Dear Friends:
This topic is loaded, because the mainstream party line is that
recreational drugs are wrong and harmful. Many of them, except for alcohol and tobacco,
are illegal which opens a whole other can of worms.
(Although the medical benefits of marijuana are beginning to be officially
and legally recognized.) We as healthcare providers can't be condoning illegal
activities.
Dr. Hallum Hurt, here in Philadelphia, did research on babies born to
cocaine abusing mothers. She reached an unpopular conclusion; the impact of
poverty and neglect on the babies was of far greater harm than cocaine use in
pregnancy.
On July 16, 1999, Dr. Thomas Hale made a lovely post on LACTNET ( issue
#1999-143) about marijuana and breastfeeding that is worth reading.
Dreher M, Nugent K and Hudgins MA published a paper, "Prenatal marijuana
exposrue and Neonatal Outcomes in Jamaica: An Ethnographic Study" (Pediatrics
1994; 93:254-260). I quote the conclusion, "The absence of any differences
between the exposed or nonexposed groups in the early neonatal period suggest
that the better scores of exposed neonates at 1 month are traceable to the
cultural positioning and social and economic characteristics of mothers using
marijuana that select for the use of marijuana, but also promote neonatal
development."
Ruth Little was unable to replicate her initial finding of a 1-point
difference on a Motor Developmental Index when the study was repeated in a
population of 18 month-olds. So any impact of regular alcohol use to the
breastfeeding infant is at this point, speculative. ("Alcohol, Breastfeeding and
Development at 18 months" Pediatrics 2002; 109(5)
Of course we are concerned about the parenting and safety of the infant
should the mother become drunk or stoned.
We know of the impact of prescribed analgesia and anesthesia on
breastfeeding infants from all the work published on pethidine, demerol, epidurals etc.
etc. by a great many researchers from around the world. That's the stuff
mothers should definitely avoid for the best breastfeeding outcomes!
warmly,
Nikki Lee RN, MS, Mother of 2, IBCLC, CIMI, CCE, craniosacral therapy
Adjunct faculty, Union Institute and University, Maternal and Child Health:
Lactation Consulting
Supporting the WHO Code and the Mother Friendly Childbirth Initiative
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