Hi Jeffrey Fouche, you DO pose good questions!

The (US) National Institute of Medicine "Nutrition during Lactation" says up
to a pack a day is "fine". Well, "fine" isn't the language they use, but you
get the picture. If a mom's going to smoke, the baby's better protected by
breastfeeding than artificial feeding even if cotitine is excreted in the
milk - it's still far better than the "other stuff." Hopefully she smokes
after a feed, not during it, and even more hopefully she goes out of the
house and dosn't smoke in the car with the baby. Will she listen to the
warnings about SIDS being more of a risk if she smokes? If she won't quit,
maybe she can adjust the timing and location to minimize the effect on the
baby.  Sigh - she must be really addicted.

BTW, Nutr. during Lactation is an excellent resource. The Summaries are free
(as many as you want) to US citizens, and one copy of the complete book in
paperback is also free. Nutrition during Pregnancy is also very good, and can
be ordered under the same policy. And the Implementation Guidelines, which
are better on the "pregnancy" part than the "lactation" section. Order from
Maternal and CHild Health Clearinghouse. 8201 Greesnboro Drive, Suite 600,
McLean VA 22012; phone 703-821-8955, ext. 254 or fax 703-821-3553.

Linda Smith, suffering damaged lungs from living with smoking parents till I
was 17. Wish I'd been breastfed. My 2 sibilings (also in their 40's) have
respiratory problems now too.
private practice in Dayton OH.