Judith writes:
I did an in-service at a pediatric office today and one of the docs
mentioned he didn't want to encourage mothers to breastfeed if they smoked.
His concern is not necessarily the nicotine, but other carcinogens in the
cigarrette. I didn't have any answer for him regarding that and I haven't
found anything in the archives. If anyone can point me to resources I would
be grateful.
Here is a good one:
_FAQ on Smoking and Breastfeeding_
(http://www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/smoking.html)
The LLLI' Breastfeeding Answer Book is a wealth of information, and has
information on Smoking as well. This is a link to the LLLI website.
Excerpts from:
Is it safe for a smoker to breastfeed her baby? What about using the
nicotine patch and other smoking cessation aids?
If a mother smokes cigarettes, her baby can still enjoy the benefits of
breastfeeding. But the more cigarettes a mother smokes, the greater the health
risks for both her and her baby- whether he is breastfed or bottle-fed.
According to LLLI's THE BREASTFEEDING ANSWER BOOK, if the mother smokes
fewer than twenty cigarettes a day, the risks to her baby from the nicotine in
her milk are small. When a breastfeeding mother smokes more than twenty to
thirty cigarettes a day, the risks increase. Heavy smoking can reduce a mother's
milk supply and on rare occasions has caused symptoms in the breastfeeding
baby such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea. (Vorherr 1974).
By keeping smoking to a minimum, a mother can decrease the risk. ... a mother
should avoid smoking just before and certainly during a feeding....
Bottle-fed infants have a much higher incidence of respiratory illnesses
than breastfed infants. A bottle-fed baby whose mother or other household
members smoke would therefore be at even higher risk of these problems. Dr. Jack
Newman states "The risks of not breastfeeding are greater to the baby than the
risks of breastfeeding and smoking. . The decision is up to the mother and I
would encourage her to breastfeed."
*********** There is more information in the article, so I would encourage
anyone interested in educating people who would unknowingly take away a
baby's protections while letting them remain exposed to second-hand smoke and the
hazards of artificial feeding, to read the whole thing. Level of smoking
makes a difference in reactions to nicotine, if any, baby's crying levels, as
well as mom's supply and letdowns. Best wishes in your quest to educate!
Judy LeVan Fram, PT, IBCLC
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