Smoking & Breastfeeding

For every family, adjusting to a new child is a stressful time. There's so much to learn, and so much to do. A new mother may find herself smoking cigarettes as a way of coping with her new lifestyle, or as a reward for her hard work.

Breast feeding gives babies the best start in life.

If you are a breast feeding mother who smokes, here is some information that may be helpful to you:

• Nicotine can decrease the amount of milk that you produce
• Dangerous chemicals found in cigarettes may make their way into the breast milk.
• Babies breast fed by mothers who smoke may have lower levels of certain vitamins, which are important for their health and development.
• Breast milk that contains nicotine doesn't taste as good - babies may fuss or become irritable during feeding, or even reject the breast all together.

All parents try to do what's best for their babies. If the time is right for you, the best choice is to quit smoking. This way your baby will not be exposed to second-hand smoke and your breast milk will be nature's best. The good news is that breastfeeding mothers who want to quit smoking may find this is an ideal time to do so. The hormones and chemicals released during breast feeding may blunt the worst of the withdrawal symptoms. A nicotine patch can also help - the amount of nicotine released is less than that taken in by smoking. And you can further reduce the nicotine in your breast milk by wearing the patch only some of the day.

If quitting is not an option right now, you are probably wondering if it is better to give up breast feeding and switch to formula. The answer is clear: breast milk is far superior to baby formula. The benefits of breast feeding are so great that you should continue to breast feed even if you continue to smoke. Babies who are only fed breast milk for at least the first six months are better protected against respiratory infections. After that, every day you continue to breast feed is an added bonus! Ideally, a baby should be breast fed for one year.

If you continue to smoke, here are some tips that can help reduce the effect of smoking on your baby:

• Make your home and car smoke free (see the June newsletter for suggestions). Smoke outside and ask other smokers to do the same thing.
• Avoid taking your baby into smoking environments.
• Smoke AFTER feeding, not before or during. Try for a 90 minute interval between having a cigarette and breast feeding. This can be difficult with a young baby who is feeding frequently, but may be possible once the baby has established routines.
• Avoid vegetables containing considerable amounts of nicotine - eggplant, tomatoes and cauliflower. Fortunately there are lots of other vegetables and fruits that are perfectly fine - aim for 5 to 7 servings per day.

REMEMBER! It's a matter of give and take. If you wouldn't give it to your baby, don't take it while you're breast-feeding!

[If you require more information about breast-feeding, contact Whitehorse Health Centre in Whitehorse or your local Health Centre in the communities]