| Nowadays, most of the women are aware of the | | | | mothers who smoke. This demonstrates that the |
| undesirable health implications of smoking during | | | | chemical will pass on through breast milk. |
| pregnancy. A majority of them manage to quit | | | | Mother’s milk is, by far, the best choice of complete |
| smoking altogether at least for this purpose. Ideally, | | | | food for your baby, especially in the early days of your |
| they should never smoke again so that they can enjoy | | | | newborn baby's life. It helps both the mother and the |
| the extra health benefits for themselves during the | | | | newborn baby in a large number of ways. Since this is |
| latter part of their lives. However, it is not easy since | | | | widely considered beneficial for both the parties, the |
| smoking is a highly addictive habit. People are tempted | | | | mother should breastfeed even if she does smoke. It |
| to 'light up', and they see smoking as a means to | | | | has been established that mother’s milk tastes |
| alleviate anxiety. Concerning the newborn baby, what | | | | more like cigarettes around 40-60 minutes after she |
| all are the bad implications of smoking during the | | | | smokes. You will have the highest amount of nicotine in |
| breastfeeding stage? Firstly, and most importantly, | | | | your bloodstream as well as breast milk just after you |
| never put your newborn child or any young one for | | | | have smoked. You should therefore smoke only after |
| that matter, in an atmosphere or environment where | | | | feeding the baby in order to minimise the harmful |
| these young ones are forced to inhale second hand | | | | effects. Quitting the habit of smoking or smoking as |
| tobacco smoke. The dangers of this aspect are very | | | | few cigarettes as possible is a desirable habit. It has |
| well documented and do not need to be gone over | | | | also been shown that using alternatives and/or nicotine |
| again. | | | | replacement products is better compared to smoking |
| If at all possible, you should make your home and | | | | tobacco cigarettes. |
| surroundings a non-smoking area. If you want to | | | | Under no circumstances should a person smoke while |
| smoke, then go out and smoke. If this is not possible, | | | | undergoing smoking cessation programs and treatment |
| one should allocate a room for this purpose which is | | | | using nicotine replacement products. This is due to the |
| closed off from the rest of the house. The newborn | | | | fact that the levels of nicotine can possibly rise |
| baby should never be taken into this particular room. | | | | dangerously to higher than normal levels. One would |
| Coming to the various chemicals contained in tobacco | | | | be surprised to know that there are some interesting |
| smoke and the smoker’s breast milk? The most | | | | facts and findings related to smoking as well as |
| universally known chemical happens to be nicotine and | | | | breastfeeding. Research studies have shown that |
| this gets changed to an element called cotinine by the | | | | mothers who smoke and breastfeed feed their babies |
| human body. Cotinine levels in breast-fed babies are | | | | only for a shorter duration on an average than those |
| found to be 12 times higher than that found in babies of | | | | mothers who do not smoke. |