Is it possible to smoke while breastfeeding, does nicotine get into milk: the consequences of smoking while breastfeeding. Consequences of smoking while breastfeeding How long does it take for nicotine to enter milk?

Harm of smoking while breastfeeding

Nicotine reduces the level of prolactin (the hormone responsible for lactation) in the blood, therefore reducing the amount breast milk. In addition, women who smoke have more high level metabolism, so they need to eat more. This leads to rapid “wear and tear” of the body.

Why is smoking by a nursing mother dangerous for her baby? Nicotine is absorbed into the mother's blood and passes into breast milk, and the concentration of nicotine depends on the number and strength of cigarettes smoked. The results are impressive:

Nicotine has a negative effect on nervous system baby. The short-term excitement that occurs when it enters the baby’s body goes into a phase of long-term inhibition. Nicotine can even cause seizures. .

Rising arterial pressure and infant heart rate.

Nicotine has a detrimental effect on digestive system baby, the child gains weight worse.

The child’s immunity decreases because the process of antibody formation is disrupted.

The child's respiratory system is damaged by smoking. Therefore, the number of respiratory diseases is increasing, bronchitis and pneumonia are frequent.

With constant smoking, the baby develops a dependence on nicotine.

Smoking is considered one of the main causes. If one of the parents smokes, nicotine enters the air when breathing, which causes breathing problems in the baby.

Babies whose mothers smoke are more likely to have colic.

Breast milk or formula?

You can often hear that if a mother wants to smoke, it is better to switch the child to smoking, then there will be no problems. It turns out that this opinion is fundamentally wrong. No matter what, smoking and breastfeeding are better than putting your baby on formula.

Firstly, the best thing that nature could come up with for the growth and development of a baby is mother’s milk. And no matter how much humanity has tried to find a replacement for this invaluable product, it is still impossible to absolutely replicate it.

Secondly, in the blood (and therefore in the breast milk) of a smoking mother there are special substances - enzymes that break down nicotine. Therefore, if a child finds himself near smoking parents, but eats an artificial formula, his body will be deprived of even such protection.

Third, passive smoking negatively affects the condition respiratory system. Therefore, formula-fed babies have a higher risk of respiratory diseases than infants. Therefore the probability colds, bronchitis, pneumonia and bronchial asthma in such children increases significantly.

And yet - it is very useful directly for the youngest mother. It helps and reduces the risk of breast cancer. And since smoking increases the risk of any oncological diseases, and not just lung cancer, this is especially true.

How to combine smoking and breastfeeding?

You haven’t been able to quit smoking (which is, of course, very sad), but do you want to breastfeed (which, in turn, is the right decision)? You can minimize the harmful effects of smoking by a nursing mother on a child if you follow certain rules:

First of all, if someone in the family smokes, then the child should only be in those rooms where there is absolutely no tobacco smoke. It is best for mom and dad who smoke to smoke outside or on the balcony.

Of course, the mother of a baby should try to reduce the number of cigarettes she smokes and switch to lighter ones that contain less nicotine. In addition, the mother should try not to finish smoking the cigarette, which will also reduce the amount of nicotine in the blood.

Numerous studies have proven that the highest nicotine content in the blood is achieved 30-60 minutes after smoking a cigarette. Within three hours, nicotine is eliminated from the blood almost completely. Therefore, mothers who combine smoking and breastfeeding are recommended to smoke immediately after feeding the baby - so that the nicotine in the blood is decomposed as much as possible before the next feeding.

Quitting smoking during lactation using cigarette substitutes (for example, special tablets or patches) is not recommended due to a number of contraindications. In any case, you should first consult your doctor before using such therapy.

To maintain the baby’s health and a sufficient supply of milk, you should never smoke after nine in the evening until the morning, because prolactin production mainly occurs at night.

Of course, the most the best option- quit smoking, thus preserving your health and your child’s. Good luck with this, be wise and loving mothers!

Mom, who cannot or does not want to quit harmful smoking when breastfeeding, should feed the baby naturally. Breastfeeding provides the baby's body with all the necessary protective elements against the influence of various diseases. Partially counteract the harmful effects of cigarette smoke: for example, to reduce the negative effects of smoking on the lung health of newborns.

Harm of smoking during hepatitis B

The more cigarettes a woman smokes while breastfeeding, the more serious the consequences will be for the baby’s health. Mom should think about future life baby, because it depends only on her how the child will live for the rest of the time. If a nursing mother does not want to fight smoking while breastfeeding, she should reduce the number of cigarettes smoked to a minimum. Ideally, stop smoking during breastfeeding or replace it with lollipops or special chewing gum.

The effects of smoking while breastfeeding on the baby's body

Infants and children who are exposed to smoking are more likely to have:

pneumonia
bronchial asthma
ear infections
bronchitis
eye irritation
croup

More often there are those whose mothers or fathers smoke a lot. Researchers believe that not only nicotine, which is transmitted by mother's milk, affects the baby, but also passive smoking by parents at home acts as an irritant. Babies of women who smoke are more fussy, and mothers may not be able to cope with colic in infants (due to decreased prolactin levels).

When breastfeeding, smoking causes the following symptoms:

Nausea;
Vomiting;
Stomach ache;
Diarrhea.

Babies of mothers and fathers who smoke are seven times more likely to die from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). They also go to the doctor two or three times more often, usually due to respiratory infections or allergy-related diseases. Smoking by a woman while breastfeeding, which the baby is exposed to, causes problems with low HDL levels ( good cholesterol which helps protect against coronary disease hearts).

Children of smoking parents become smokers in the future.

Children who are exposed to cigarette smoke have a high risk of developing lung cancer, problems with cardiovascular system. Smoking is especially harmful to correct height muscles, skin structure and hair strength of mother and baby.

How does smoking while breastfeeding affect a woman?

Early weaning. One study found that the heaviest smokers tended to wean the newborn.

Low milk production.

low level

A mother who smokes while breastfeeding lives in areas of mild to moderate iodine deficiency and has less iodine in her breast milk (required for function). thyroid gland), compared to non-smokers. A woman should consider taking an iodine supplement.

How to reduce harm to a woman's health when smoking while breastfeeding?

Ideally, quit smoking (quit). How fewer cigarettes smoke during breastfeeding, the less likely it is that difficulties will arise with the baby’s health. The risks increase significantly when smoking more than 20 cigarettes per day.

Does nicotine pass into breast milk?

Women's smoking of tobacco is prohibited immediately before or during breastfeeding - this will prevent the release of nicotine into the milk, which is especially dangerous for the newborn.

More than a century has passed since Columbus discovered America and introduced the world to tobacco. In the Middle Ages, smoking cigars and snuffing tobacco was the privilege of the nobles and was used as a painkiller, a remedy for migraines and other ailments. Over time, the fashion for smoking spread to all segments of the population.

Today it is no secret that cigarettes are addictive and shorten life. However, acting as a psychostimulant that causes euphoria, nicotine keeps a third of the male population in tobacco slavery. What can we say about smoking women Oh? Their number is growing steadily. But a woman who smokes puts not only her health at risk, but also the health of her future children. What if she already had a baby? Is smoking acceptable while breastfeeding? Does nicotine pass into mother's milk? And how can you best take care of your baby if someone in the family smokes?

Direct harm from smoking

First, let's recall in numbers what damage smoking causes to the human body:

Addiction develops rapidly: 10% of people who start smoking experience a craving after just two days from the first cigarette, and 30% develop an addiction within a month.
According to studies, smoking shortens a woman's life by about 10 years.
Tobacco smoke contains about 4 thousand harmful substances, 70 of them are a direct road to oncology.
Around the world, one smoker is killed every 10 seconds. Half of the smoking population dies in the prime of life, between the ages of 35 and 63.
In the 20th century, tobacco products killed about 100 million people. Smoking can be compared to voluntary slow suicide.
Smokers are more likely to ordinary people suffer from lung cancer, stroke and myocardial infarction, chronic obstructive diseases of the bronchopulmonary system, gastritis.

Nicotine and lactation: the facts

No sane woman starts smoking during lactation; a breakdown can occur only under extreme stress. But as a rule, bad habit nursing mothers also occurred during pregnancy. What you need to know about the harm of nicotine to the fetus?

Every fifth child is born with low birth weight, every tenth is born prematurely.
Children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy are 3 times more likely to suffer from obesity and diabetes mellitus.
Increases the likelihood of earning bronchial asthma.
The risk of giving birth to a child with psycho-emotional disabilities (autism) increases by 40% among pregnant women who smoke.

This is just the tip of the iceberg of problems hidden in the expectant mother's smoking. But let's talk about how nicotine affects infant through milk.

Does nicotine pass into breast milk? Undoubtedly. Although, as a percentage, the child gets only 1/10 of the cigarette smoked, this is enough to gradually and methodically poison the child’s body with poisons, especially since the baby has a relatively low body weight.

How long does it take for nicotine to leave breast milk? The half-life lasts approximately 1.5 hours, during which the amount of harmful substances in milk will be halved. But to completely get rid of all components that cause harm, it will take about two days. And if the mother smokes constantly, the nicotine concentration remains at a certain level, since what is excreted is replaced with a new portion.

Breast milk - unique product, which a mother can give to her child. So why poison him?

How does nicotine affect breast milk?

Nicotine suppresses the production of prolactin, a hormone responsible for the production and supply of breast milk. This means that lactation in women who smoke sharply decreases and stops prematurely. Typically, breastfeeding lasts a maximum of six months.
The same substance is to blame for spasms and constriction of blood vessels, including the milk ducts.
The nicotine taste of the milk is completely unappetizing. Of course, a hungry child will still cling to the breast, but if he could speak, he would tell how tasteless it is.

Common Myths

There are several common misconceptions regarding the effects of nicotine on milk:

Nicotine does not penetrate into milk, circulating only throughout the mother’s body. It is not true. When tobacco smoke is inhaled, nicotine enters first the lungs and then into the blood of the smoking woman, reaching its maximum concentration within half an hour. And blood is transport system our body, therefore nicotine, like other elements, is delivered to every cell of organs and tissues, and breast milk is no exception.
Mother's milk neutralizes the harm from nicotine, so you can smoke. It is a myth. No acid-base reactions occur. The only plus is that nicotine introduced into the baby’s body through milk has less effect on his lungs than if the child passively inhaled cigarette smoke.

Smoking: consequences for the baby

Tobacco products foreign to human body in general, and unacceptable for infants in particular. To one degree or another, the consequences will not be long in coming, and the reaction child's body could be as follows:

Restless behavior. Even if adults smoke in some cases “to calm down,” the child’s psyche is most often excited, the baby becomes irritable and whiny. These children have a higher sensitivity threshold, and therefore they suffer from colic, which lasts 2-3 hours, twice as often as usual.
Frequent regurgitation. This symptom This is especially true for children whose mothers smoke a pack of cigarettes a day. There is constant intoxication of the body. Remember that 20 cigarettes a day is a dose that can poison your baby.
Vulnerability to disease. Studies conducted on this topic confirm the connection between maternal smoking and frequent illnesses respiratory system of the child, such as bronchitis and pneumonia.
Poor weight gain. First of all, nicotine affects the release of the hormone prolactin, reducing it significantly. This means that the amount of milk produced decreases. In addition, babies burp more often than usual. Thus, they often become underweight.
Poor absorption useful substances. For example, the concentration of vitamin C in milk is lower in smokers than in non-smokers. Hypovitaminosis occurs with impaired absorption of vitamins and microelements.
Risk of developing sudden infant death syndrome. Although reliable reasons for the occurrence of such tragic circumstances have not yet been found, it is known that nicotine (no matter whether it enters through milk or through the baby’s lungs) constricts blood vessels and can cause infant death in the first year of life.

Is artificial feeding a solution?

Being in the grip of nicotine addiction and looking for ways to protect their newborn, some mothers think: maybe they should switch their child to artificial feeding and not fool yourself? This seems to be the easiest way out of the situation, but in the end everyone loses: the child does not receive the valuable nutrition to which he is entitled, and the mother continues to poison her body.

The best and the most correct solution is to quit smoking. Yes, there must be strong motivation for this, but what could be nobler than fighting for the health and future of your own child! Is quitting such a big sacrifice when two lives are at stake? Undoubtedly, a nursing mother has something to fight for.

Even considering the fact that the mother continues to smoke during lactation, this is not a reason to stop breastfeeding

In the case where the mother does not have the willpower to quit smoking, pediatricians around the world recommend not stopping lactation, because it is believed that the harm from smoking is less than the consequences from artificial feeding. But then you need to at least try to minimize the number of cigarettes you smoke.

Are there alternatives to cigarettes?

In an effort to get rid of the addiction, smokers are considering alternatives that could replace a cigarette. Are they really effective? What nuances do you need to know when deciding to give preference to one method or another?

E-Sigs

An E-cigarette appears to be safer because a person does not inhale tobacco smoke filled with carcinogens. However, its cartridge contains liquid with nicotine, inhaling the vapors of which the mother receives much more large dose than from smoking regular cigarette.

Thus, the addiction simply turns into a new, more dangerous form. The smoking ritual itself also remains unchanged. For these reasons, WHO strongly discourages breastfeeding mothers from smoking e-cigarettes.

Nicotine patches

A transdermal patch made from nicotine-containing substances is the “safest” for the period of lactation, since its concentration in milk drops by 60%, and the ritual of smoking itself is absent. However, not everything is so rosy: with the patch, the poison in small quantities is continuously in the very best food for newborns.

One way to stop smoking

Chewing gum with nicotine

Thomas Hale, a famous American pediatrician, in a series of studies found that the level of nicotine in milk after chewing gum is 17 nanograms / ml, while after smoking a cigarette the figure rises to 44. This method is less harmful to the baby and is therefore recommended as an alternative .

If gum contains nicotine, then you need to watch the amount you consume

The main rule is not to abuse chewing gum, but to use it only when an irresistible urge to smoke appears. It is recommended to feed your baby after using nicotine gum no earlier than 2-3 hours later.

Products without nicotine

Cope with psychological dependence Snacks with something tasty, or better yet healthy, will help. Dried fruits are suitable for a nursing mother: raisins, dried apricots, some nuts, as well as apples and seeds. Withdrawal symptoms often include headaches and irritability. Then you should have sedatives and sedatives that are safe during lactation on hand.

Great alternative to smoking

And, of course, you need a motivated goal to quit smoking. By the way, a child who has been receiving nicotine with milk for some time may also have withdrawal symptoms. Therefore, you need to quit smoking under the supervision of a pediatric neurologist.

If habit is stronger than will

It happens that despite all efforts, it is not possible to overcome a bad habit. Don't despair, try again and again. In the meantime, the fight continues, be determined to minimize the impact of nicotine on your beloved baby:

Reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke per day. There should be 5 or less.
Do not smoke immediately before or during feeding. It is best to feed the baby first, and then inhale tobacco smoke, while remembering that 2-3 hours should pass from the moment you smoked the cigarette to feeding.
The baby should not become a passive smoker, so if someone smokes in the house, make sure that it is in a designated place, for example, on the balcony.
Stop the habit at night. Prolactin is produced at night. So, if you want to maintain lactation longer, there is a strict taboo on cigarettes from 21 pm to 7 am.
Drink more water.
Don't forget about the ultimate goal - to quit smoking.

Smoking in the past: mothers' opinion

Tatyana, 22 years old. Saratov
I quit smoking as soon as I found out I was pregnant. After giving birth, I breastfed, not even thinking about cigarettes. Now we are 10 months old, we plan to finish feeding by one year, but I have no plans to resume smoking. Thanks to my son for encouraging me to overcome my 5-year habit.

Ksyusha, 19 years old. Nizhny Novgorod
The shame is that children strive to imitate their parents in everything, and looking at their mother smoking, the child will perceive this as the norm. After all, actions influence children more than words.

Irina, 32 years old. Voronezh
Girls, I used to smoke! But I think that a child and cigarettes are not compatible concepts. Smoking while breastfeeding is a crime. And even if it is very difficult to endure, you need to fight against utter selfishness, and not look for scientifically based excuses.

We direct all efforts towards achieving the final goal!

Let's summarize. Smoking is harmful. This is a truism. Smoking while breastfeeding has a negative impact on the baby's health. But the purpose of this article is not to lecture at all, but to support everyone who is struggling with bad habit. Dear mothers, you can quit smoking, don’t give up, take care of yourself and your children.

Smoking is one of the most common bad habits. Unfortunately, tobacco is highly addictive, so sometimes even after giving birth, women who smoke cannot resist a cigarette. Some believe that a few puffs will not cause any harm, others decide that problems can be avoided by switching to hookah or electronic cigarettes. Some new mothers even decide to switch their child to artificial nutrition, just so as not to give up their favorite addiction.

It is worth dispelling several myths related to how long it takes for nicotine to leave breast milk and whether it harms your beloved baby.

Why is GW so important?

Mother's milk becomes practically the only source of nutrition for the baby. essential vitamins and microelements. Besides, natural nutrition is a kind of medicine. Mother's milk helps support incompletely formed immune system children.

It is important that the child does not receive harm during breastfeeding. Therefore, any mother should find out how long it takes for nicotine to leave breast milk and what harm this bad habit can cause to the baby.

Basic myths

Many girls reassure themselves with legends that they read on the Internet or heard from friends. Therefore, it is worth dispelling the main myths about smoking and breastfeeding once and for all.

It is believed that the toxins from tobacco smoke are literally broken down by the milk itself. Of course, this is not true. In fact, the baby’s natural nutrition is saturated with all the poisons that the mother inhales into herself. In addition, women often start smoking in the presence of babies, which is why the babies receive a double dose of poison.

The next myth is related to the fact that taste and beneficial features milk do not change from smoking. This is also not true. The baby's nutrition becomes very bad taste, which is why a newborn may refuse breastfeeding altogether.

In addition, the volume of milk decreases. Nicotine has a negative effect on lactation.

How quickly does nicotine leave breast milk after one cigarette?

Some ladies believe that by smoking just one cigarette, they cannot harm their child. But, unfortunately, this is not true either. If we talk about how much nicotine comes out of breast milk, then it is worth considering the fact that the breakdown of this harmful substance begins only a few hours after inhaling. Most poisons are excreted in the urine, like any other harmful substances. Accordingly, partial cleansing occurs only after 15 hours. If we talk about completely getting rid of nicotine, it will take a day.

In addition, do not forget that after nicotine is eliminated, cotinine (a breakdown product of the poison) will be present in the body for some time.

Considering that a child must feed quite often, there is no point in discussing how long it takes for nicotine to leave breast milk. You need to completely give up the bad habit for at least a few months, until the baby switches to complementary foods.

If the mother smokes often

In this situation, it is much easier to completely transfer the baby to artificial nutrition than to calculate how long it takes for nicotine to leave breast milk. It is not difficult to guess that with constant smoking, harmful substances not only do not have time to leave the woman’s body, but also accumulate in it.

If a mother consumes 10 cigarettes a day, then she will have to wait a very long time for the body to cleanse itself.

What affects the rate of nicotine elimination

Of course, in more at a young age metabolic processes happen much faster. Other factors also influence how much nicotine is excreted from breast milk. For example, a lot depends on the health of the mother, the period of smoking and her lifestyle.

If a woman has kidney problems, the process of eliminating toxins becomes longer. The healthier these organs are, the faster nicotine leaves the body of the newborn mother. However, even if the woman has never had medical problems, sooner than 2 days after the last puff you should not offer your baby the breast.

Cigarettes themselves also influence how long it takes for nicotine to be released from breast milk. The stronger they are, the longer the poison will leave the body of the nursing mother. Nicotine is eliminated the longest if a woman prefers chewing tobacco.

How to be

Stress and postpartum depression often lead to the fact that a woman literally cannot restrain herself. In this situation, she is torn between the desire to relax and not harm the baby. If you really want to smoke, then you should first feed your beloved child, and then express all the remaining milk into a bottle and put it in the refrigerator.

Then the woman can smoke one cigarette. However, after this she should not let the baby near her breast for at least 48 hours. During this time, you will have to make do with preserved milk and dry formula.

How long after you can feed your baby milk if you smoke an e-cigarette?

Some ladies believe that in the process of so-called vaping there is no combustion, so this type of smoking cannot cause great harm baby. Of course, a person does not receive carcinogens, but nicotine does not disappear anywhere.

Accordingly, even when nicotine leaves breast milk, its breakdown products still remain in the mother’s body. This means that you will have to wait as long before breastfeeding as after smoking a regular cigarette.

If you smoke hookah

Hookahs don't carry this harmful effects. However, it is difficult to call them an alternative. Firstly, if tobacco is used while smoking, nicotine, tar and other harmful components enter the body. In addition, abundant smoke that penetrates the mother’s body negatively affects the composition of milk and the level of lactation.

Smoking what many people think is a harmless hookah is addictive and leads to negative consequences. Therefore, doctors recommend giving up any type of smoking. If you don’t have the strength to endure it, then it’s better to first smoke a cigarette and then feed the baby, as described above.

How is smoking dangerous for babies?

Nicotine is very toxic, which is why it primarily affects nerve fibers. Smoking by the mother negatively affects the baby's heart function. The child becomes more restless and cries constantly. There is a risk of developing weather sensitivity, problems with the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and other organs.

According to research, the so-called sudden infant death syndrome is associated precisely with nicotine entering the small body kids. If both parents smoke, the child is still in greater danger, since he becomes a passive smoker and at the same time is poisoned by toxins through his mother’s milk. Therefore, there is no need to risk your health and mental development your child. It is better to give up a negative habit.

Smoking cigarettes by nursing mothers is not so much a bad habit as a process of initiating diseases in their child. Tobacco smoke is harmful to the baby both when directly inhaled and when toxic substances enter the body through mother's milk. About everyone negative consequences Every girl needs to know about smoking during lactation.

Is it possible to smoke while breastfeeding?

To a simple question about the possibility of women smoking during lactation, one can give an unequivocal answer - it’s impossible, it’s very harmful. However psychological factors contribute to the behavior of young mothers.

In a Canadian study, 228 smoking mothers were given a series of lectures about the dangers of cigarette smoke for children. Subsequently, none of them gave up cigarettes, but the majority decided to wean the child from breastfeeding. results this study indicate that drug addiction to nicotine overshadows even the natural desire to raise a healthy child.

If you are planning to have children, you should quit smoking 6 months before the expected pregnancy. This period of abstinence does not lead to an increase in the likelihood of birth defects in the child, compared with women who have never smoked.

Cigarette smoke during conception, pregnancy and lactation significantly weakens the child's immune system. In the future, this leads to severe nervous shock for the mother, which is not worth the short-term improvement in mood from smoking a cigarette.

Negative effects of smoking during lactation

Smoking affects the mother-child duo in many ways. Separate areas include the impact of cigarette smoke on women, on infant health and on breastfeeding. Everyone suffers from smoking, but there is no benefit from cigarette smoke.

Good afternoon Tell me, is it possible to smoke hookah with herbs while breastfeeding? They write that only smoking tobacco and anasha are dangerous, and hashish seems to be undesirable. What about all kinds of fruit leaves? Can they be smoked in a hookah? Anna, 19 years old.

Good afternoon, Anna! The negative effects of cigarette smoke are not limited to nicotine. Substances released during the combustion of any woody or leafy substrate contain a wide variety of toxins that penetrate into the milk and negatively affect the child’s body. Therefore, smoking a hookah while feeding is unacceptable.

How smoking affects breastfeeding

In addition to affecting the health of the mother and child, nicotine has a number of negative effects on the lactation process itself.

First, the tars and toxins contained in cigarette smoke make milk taste unpleasant. As a result, the child begins to eat less, which leads to a decrease in the degree of emptying of the mammary gland and to a gradual decrease in milk production.

Secondly, increased level Nicotine leads to a decrease in prolactin production. As a result, the amount of milk produced by lactocytes gradually decreases. In women who smoke every day, lactation finally subsides 5-6 months after childbirth.

Thirdly, when smoking, the content of vitamins, enzymes, hormones and antibodies in milk sharply decreases, which negatively affects the baby’s protection from infections.

The result of the influence of the three mechanisms described above is a reduction in the amount of milk, the child’s capriciousness and a decrease in his immune defense. As a result, nursing mothers become more nervous and smoke, which forms a vicious circle. The result after six months is the disappearance of milk and the child is transferred to feeding with artificial formulas.

The effect of cigarette smoke on a nursing woman

About general negative impact cigarette smoke on female body There is a lot of information in specialized sources.

But during lactation, specific effects of nicotine appear that are harmful to the girl’s health.

Cigarette smoke reduces elasticity connective tissue, its fibers become loose and prone to stretching. At sharp drop If the volume of milk production decreases, the breasts become irreversibly sagging and lose their attractive shape.
A decrease in the level of prolactin in the blood under the influence of nicotine leads to the cessation of physiological amenorrhea. As a result, already at 3-4 months of feeding, menstruation may begin, which are often irregular and protracted.

Everyone takes care of their own health, but a nursing woman should also take into account the interests of the child when smoking.

Good afternoon I'm already tired of this tobacco, it's expensive and smells bad, so I'm planning to buy an electronic cigarette. I am breastfeeding my daughter and have been smoking for 3 months. Tell me, are electronic cigarettes harmful too? Rita, 36 years old.

Good afternoon, Margarita! E-Sigs contain nicotine, which negatively affects both milk production and the baby’s health. Stop smoking immediately and think about the harm that smoking brings to your daughter.

What will happen to the child if you smoke and breastfeed?

After birth, the child is highly dependent on the health of the mother, the nature of her nutrition and behavior. The negative effects of cigarette smoke are transmitted from a smoking mother to a child in several ways:

decrease in the amount of milk produced;
reduction in the nutritional value and usefulness of milk;
direct exposure to cigarette smoke when smoking in the presence of an infant.

These mechanisms can lead to a number of abnormalities and diseases in the baby. In addition, there are long-term negative consequences.

As a result of smoking by a nursing woman, a baby may develop:

Low rates of weight gain due to low milk supply and insufficient nutritional value.
Frequent respiratory diseases due to weakening of immune mechanisms in the respiratory mucosa.
Death of a child. If the mother smokes, the likelihood of sudden neonatal death syndrome increases by 3 times, and if the father also smokes, then by 5 times.
Neurological disorders: anxiety, irritability and tearfulness due to sleep disturbances under the influence of nicotine.
Slowing of mental development.
Nicotine-induced vomiting.
Prolonged colic due to stimulation of nicotine receptors in the large and small intestines.
Heart failure with minor heart defects.
Allergic reactions to dust allergens.

If the mother suddenly quits smoking, the child may experience withdrawal syndrome, in which there is a sharp increase in his moodiness within 3-4 weeks. In fact, the smoke inhaled by a nursing mother causes drug addiction in her baby, and such conditions do not disappear without a trace.

Good afternoon I smoke half a pack of cigarettes a day, sometimes I want to smoke marijuana, my son is partially on breastfeeding, he is 5 months old. What will happen to the child if you smoke and breastfeed at the same time? Can they appear? serious problems? Valentina, 28 years old.

Good afternoon, Valentina! When fed with milk contaminated with tobacco smoke, a child may develop many incurable pathologies, it is even possible sudden death. And smoking marijuana greatly facilitates the occurrence of drug addiction in an older child. Therefore, I recommend giving up smoking while breastfeeding your son, especially narcotic herbs.

How many hours later can you breastfeed after smoking?

If a nursing mother still wants to smoke, it is best to feed the baby first, completely emptying the breasts of milk.

After smoking a cigarette, toxins circulate in the blood for up to 1 hour, and nicotine levels drop to normal after 95 minutes. All this time, harmful substances are absorbed by lactocytes and secreted into the ducts of the mammary glands. Another 1-2 hours are needed for the toxins to return to the mother’s blood with subsequent disposal in the liver.

No smoking from 9 am to 9 pm.
Smoking only after a full feeding, but no more than 5 cigarettes per day.
Drink 1.5-2 liters of purified water per day.
Smoking exclusively outside the room in which the child is located.
If after smoking a cigarette there is an urgent need to feed the child, then it is better to give him breastfeeding than artificial mixture. Although you can try to distract the baby and let him get a little hungry.

It should be remembered that despite the gradual removal of toxins from milk, its taste still remains not the most pleasant for the child. Therefore, it is best for nursing mothers to completely stop smoking at least for the period of lactation.

Good evening! Doctor, I still don’t understand, how long after smoking a cigarette can you breastfeed? I usually smoke one cigarette a day in the evening after feeding. The child wakes up after 4-5 hours. Will this cigarette harm my son? Diana, 32 years old.

Good afternoon, Diana! In your case, the effects of nicotine and cigarette toxins are minimal, but they remain. It is best to quit smoking and this single cigarette before the baby is weaned.

How often do you visit a gynecologist (not during pregnancy)?

Please choose 1 correct answer

Once a year

Total score

I don't remember the last time I was