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Some women might be making new year’s resolutions to quit smoking. This article provides information (and not judgment!) about pregnancy, breastfeeding, smoking and quitting smoking.
First, some fast facts about breastfeeding and cigarette smoke:
~ It is far from ideal to smoke and breastfeed–but it is worse to smoke and not breastfeed. (1)
~ The half-life of nicotine is two hours, meaning that two hours after smoking a cigarette, half of the nicotine released into the body remains in the body. (2)
~ Nicotine decreases production of prolactin, the hormone that stimulates milk production. (3), (4)
~ Maternal smoking cuts breast milk production at two weeks postpartum from 514 milliliters per day to 406 milliliters per day. (5) (Breastfeeding counselors may wish to ask mothers with low supply whether they are smokers).
~ Mothers who smoked before, during, and after pregnancy were 2.18 times more likely not to breastfeed at 10 weeks. Women who smoked 10 or more cigarettes per day postpartum were 2.3-2.4 times more likely to wean their infants before 10 weeks than were nonsmokers. (6) (Remember, exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for 24 weeks and breastfeeding is recommended for at least 52 weeks total).
~ Women who quit smoking during pregnancy were more likely to breastfeed for six months or longer. (7)
~ The breast milk of mothers who smoked during pregnancy contained less of the healthy fats (total lipids and fatty acids) than milk produced by non-smokers. (8)
Second, if you want to see the voting results of the companion poll “Cigarette Smoking and Breastfeeding,” click here.
Third, in this article I’ll answer the questions: Should a smoker breastfeed? What are the effects of nicotine on the baby? How does secondhand smoke affect a baby? Can a nursing mother use smoking cessation medications and products? Where can I find resources on quitting smoking?
Should a smoker breastfeed?
The short answer is yes. The long answer is that a mother who smokes should continue to breastfeed and ideally should attempt to quit smoking. Some mothers may mistakenly believe that if they are smoking it’s better for their babies if they switch to formula. In reality, smoking and formula-feeding is the worst case scenario.
What are the effects of nicotine on the baby?
Breastfed babies of smokers are more likely to experience colic (excessive crying) compared to breastfed babies of nonsmokers. (4)
Also, the Australian Breastfeeding Association notes:
Nicotine is an appetite suppressant and can alter the taste of breastmilk. Babies may express their distaste for the milk by fussing and struggling at the breast or even refusing the breast. If the mother smokes more than 15 cigarettes a day, infants can exhibit symptoms of nicotine poisoning (Bisdom 1937). These symptoms may include vomiting after a feed, grey skin colour, loose stools, an increased heart rate and restlessness. Classically, the infant can be observed to wiggle and squirm, giving the appearance of trying to frantically ‘tread water’ and though they appear very tired they seem to find it hard to keep their eyes shut. Symptoms are slowly reversed when the mother decides to cut back or quit her previous smoking habit. However, infants may also suffer withdrawal symptoms such as sleep disturbances, headaches and irritability.
How does secondhand smoke affect a baby?
The Australian Breastfeeding Association says:
Babies who are “smoked over” are more likely to be hospitalised and to suffer from respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses. Studies show that these infants are more likely to be colicky and irritable and to experience a wide range of problems from apnoea (short periods when the baby stops breathing), vomiting, poor growth, squint (strabismus, cast or lazy eye), hearing impairment and unexplained death. Smoking depresses the immune system, leaving both the mother and infant more vulnerable to infection, allergy and other immunodeficiency problems (Minchin 1991).
Can a nursing mother use smoking cessation medications and products?
Always consult with your doctor about the safety of any medication for you and your breastfed baby. The general answer is yes, the nicotine patch, nicotine gum and the nicotine inhaler are compatible with nursing. (These items are marketed under the trade names Habitrol, Nicoderm, Nicorette, Prostep, Nicabate, and Nicotinell TTS).
One of the foremost experts on medications and mothers’ milk states:
[T]he absolute infant dose of nicotine and its metabolite cotinine decreases by about 70% from when subjects were smoking or using the 21 mg patch to when they were using the 7 mg patch. In addition, use of the nicotine patch had no significant influence on the milk intake by the breastfed infant. Undertaking maternal smoking cessation with the nicotine patch is, therefore, a safer option than continued smoking.
(2), (9). Note that it’s dangerous to use the patch and continue to smoke–the combination of the two sources of nicotine results in extremely high levels of nicotine which can harm the baby.
While the patch provides a continual low-dose level of nicotine, the gum has a rapid effect on nicotine levels. Therefore, it’s best for women to breastfeed immediately before chewing the gum, then wait another two to three hours before breastfeeding again after chewing the gum.
Where can I find resources for quitting smoking?
There are several on-line resources for quitting smoking. I’ve also linked to one of many books on the subject (the American Lung Association’s book got a five star review from all its reviewers as of the writing of this article).
American Cancer Society’s Guide to Quitting Smoking
American Lung Association’s Resources on Quitting Smoking
Center for Disease Control’s Tobacco Information and Prevention Source
National Cancer Institute’s Quitting and Prevention Help and Information
Nicotine Anonymous (a 12-step fellowship program)
Smoking Cessation Leadership Center
Sources:
(1) Minchin M.K. “Smoking and breastfeeding: an overview.” J. Hum. Lact. 1991 Dec.;7(4):183-8.
(2) Hale, Thomas W. Ph.D., Medications and Mothers’ Milk, 12th edition, Texas: Hale Publishing (2006), p. 645.
(3) Benowitz N.L. “Nicotine replacement therapy during pregnancy.” JAMA 1991;266(22):3174-3177.
(4) Matheson I., Rivrud G.N. “The effect of smoking on lactation and infantile colic.” JAMA 1989; 261(1):42-43.
(5) Hopkinson J.M. et al. “Milk production by mothers of premature infants: influence of cigarette smoking.” Pediatrics 1992; 90(6):934-938.
(6) Liu J., Rosenberg J.D., Sandoval A.P. “Breastfeeding duration and perinatal cigarette smoking in a population-based cohort.” Am. J. Public Health. 2006 Feb. 96(2):309-14.
(7) Giglia R.C., Binns C.W., Alfonso H.S. “Which women stop smoking during pregnancy and the effect on breastfeeding duration.” BMC Public Health. 2006 Jul. 26;6:195.
(8) Agostoni C. et al. “Earlier smoking habits are associated with higher serum lipids and lower milk fat and polyunsaturated fatty acid content in the first 6 months of lactation.” Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 2003 Nov. (57)11:1466-72.
(9) Ilett K.F. et al. “Use of nicotine patches in breast-feeding mothers: transfer of nicotine and cotinine into human milk.” Clin. Pharmacol Ther 2003; 74(6)516-524.
i think alot of you took it too far. formula is an alternative for whatever reason. lets focus on the more important thing, and set all feelings aside… in the longrun this whole forum is about the baby and whats best for him or her no? yes it is hard to quit. i smoked a pack a day up until when my wife got pregnant and I even quit smoking cold turkey. sometimes its not about lying to ourselves and saying its to hard. its about being selfless and doing it for the benifit of a completely different being other than yourselves. sorry if i have offended anyone, when my wife and i made the consious decision to have our daughter who is 4 moths old now we new we had to change a whole lot about our selves. including living with the fact that we may verywell have to give up things that may have been a part of our lives. or people. its so beautiful to know that you can care for another person so much that you tend to forget about yourself at times…
some people dont stop cause they’re lazy though . . breastfeeding IS tough and i stopped because he cracked them both and they got infected and were bleeding. So instead though i pump breast milk and feed him that so now i got to do TWICE the work (pumping and sterilising) but as long as he drinks breast milk in the end things should go well ! Everyones situation is different and not everyone is so lucky that their child latches on easily
Well I just read everyones comments and I must say wow..I breastfeed and I just wanted to know what’s best for my 4 month old daughter and I think I got my answer, ready?…..use common sense!
smoking tobacco facts
Hi, I really appreciate this blog and this is a wise step to create
awareness among people about tobacco and smoking facts. Thanks.
ok…i know this post is old. BUT…i smoked and breastfed both of my kids. i quit during pregnancy with both, started after birth. my kids are absolutly fine! you retards who keep saying that formula is better if you smoke, youre idiots! get over yourselves. youre acting like youre better than the smokers, well your not…tough titty said the kitty. get off your high horses and go to walmart for your little bottles and formula. have fun wasting money on something you can get for free. and for you who say you tried breastfeeding and couldnt, it is very difficult. my kids clung to it imediatly. i was lucky. i do believe, however, that some women just dont want the anchor with a diaper. tough! you got pregnant now be prepared to handle it. anyway, smoking isnt going to kill the kid. get over yourselves!
If you smoke only 2 cigarettes a day and then quit cold turkey will your baby still have withdrawls?
i really think breastfeeding is easier then formula feeding. baby cries in the night, u lay with baby and pull out ur tit. in the night with formula u have to turn on the light our water ninto a bottle, make sure its correct temp and then mix powder, then get baby from crib. then give bgottle. if u can breast feed do it, if ur flow is low or your schedule doesnt mesh with feeding then so b it. i just want to state, i breast feed at night and during the day i am at work so baby cassidy gets formula. i smoke a cigarette a night and she is a very calm baby. she is 7 months old and has been on half and half for 3 months. i think formula is created very well now due to our education increasing. it has dha and rna…multi vitamins….non colic…lactose…etc. it is as good as the breast so people…what u do is your own business but no one is a better mom then another beacuse of decisions. this wall is about cigaqrettes and if u should or shouldnt…not formula or breastfeeding.arguements.
hey mothers. before i got pregnant i was a major addict with alcohol and cigarettes. i feel that society has led people to believe that their habits are fine in moderation. give it up and stop mai making excuses for yourselves! i am fully committed breastfeeding mother. i feel resentful towards my baby at times because i cant drink and smoke. i have a beer and a cig occasionallt but cmon. common sense ladies….. if you want your baby to be healthy. and im sorry….. my sone was toungue tied when he was born and could not breastfeed so i pumped. times have been hard but after lots of crying and hard work… we both are doing well breasfeeding. unless you have a dibilitating disease….. you should breastfeed. and those of you who quit because it was’impossible’ and not for you to breastfeed. at least the first six months of your childs life are just LAZY!!!!!!
I have to say you people are fast to juge. I was a smoker baby and my mother gave me formula and I am healthy then most people are. My sister is a smoker during her pregnancy and had 3 kids all formula fed and guess what they are healthy , stronge kids. My Friend who dose not smoke at all or her husband was breast feeding and the baby had alot of colic, My other friend none smoker who also breast fed her child had ashma. I and my sisters kids were formula fed slept better through the night no colic and no ashma and we are healthy and still alive.
I am sorry but all these is full of bullshit. Anything is possible to happen if you are a smoker or not if you breast feed or not. But no one should judge , what ever is good for you and feels right in your heart .
Yes, you may be healthy… but have you looked at your spelling and grammar lately? Breastfeeding is said to make smarter babies, who become smarter adults. When I read your post out loud, it sounds like my 3 year old. (minus the profanity at the end… my daughter has a better vocabulary than that, so she doesn’t need to use profanity to make her statements sound good… plus she would be in trouble, but that’s a different story.) But I do agree with a lot of the people here; It is a matter of choice as to which method we use to feed our babies. There is enough information out there that I believe everyone can make an informed decision about their children’s well being. It’s none of my business how other mothers take care of their babies. But it is fun to guess which kids have been breast fed v.s. bottle fed… the differences are very noticeable sometimes.
Wow you women are all vary aggressive, it 2010 people have been giving birth 200,000 year two each his own. This info is here not to pass judgment, it here to inform, some are stronger than others. You have your smoker, nonsmokers, drinkers, drug use, etc…. this is a big world where a lot of people make mistake with the kids. Just love your child and do was best for the both.
Right and wrong have no grounds anymore we are a race with vast ideas and traditions.
We all just tolerate.
kate. shut up. you are not a doctor, just a self-righteous twit.
I think everyone needs to calm down on this matter. Everyone has their own opinion. I think it is wrong to judge people. I think that smoking in moderation is ok. I feel like a cig or two a day is fine. I think anything in moderation is fine (except drugs). Nicotine of course is addicting same as caffine. But I think smoking a little or even once in a while is alright.
Please STOP telling mothers that smoking and breastfeeding is not so bad. It’s a HORRIBLE thing to do to a baby. Why would you want your baby to become addicted to nicotine?? Smoking mothers dont need to be told that what they’re doing isn’t so bad… tell the truth. No long term studies have been done to show that children who were breastfed by smokers are just as healthy and addiction free as those of non-smoking mothers. Instead of telling them it’s better than not breastfeeding, tell them to get their priorities straight and QUIT SMOKING if you’re going to breastfeed.
Hey im 36 weeks pregnant n I I wanted 2 know if smokin now gonna interfair wit me breastfeeding my newborn I use 2 smoke before I got pregnant and up until I was 3months I had stop an now started again enterin my 9month so tell me is my milk bad and I only smoke 2-3 a day so plez help me before I give birth
My question is can I reproduce my milk supply if I choose to start pumping again. I started smoking again, an my newborn is 3mths old; I smoke 5-6 cigarettes a day. An due to the high cost of formula i was just wondering if I could start pumping again an if my milk supply would just naturally increase.
Thanks to Amber for sticking up for us breastfeeding mothers. I realize that there are certain situations that keep women from breastfeeding but the majority of women give up because it’s to hard. I can’t tell you how many times I wanted to throw the towel in and say bring on the formula but I held it together and I’m glad. Society makes it such a big deal to breastfeed that mothers who don’t feel the need to come up with excuses rather than simply saying they can’t take it (which is okay, it’s not easy) So us breastfeeding mothers constantly have to defend ourselves for hanging in there and doing what is best, and not what is easiest. So all you formula moms can attack if you want but you know the truth and more of you (than are willing to admit)just didn’t want to put in the effort. Which again I feel is okay, we are not cows and there are alternatives but society has made it a big deal, not the breastfeeding mothers, so give us a break.
This website definately made me feel better about my smoking and breastfeeding.
I probably smoke 1-2 a day and I feel like such a bad parent but this has been
A hard habit that I’ve been stuggling with for a long time
I think keeping your cigarette smoking to a minimum(max 4/day), good hand-washing (after each one), brushing teeth and changing clothes as well as trying to leave atleast 1 hour before feed due is the best of a bad situation. if we choose to smoke were entitled to a life too-there is a lot worse yu could do and a lot less effort you could put in. personally I hate formlula-its like giving someone elses milk to my child!
Kristina…breastfeeding is better than formula. But formula exists for those times when breastfeeding is not possible. You are taking things out of context. I wonder why you didn’t breastfeed? It takes a lot of effort to breasfeed, I worked very hard at it, I spent six weeks pumping until my son finally got the hang of it. You are being judgmental by your comments. I was formula fed, and yes I’m fine. But many babies do have serious problems from formula. The thing is that people do the best they can. and if you dont like judgmental people you shouldnt be so judgmental. Oh by the way formula has killed babies do your research before you leave rude comments
Comparing smoking to formula-feeding? I am absolutely appauled. There is a HUGE difference between the two, because formula-feeding doesn’t cause cancer or kill the baby. There are those of us who tried to breastfeed and weren’t successful for whatever reason, and the baby has to eat somehow! My siblings and I were formula-fed as well as my son, and we have been just fine. My son is almost three and hasn’t been sick a day in his life even when he’s been around sick people while all the other babies I know have been sick multiple times. Don’t give me that crap! I’d much rather formula-feed my child than for him to start smoking when he is older. Breast milk may be better, but I haven’t had issues with formula-feeding and I don’t regret choosing it. Breastfeeding doesn’t work for everyone. GET OVER IT! And once again, there is no way you can compare smoking to formula-feeding. Formula hasn’t put any of my family or my son in a coffin!!!!!!!
I hate judgmental people who think they are holier than thou. Come on!
Jess, congrats on cutting back from a pack a day! That is wonderful.
It is better to breastfeed than to stop breastfeeding or replace a feeding with formula. Ideally you’d want to cut out that last cigarette too, but it is still the best thing for your newborn to continue breastfeeding.