| Many women are aware of the adverse health | | | | reasons and because of this it is widely |
| implications of smoking when pregnant and | | | | considered that you should breastfeed even if |
| most manage successfully to quit smoking | | | | you do smoke. |
| altogether during this time. In an ideal | | | | |
| world they would never smoke again and enjoy | | | | There are some considerations that you should |
| the extra health benefits for themselves for | | | | observe if you are smoking and breastfeeding |
| the rest of their lives. However, smoking is | | | | though. It has been found that breast milk |
| highly addictive and it is tempting after the | | | | tastes most like cigarettes around 30-60 |
| stress of labour to 'light up' and use | | | | minutes after smoking and just after smoking |
| smoking to alleviate anxiety. This article | | | | is when you will have the most amount of |
| relates to tobacco smoke only and does not | | | | nicotine in your bloodstream and breast milk. |
| replace individual medical advice but is for | | | | You should therefore smoke just after feeding |
| information purposes only. | | | | your baby to minimise both of these effects. |
| | | | |
| Most women are aware of the significant | | | | Smoking as few cigarettes as possible is |
| health benefits for both themselves and their | | | | obviously more preferable and it has been |
| newborn baby but what are the implications of | | | | shown that using nicotine replacement |
| breastfeeding if you smoke? | | | | products is better than smoking. Under no |
| | | | circumstances should you smoke while using |
| Firstly, and most obviously, you shouldn't | | | | nicotine replacement products as the levels |
| put your newborn child (or any child for that | | | | of nicotine would possibly become dangerously |
| matter) in an environment whereby they are | | | | high. |
| forced to inhale second hand smoke. The | | | | |
| dangers of this are well documented elsewhere | | | | There are some interesting findings related |
| and need not be gone over. Ideally you should | | | | to smoking and breastfeeding that should be |
| make your home non-smoking for as long as | | | | addressed to make this article complete. |
| possible and smoke outside but if this isn't | | | | Research has shown that mothers who smoke and |
| possible you should allocate a room for | | | | breastfeed continue with breastfeeding for a |
| smoking which is shut off from the rest of | | | | shorter period of time on average than those |
| your home. Your newborn baby should not be | | | | who don't. It has also been found that |
| taken into this room. | | | | smoking can reduce the amount of milk |
| | | | produced by the mother. |
| So what about chemicals from tobacco and your | | | | |
| breast milk? The most commonly known chemical | | | | The reduced breast milk production and |
| is nicotine and this is changed into cotinine | | | | knowledge of nicotine being passed to the |
| by the body. The levels of cotinine in a | | | | baby may cause a mother to believe that her |
| breastfed babies have been found to be 10 | | | | milk is not good enough for her child. This |
| times higher than those found in formula fed | | | | may be the reason that mothers who smoke |
| babies of mothers who smoke. This shows that | | | | choose not to breastfeed at all or breastfeed |
| the chemical is passed on through breast | | | | for a shorter time. |
| milk. | | | | |
| | | | In summary breastfeeding offers so many |
| Breastfeeding is, except for certain medical | | | | health benefits that women who smoke should |
| reasons, by far the best choice of food for | | | | be encouraged to breastfeed and to continue |
| your baby, especially early on in your | | | | to do so until their child is a normal |
| newborn baby's life. It helps both mother and | | | | weaning age. |
| baby for a large number of medical and health | | | | |