's best for a mother to continue to breastfeed her baby, even if she continues to smoke cigarettes. The less cigarettes smoked per day, obviously, the less the risk for mom and baby. Heavy smokers have been shown to have decreased milk production, with lower levels of Vitamin C in their milk. Their babies may be at a greater risk for nausea, colic (in one study an increase of 14 percent over non-smokers babies) and diarrhea. Mothers whose infants are also exposed to second hand smoke are at increased risk for allergies, pneumonia, bronchitis and possibly sudden infant death syndrome. (In respect to infant addiction to nicotine, I located one incident reported by Bisdom in 1937.)
Because nicotine is so addictive, many moms find it difficult to quit. If you plan on using a nicotine patch, I would advise checking with your health care provider. Though nicotine blood levels in smokers are quite variable, generally in those using only a patch, compared with those smoking, nicotine levels remain halved (Hale, 1996). Continuing to smoke while using a nicotine patch or nicotine gum could result in very high nicotine levels, which has the potential of being very dangerous to your nursing baby. Smoking while using a nicotine patch or nicotine gum is contraindicated.
If you are unable to stop smoking, I would encourage you to cut down the amount of cigarettes you smoke, and try a low-nicotine variety. Do not smoke during or just prior to breastfeeding, when nicotine concentrations in your breastmilk are at their highest levels. To lessen the effects of second hand smoke, refrain from smoking around your baby. Best of luck!
Answer:
