Alternatives if youre concerned about consuming alcohol while breastfeeding you might prefer to stick to nonalcoholic drinks instead. Do not have your baby in the same room as the smoke. Try to smoke away from your baby, as the secondhand smoke is even more harmful than the smoke that you are inhaling. What many new mothers do not think about when they light up a joint is the fact that what they put into their body is passed through to their babys body. Dec 04, 2017 studies show that thc can come out in a mothers milk after she has ingested marijuana. No, you can t smoke weed while you re breastfeeding. I will simply add the following, to show why continuing to breastfeed as per the who recommendations is important. Its one of the best things you can do to give a child a healthy start, said ryan. This information should not take the place of medical care and advice from your health care provider. But can having marijuana chemicals in ones breast milk affect the development and growth of their baby when they choose to breastfeed. Breast milk is produced on a supply and demand system and most problems with milk supply are down to babys not latching on properly and. Experts are also concerned about the longterm effects on the development of children exposed to these chemicals during breastfeeding.
At first i wasnt smoking but i wanted to smoke for new years. Women with small breasts are just as able to breastfeed their babies as mothers with bigger breasts. But we also encourage mothers to stop using substances. And babies are exposed through breast milk to the active chemicals in weed, including thc tetrahydrocannabinol, the one that gets you high. Under no circumstances should you ever smoke marijuana while breastfeed. Your doctor or health visitor can help you with quitting or cutting down on weed. One mother who reported smoking marijuana once daily had a milk. In the photo, a woman is seen breastfeeding her baby. The evidence that thc can pass into breast milk is more recent and definitive. Just make sure you do these things for your babys health. But we do know that babies are much more vulnerable to chemicals and toxins than adults.
A study of women taking buprenorphine for opiate substitution during pregnancy and lactation found that 4 of the women were also using cannabis as evidenced by positive urine screens for thc between 29 and 56 days postpartum. Meanwhile, if marijuana is not legal in your state, its challenging to. Marijuana, also called pot, weed, or cannabis, is a drug that comes from a plant called cannabis. The struggle with breastfeeding and smoking weed is that there is a lack of research regarding the topic fully. Yes, weed does gets into breastmilk, but theres been little research on how marijuana may impact a baby. Dont smoke in the house or around your babyand dont let anyone else do it either. That is a very different question and one which is hotly debated. Wherever fat cells are present, the thc dissolves and sticks around for a while. People can be very judgmental and as much as possible, i keep that fact to myself.
Sears was trained at harvard medical schools childrens hospital and torontos hospital for sick. Just because your a stoner mom does not mean you can hit a bong while holding your baby. For ethical reasons, very little research has been done on the effects of weed on breastfed babies. Heres what you need to know about using marijuana while. Technically, i could, freakishly enough i can reach my nipple sort of easy dd but i never tried my milk. I am familiar with the raging feelings concerning smoking marijuana while pregnant and this subject also brings out strong. And other studies show that babies who are breastfed by marijuanausing mothers may have motor development issues. You should not be smoking marijuana and breastfeeding. While there is no solid evidence that marijuana usage can.
Question for mothers who breastfeed and smoke weed or anyone who knows anything on the subject matter. Shortly after being published, the photo started going viral. Try to breastfeed before you smoke, not right afterward. Your high can wait for the safety and well being of your baby. Sep 06, 2019 and other facts you should know if you re thinking of smoking weed while breastfeeding.
Never expose your baby to the secondhand marijuana smoke. Smoking marijuana while breastfeeding can you smoke marijuana while breastfeeding. The same thing applies whether you smoke weed or consume marijuana edibles or oil. Prenatal marijuana exposure and neonatal outcomes in jamaica. They will support you and respect your efforts to help your baby be. I want other moms to know that its ok if you dont or cant breastfeed.
People began posting comments both criticizing and supporting the mother for smoking weed while breastfeeding. Photo of woman smoking weed while breastfeeding goes viral. Try smoking after a breastfeeding session, so that the drug has time to leave your system before you breastfeed again. Sixtyeight infants whose mothers reported smoking marijuana during breastfeeding were compared to 68 matched control infants whose mothers did not smoke marijuana. Share your questions and concerns with mnt so we can provide helpful information for you. Smoking marijuana while breastfeeding what experts recommend.
Breastfeeding can also help new moms return to their prepregnancy weight and lower their risk for breast and ovarian cancers. Therefore, if women are using marijuana during pregnancy or. Smokers can breastfeed, but you shouldnt light up at least 95 minutes before every feeding, to reduce the nicotine or other chemicals are in your milk and never smoke around your baby. The book, as well as the infantrisk website, are chock full of handy. How long do you have to wait to breastfeed after smoking weed. If you could put the two sides of the argument on a scale to see which would win, which would weigh more. Researchers think that babies exposed to marijuana through breast milk may become sedated and unable to suck well. One infant was exclusively breastfed and the other 3 were mostly. No easy answers about cannabis use and breastfeeding. However, i know quite a few hippy moms who are health nuts about everything when it comes to their kids, but they smoke and breastfeed. First of all, a mom who cant stop smoking should breastfeed. She advises talking to your budtender to determine the right amount for you.
And other facts you should know if youre thinking of smoking weed while breastfeeding. Jul 24, 2017 are you saying that there is a significant difference between consumption of alcohol while breastfeeding and smoking pot while breastfeeding. May 24, 2018 marijuana, which bonds to fat cells, can be stored in a mothers breast milk but whether it does so in a concentrated enough dose to affect a child is still up for debate. Breastfeeding and the use of recreational drugsalcohol, caffeine, nicotine and marijuana. The second hand smoke will harm the baby and to breast feed the baby while on weed will mean your baby will get the drug too.
Because where i live, the government says you can safely have two units of alcohol and breastfeed. Infants exposed to marijuana via breast milk will test positive in urine screens for long periods 23 weeks. The duration of breastfeeding varied, but the majority of infants were breastfeed for 3 months and received less than 16 fluid ounces of formula daily. Id say its best to do it with nonfiction because you can take in single facts without keeping track of a story. If you smoke cannabis or tobacco you should breastfeed your baby before you smoke, and smoke outside and away from the baby. First of all, a mom who can t stop smoking should breastfeed. I do not encourage or discourage the use of marijuana during pregnancy. Jul 25, 2017 just because your a stoner mom does not mean you can hit a bong while holding your baby. Where you stand on this issue may not have mattered much in the past, but once you give birth to a baby and begin breastfeeding it does matter. With all my freed up time, we started taking walks, doing tummy time and napping togetheryou know, bonding. Breast milk does not suddenly become lacking in sufficient nutrition at a certain time, even though i h. Are you saying that there is a significant difference between consumption of alcohol while breastfeeding and smoking pot while breastfeeding.
Using marijuana while breastfeeding can allow harmful chemicals to pass from the mother to the infant through breast milk or secondhand smoke exposure. Overall, it is recommended that you stop using marijuana during breastfeeding. Anything you consume can and will get into your breastmilk. If you are sober enough to drive you should be sober enough to breastfeed. Although the topic of using marijuana and breastfeeding your baby has a lot of information from both sides, it is important to weigh both the pros and cons of thc on a nursing child.
Cannabis drugs and lactation database lactmed ncbi bookshelf. You should try to decrease the number of cigarettes you smoke daily. Flat nipples can make latching on a baby more difficult until you and your baby have established breastfeeding so get expert help if you are having problems. Question for mothers who breastfeed and smoke weed or.
Smoking weed while breastfeeding will doobies hurt your. Is it safe for a breastfeeding mom to use marijuana. But when a mom smokes weed and breastfeeds, the risks outweigh the. Jan 06, 2020 using marijuana while breastfeeding can allow harmful chemicals to pass from the mother to the infant through breast milk or secondhand smoke exposure. I was reading the mayo clinic book, they had this huge entry on tobacco, which was informative, and then lumped marijuana in with cocaine and simply said that all illicit drugs harm babies. Now i changed my mind i want to try breast feeding.
You have to control what you eat, if you drink, change your smoking habits, and decide if some of your normal activities can affect the growth of your children. Formulas today are so chock full of goodness, theyre a perfectly fine substitute, my daughters doctor told me when i told her about my problem. Why should an test charge be of negligibly smaller magnitude. Things you can do if you are smoking and breastfeeding to protect your baby. Talk to your prenatal health care provider about the use of other treatments for medical issues during pregnancy. Although cannabis can affect serum prolactin variably, it appears not to. What breastfeeding moms should know before smoking pot. This huge, thorough guide covers anything you could possibly want to know about breastfeeding with lots of helpful information from a husbandwife team who have been helping mothers breastfeed for decades and who also lived it themselves with all of their children. Whether you re smoking marijuana for medical reasons or recreational purposes, the drug is becoming legalized in parts of the country and, according. I dont like milk to begin with so i only let my son have it. You shouldnt even be smoking weed around your baby. Marijuana, which bonds to fat cells, can be stored in a mothers breast milk but whether it does so in a concentrated enough dose to affect a child is still up for debate. If youd still like to use pot while breastfeeding, talk. Photo of mom smoking weed while breastfeeding sparks outrage.
I have had friends that quit during their pregnancies, and those that stopped in the last trimester and only one with a muscle disability that discreetly smokes and is actively breast feeding all these girls are healthy and seem so have no ill side. Thats because when you smoke or eat marijuana, pots main ingredient, tetrahydrocannabinol or thc, circulates through your bloodstream and gets into your breast milk. She is the coauthor of over twenty parenting books and is a popular lecturer and media guest drawing on her eighteen years of breastfeeding experience with her eight children. Martha sears is a registered nurse, certified childbirth educator, and breastfeeding consultant. Aug 14, 2014 a new mother in oregon wants to breastfeed her baby even though she regularly smokes marijuana, but experts say they would be concerned about the risks of the drug to the babys brain. Martha sears, rn and william sears, md, are the pediatrics experts to whom american parents turn for advice and information on all aspects of pregnancy, birth, childcare, and family nutrition. Marijuana can either be smoked inhaled or eaten edibles. I breast fed after my daughter was born after not smoking any weed for the entire month but i didnt like breast feeding because it was painful and i didnt produce a lot of milk. The womanly art of breastfeeding has extremely helpful information in it like preparing to breastfeed, common problems, solutions, starting solids, going back to work, etc if you are planning on a natural childbirth, not formula feeding, and staying home with your child instead of going back to work you will find this book very encouraging. Things you can do to protect baby if you continue to smoke marijuana while breastfeeding try to cut down on the amount that you smoke. In the end, you know your body the best and should know what is best for you. Aug 02, 2017 we always encourage women to breastfeed. Nov 14, 2016 if you re going to smoke weed, and make it a habit, its best to find an alternate way to feed your baby. Breastfeeding provides many immunities that help your baby fight illness and can even help counteract some of the effects of cigarette smoke on your baby.
Additionally, getting large groups of pregnant women to feel safe enough to admit they use weed while breastfeeding is a hurdle that has yet to be cleared in any consistent way. Jul 08, 2011 technically, i could, freakishly enough i can reach my nipple sort of easy dd but i never tried my milk. If your breasts become full while waiting for the alcohol to clear, you can hand express or pump, discarding the milk that you express. If youre going to smoke weed, and make it a habit, its best to find an alternate way to feed your baby. Baby center noted that a lot of marijuana is also laced with other drugs, so its too big. If you cant stop smoking weed altogether, at the very least, you should try to cut down while youre breastfeeding. I raised a lot of brows when friends found out that i smoked marijuana during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Jul 25, 2017 for ethical reasons, very little research has been done on the effects of weed on breastfed babies. Marijuana and breastfeeding smoking weed while breastfeeding. Jan 01, 2009 if you smoke weed, can you breastfeed. It appears preferable to encourage mothers who cant stop using marijuana to continue breastfeeding while making every effort to reduce her use and minimize.
While it does immerse you more and make you very empathetic to the characters it makes it hard to progress through the book at a good pace almost like a stutter which is why i dont do it often. This sheet talks about exposure to marijuana in pregnancy and while breastfeeding. That means that potential problems could be a lot worse if you breastfeed and use weed today. Mar 30, 2020 the struggle with breastfeeding and smoking weed is that there is a lack of research regarding the topic fully. Hale authored medications and mothers milk, a reference book now in its 16th edition and a. A new mother in oregon wants to breastfeed her baby even though she regularly smokes marijuana, but experts say they would be concerned about the risks of the drug to the babys brain. Marijuana isnt legal everywhere, so the studies conducted are limited. Hale says that a mother who earnestly wants to quit smoking weed should breastfeed. Another woman is sitting next to her, lighting a bong so the mother can take a rip. How long after smoking weed can you breastfeed answers. I smoked marijuana while pregnant and breastfeeding. And not to mention the consequinces of being high and taking care of your baby.
She is the coauthor of over twenty parenting books and is a popular lecturer and media guest drawing on her eighteen years of. Clearly you have questions about marijuana, be it a legal concern, a health curiosity, a coloradocentric inquiry or. Photo of mom smoking weed while breastfeeding sparks. If you can t stop smoking weed altogether, at the very least, you should try to cut down while you re breastfeeding. They will support you and respect your efforts to help your baby be healthy. To limit potential risk to the infant, breastfeeding mothers should be advised not to use marijuana or products containing cannabidiol cbd in any form while breastfeeding. If you use amphetamines, ecstasy, cocaine or heroin, you should not breastfeed for 24 hours after use. William and martha sears has been revised and updated for 2018, and its as wonderful as ever.