Dear Lactnet Friends:

Marijuana is a big pain in the ass for breastfeeding workers.

According to all the evidence, including phone calls to InfantRisk.org,
 there is no harm to a baby if the mother smokes. Yes, the THC molecules are
in the milk....and yes, the baby will test positive. However, the baby will
not be high because marijuana has to be heated to be active. That is why it
is either smoked or cooked. Marijuana doesn't have an impact unless it is
heated.

What to do?

There are issues with marijuana. It is illegal in many places; are parents
willing to risk legal repercussions? One consultant I know discussed this
with a mother, asking her what would happen if the relationship ended? Would
the father of the baby seek custody because the mother was engaging in an
illegal practice?

Risk of SIDS goes up if there is tobacco smoke in the home. Is this true for
marijuana smoke? No one knows. What about the impact on parenting if the
parents are high?

In a study in Pediatrics 1994, Rastafarian mothers (who smoked 5 to 6 joints
a day) had babies who were fine. In fact, those babies were more socially
adept than the babies of the non-smoking mothers. The researchers concluded
that it was the social support given to the Rastafarian women that made that
difference. The white women were more isolated with their babies.

Are parents high when they smoke marijuana often? How does their
physiological state differ from a tobacco smoker who smokes a pack a day?
How can it be legal for one substance to be smoked and not another?

More questions than answers on this topic.

warmly,

-- 
Nikki Lee RN, BSN, Mother of 2, MS, IBCLC, CCE, CIMI, ANLC, CKC
craniosacral therapy practitioner
www.breastfeedingalwaysbest.com

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