Planning for a birth that makes breastfeeding easier? Check out my FREE guide on setting yourself up for breastfeeding success:https://bit.ly/los-birthpractice-workbook
---------------------------------
In this research-driven episode of Lo’s Lactation Lab, host Lo Nigrosh addresses a sensitive and often stigmatized topic: is it safe to breastfeed while smoking? Lo examines the real risks, clears up common misconceptions, and provides practical guidance for breastfeeding parents who smoke or are trying to quit. This episode is an important resource for anyone navigating complex health decisions while striving to do the best for their baby in less-than-ideal circumstances.
Lo Nigrosh is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), birth doula, and certified childbirth educator. Known for her evidence-based insights and compassionate support, Lo helps families make empowered choices that align with their values and realities. She brings clarity to difficult questions and offers non-judgmental support to parents navigating infant feeding.
Expect to Learn
Don’t forget to subscribe for more episodes on maternal health, breastfeeding challenges, and expert lactation advice. Share your own experiences and tips in the comments below!
#breastfeeding #breastfeedingjourney #breastfeedingstruggles #breastfeedingsupport #postpartum #postpartumsupport #ibclc #childbirtheducation #smokingwhilebreastfeeding #breastfeedingandsmoking #postpartumnutrition
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/lo-s-lactation-lab--5834691/support.
Follow Lo Nigrosh:
---------------------------------
In this research-driven episode of Lo’s Lactation Lab, host Lo Nigrosh addresses a sensitive and often stigmatized topic: is it safe to breastfeed while smoking? Lo examines the real risks, clears up common misconceptions, and provides practical guidance for breastfeeding parents who smoke or are trying to quit. This episode is an important resource for anyone navigating complex health decisions while striving to do the best for their baby in less-than-ideal circumstances.
Lo Nigrosh is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), birth doula, and certified childbirth educator. Known for her evidence-based insights and compassionate support, Lo helps families make empowered choices that align with their values and realities. She brings clarity to difficult questions and offers non-judgmental support to parents navigating infant feeding.
Expect to Learn
- How nicotine and cigarette byproducts transfer into breast milk and affect infants.
- The impact of smoking on milk production and breastfeeding success.
- What second-hand and third-hand smoke means for babies and how to reduce exposure.
- Practical tips to manage smoking while still breastfeeding safely.
- The role and safety of nicotine replacement therapies during lactation.
- [00:00] – Introduction and Framing the Question
- [02:03] – Smoking Risks and Recommendations
- [03:40] – Nicotine Transfer and Exposure Risks
- [05:25] – Effects of Smoking on Breastfeeding
- [07:04] – Health Risks for Babies Exposed to Smoke
- [09:01] – Best Practices to Manage Smoking While Breastfeeding
- [11:23] – Nicotine Replacement Therapy and Breastfeeding
- [13:08] – Conclusion and Support Resources
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lo-nigrosh-16371495/
- Website: https://www.quabbinbirthservices.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quabbinbirthservices/
- Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/los-lactation-lab/id1614255223
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2F54fe1szmemB9n7YUJgWv?si=2eea7f1cfba64867
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@loslactationlab3967
Don’t forget to subscribe for more episodes on maternal health, breastfeeding challenges, and expert lactation advice. Share your own experiences and tips in the comments below!
#breastfeeding #breastfeedingjourney #breastfeedingstruggles #breastfeedingsupport #postpartum #postpartumsupport #ibclc #childbirtheducation #smokingwhilebreastfeeding #breastfeedingandsmoking #postpartumnutrition
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/lo-s-lactation-lab--5834691/support.
Follow Lo Nigrosh:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lo-nigrosh-16371495/
- Website: https://www.quabbinbirthservices.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quabbinbirthservices/
- Spotify: htt
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Nicotine is known as an appetite suppressant, and there are
studies that show that the breast milk of those who
smoke tastes different than the breast milk of those who
don't smoke. It has a taste of nicotine in the
breast milk itself. So babies who breastfeed and smoke, they
(00:23):
often do show more fussiness at the breast and sometimes
breast refusal, especially if the feeding parent has recently had
a cigarette.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Before we begin, I want to share something special with
all of you expecting parents out there.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
As an internationally.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Bored certified lactation consultant, I've seen firsthand how a little
planning can go.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
A long way to helping.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
You achieve your baby feeding goals. That's why I'm offering
you my free ebook. It's called Birth Practices to Support
Breastfeeding and it's a workbook, so check out the link
in the description below.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Hello, and welcome back to Low's Lactation Lab. I'm your host,
Low Nigrash. I'm an internationally board Certified Lactation Consultant or
an IBCLC. I'm a birth doula, I'm a childbirth educator,
and i am all about combining both science backed, evidence
based information with compassionate care so that you can make
(01:24):
the decisions that feel right for your family given your
unique individual situation. I want to answer a question that
I see frequently asked both in Google searches on social media,
smoking and breastfeeding. Is it safe for your baby? A
(01:44):
parent messaged me last week and said, and I would
love to breastfeed my baby, but I also want to
do what's best for them, and I don't know if
switching to formula is going to be better than continuing
to smoke while feeding my baby my milk from my body.
So let's explore the risks, the realities, and what the
(02:09):
recommendations are for when a person is smoking and breastfeeding.
Let's talk about the facts. There was a national household
survey that was done quite a few years ago, so
this number may be a little bit different now, but
about twenty three percent of women in the child bearing years,
that's ages fourteen to thirty nine are regular smokers, and
(02:33):
nearly a third of those smoke between eleven and twenty
cigarettes per day. So, if you are somebody who is
trying to decide what to do, whether you are already
pregnant or trying to get pregnant. I want you to
know you are not alone. And then there are about
seven percent of people of women who answered this question
(02:56):
who are occasional smokers. I am here to tell you
just take the shame away and find the facts. When
it comes to what is healthiest for your baby, we
all know what the absolute healthiest is. The absolute healthiest
is to stop smoking, but that's not always possible, and
(03:20):
it does not make you any better or worse of
a parent. And being able to cease smoking or any
other unhealthy habit for that matter, does not put you
in a good or bad mom category. So what are
the facts? First of all, let's talk about what the
(03:42):
transfer into breast milk is. So nicotine is rapidly and
completely absorbed into the mother's bloodstream. Now we've talked about
half life before in other episodes, but briefly, it's the
amount of time that it takes a substance in the
bloodstream to reach half of its initial amount. So for nicotine,
(04:06):
that's about ninety seven minutes. Nicotine is absorbed more slowly
and less efficiently from breast milk. Infants absorbed nicotine and
about two thousand or so other byproducts of cigarettes readily
from the air. That's that second hand and third hand
(04:27):
smoking that we are familiar with. So if you don't
know those terms. Firsthand is obviously inhaling the substance itself.
Second hand is being around it, being able to smell
it and absorb it into your bloodstream just from the smell.
And then third hand smoke is maybe you're not around
the smoke, but you are around a smoker who has
(04:50):
that substance on their clothing, in their hair, in their car.
And so infants do absorb nicotine through second and third
hand smoke. So what are the effects of smoking on
lactation itself? The first thing I want to say about
(05:12):
this is that correlation does not necessarily mean causation, but
anytime we see repeated and strong correlations, it's something to
look at. So we know that smoking has been linked
to earlier weening, and the heaviest smokers tend to wean
(05:34):
the earliest. It also leads to lower milk production, and
this is because nicotine inhibits the release of the hormone prolactin,
which is critical for milk creation milk synthesis. So it
also interferes with the ability to release milk, which means
(05:57):
that smoking has been linked to milk production and let
down problems, but there are some researchers that suggest that
this is due not specifically to smoking, but to poor
lactation management. So one of the best things that you
can do is meet with an IBCLC pre Natalie and
(06:18):
come up with your lactation plan and have your go
to person who you are going to call in for help.
The moment you start doubting your milk supply, the moment
you start wondering if your baby is getting enough, the
moment you get recommended to supplement with something else. Now,
let's talk about how does smoking affect the baby. Nicotine
(06:44):
is known as an appetite suppressant, and there are studies
that show that the breast milk of those who smoke
tastes different than the breast milk of those who don't smoke.
It has a taste of nicotine in the breast milk itself.
So babies who breastfeed and smoke, they often do show
(07:08):
more fussiness at the breast and sometimes breast refusal, especially
if the feeding parent has recently had a cigarette. Babies
who are bottle fed in households where smoking occurs are
more frequently hospitalized, and they have much higher risk of
respiratory and gastro intestinal illness, and colic is more common
(07:32):
in this group as well. But the most significant effect
of cigarette smoke in the household is the greatly increased
risk of SIDS, which is sudden infant death syndrome. We
know that babies of smoking mothers and fathers have a
seven times greater chance of dying from SIDS than those
(07:55):
babies who are in a smoke free home. Especially in
parents who have more than five cigarettes in a day. Regularly,
we see some symptoms of vomiting, nauseousness, gastrointestinal difficulties in
that infant. The American Academy of Pediatrics on their website
(08:18):
says that smoking is contraindicated for breastfeeding, but that is
not what the worldwide research tells us. The worldwide research
tells us that, in fact, managing the environment of the
(08:39):
infant in a household where the feeding parent is a
smoker or any parent is a smoker, and offering breast
milk even direct body feeding, has better long term outcomes
for the infant than the cessation of breastfeed and switching
(09:01):
to formula. But this means that you need to manage
smoking while breastfeeding, and there are ways to do this. Obviously,
the ideal, like I mentioned already, is to just stop
smoking altogether. If you can't do that, you can cut down.
So we all know that the less you smoke, the
(09:22):
smaller the chance that difficulties will arise, and the risk
increases if you smoke more than twenty cigarettes a day,
So even just trying to get below that number if
you're a heavy smoker, is going to be helpful. And
then the big thing is to try to eliminate that
second and third hand exposure. So the way that you
(09:45):
do this never smoke around your baby, Never allow other
people to smoke around your baby. Smoke outside, try to
keep the smoke away from any area where the baby
spends a lot of time. Cover your hair, so have
a hat or a scarf that you use that is
just for when you smoke, and then take it off
(10:09):
when you go in and you feed your baby, where
a coat, Wear something over a smock, something over your
clothing so that when you go back in to be
with your baby, that smoke is not lingering on your clothing,
making sure you're washing your hands regularly, even washing your
face or any exposed skin or using a wipe to
(10:32):
get that third hand exposure off. And then consider the
half life. So wait as long as possible between smoking
and nursing. We know that half life is about ninety
five minutes, So feeding your baby first, then going out
to smoke, and then hopefully your baby won't cueue for
(10:54):
another two to three hours, and by that time you
can feed again, and then if you need to smoke again,
you can do that.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
Yea.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
So those are the ways that you can continue to
breastfeed your baby and provide all of those amazing antibodies
and that perfect blend of macro and micronutrients that are
specific for your baby, even if you cannot give up
(11:21):
the habit of smoking. Currently now some people do ask
about nicotine replacement therapy and breastfeeding. The first thing to
know is that nicotine replacement therapy products are not licensed
to be used by breastfeeding mothers. However, we do know
that babies will be exposed to less nicotine through things
(11:43):
like the patches or gum, and that number is significantly less.
It also avoids exposure to other chemical compounds found in
tobacco smoke, and you're limiting the amount of toxic chemicals
that that baby you will ingest. You should never use
(12:03):
these products and continue to smoke, so you have to
choose one or the other. We do know that patches
applied over a twenty four hour period may produce really
vivid dreams in the person wearing the patch, and so
you may want to remove the patch overnight so that
the baby is exposed less during those nighttime feeds. If
(12:24):
you are going to use gum, it should be chewed
immediately after feeds in order again to reduce the exposure
to give yourself time to reach that half life. And
also any nasal sprays that you're using, similarly, they produce
rapidly high levels initially, so go ahead and feed the baby,
(12:45):
use the nasal spray, and then try to wait until
you reach that half life of about an hour and
a half to two hours before you feed the baby again.
But we do know that exposure of the baby to
these products is safer than exposure to cigarettes because of
this factor of having that second and third hand smoke.
(13:08):
So I would love to know what your experience with
breastfeeding and nicotinez. So reach out to me on my TikTok,
on my Instagram, on my Facebook page. I would love
to hear not only what your experience was, but what
the advice that was given to you by either pediatricians
or your obgi in or an IBSLC or any other
(13:30):
medical professional. If you have any questions about smoking or
any other question that is on your mind in regards
to feeding your baby, please don't hesitate to reach out
to me so that we can get you booked for
a telehealth consultation. I love getting to meet with you
and answering your questions and helping you feel really good
about where you are in your baby feeding journey.
Nicotine is known as an appetite suppressant, and there are
studies that show that the breast milk of those who
smoke tastes different than the breast milk of those who
don't smoke. It has a taste of nicotine in the
breast milk itself. So babies who breastfeed and smoke, they
(00:23):
often do show more fussiness at the breast and sometimes
breast refusal, especially if the feeding parent has recently had
a cigarette.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Before we begin, I want to share something special with
all of you expecting parents out there.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
As an internationally.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Bored certified lactation consultant, I've seen firsthand how a little
planning can go.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
A long way to helping.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
You achieve your baby feeding goals. That's why I'm offering
you my free ebook. It's called Birth Practices to Support
Breastfeeding and it's a workbook, so check out the link
in the description below.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Hello, and welcome back to Low's Lactation Lab. I'm your host,
Low Nigrash. I'm an internationally board Certified Lactation Consultant or
an IBCLC. I'm a birth doula, I'm a childbirth educator,
and i am all about combining both science backed, evidence
based information with compassionate care so that you can make
(01:24):
the decisions that feel right for your family given your
unique individual situation. I want to answer a question that
I see frequently asked both in Google searches on social media,
smoking and breastfeeding. Is it safe for your baby? A
(01:44):
parent messaged me last week and said, and I would
love to breastfeed my baby, but I also want to
do what's best for them, and I don't know if
switching to formula is going to be better than continuing
to smoke while feeding my baby my milk from my body.
So let's explore the risks, the realities, and what the
(02:09):
recommendations are for when a person is smoking and breastfeeding.
Let's talk about the facts. There was a national household
survey that was done quite a few years ago, so
this number may be a little bit different now, but
about twenty three percent of women in the child bearing years,
that's ages fourteen to thirty nine are regular smokers, and
(02:33):
nearly a third of those smoke between eleven and twenty
cigarettes per day. So, if you are somebody who is
trying to decide what to do, whether you are already
pregnant or trying to get pregnant. I want you to
know you are not alone. And then there are about
seven percent of people of women who answered this question
(02:56):
who are occasional smokers. I am here to tell you
just take the shame away and find the facts. When
it comes to what is healthiest for your baby, we
all know what the absolute healthiest is. The absolute healthiest
is to stop smoking, but that's not always possible, and
(03:20):
it does not make you any better or worse of
a parent. And being able to cease smoking or any
other unhealthy habit for that matter, does not put you
in a good or bad mom category. So what are
the facts? First of all, let's talk about what the
(03:42):
transfer into breast milk is. So nicotine is rapidly and
completely absorbed into the mother's bloodstream. Now we've talked about
half life before in other episodes, but briefly, it's the
amount of time that it takes a substance in the
bloodstream to reach half of its initial amount. So for nicotine,
(04:06):
that's about ninety seven minutes. Nicotine is absorbed more slowly
and less efficiently from breast milk. Infants absorbed nicotine and
about two thousand or so other byproducts of cigarettes readily
from the air. That's that second hand and third hand
(04:27):
smoking that we are familiar with. So if you don't
know those terms. Firsthand is obviously inhaling the substance itself.
Second hand is being around it, being able to smell
it and absorb it into your bloodstream just from the smell.
And then third hand smoke is maybe you're not around
the smoke, but you are around a smoker who has
(04:50):
that substance on their clothing, in their hair, in their car.
And so infants do absorb nicotine through second and third
hand smoke. So what are the effects of smoking on
lactation itself? The first thing I want to say about
(05:12):
this is that correlation does not necessarily mean causation, but
anytime we see repeated and strong correlations, it's something to
look at. So we know that smoking has been linked
to earlier weening, and the heaviest smokers tend to wean
(05:34):
the earliest. It also leads to lower milk production, and
this is because nicotine inhibits the release of the hormone prolactin,
which is critical for milk creation milk synthesis. So it
also interferes with the ability to release milk, which means
(05:57):
that smoking has been linked to milk production and let
down problems, but there are some researchers that suggest that
this is due not specifically to smoking, but to poor
lactation management. So one of the best things that you
can do is meet with an IBCLC pre Natalie and
(06:18):
come up with your lactation plan and have your go
to person who you are going to call in for help.
The moment you start doubting your milk supply, the moment
you start wondering if your baby is getting enough, the
moment you get recommended to supplement with something else. Now,
let's talk about how does smoking affect the baby. Nicotine
(06:44):
is known as an appetite suppressant, and there are studies
that show that the breast milk of those who smoke
tastes different than the breast milk of those who don't smoke.
It has a taste of nicotine in the breast milk itself.
So babies who breastfeed and smoke, they often do show
(07:08):
more fussiness at the breast and sometimes breast refusal, especially
if the feeding parent has recently had a cigarette. Babies
who are bottle fed in households where smoking occurs are
more frequently hospitalized, and they have much higher risk of
respiratory and gastro intestinal illness, and colic is more common
(07:32):
in this group as well. But the most significant effect
of cigarette smoke in the household is the greatly increased
risk of SIDS, which is sudden infant death syndrome. We
know that babies of smoking mothers and fathers have a
seven times greater chance of dying from SIDS than those
(07:55):
babies who are in a smoke free home. Especially in
parents who have more than five cigarettes in a day. Regularly,
we see some symptoms of vomiting, nauseousness, gastrointestinal difficulties in
that infant. The American Academy of Pediatrics on their website
(08:18):
says that smoking is contraindicated for breastfeeding, but that is
not what the worldwide research tells us. The worldwide research
tells us that, in fact, managing the environment of the
(08:39):
infant in a household where the feeding parent is a
smoker or any parent is a smoker, and offering breast
milk even direct body feeding, has better long term outcomes
for the infant than the cessation of breastfeed and switching
(09:01):
to formula. But this means that you need to manage
smoking while breastfeeding, and there are ways to do this. Obviously,
the ideal, like I mentioned already, is to just stop
smoking altogether. If you can't do that, you can cut down.
So we all know that the less you smoke, the
(09:22):
smaller the chance that difficulties will arise, and the risk
increases if you smoke more than twenty cigarettes a day,
So even just trying to get below that number if
you're a heavy smoker, is going to be helpful. And
then the big thing is to try to eliminate that
second and third hand exposure. So the way that you
(09:45):
do this never smoke around your baby, Never allow other
people to smoke around your baby. Smoke outside, try to
keep the smoke away from any area where the baby
spends a lot of time. Cover your hair, so have
a hat or a scarf that you use that is
just for when you smoke, and then take it off
(10:09):
when you go in and you feed your baby, where
a coat, Wear something over a smock, something over your
clothing so that when you go back in to be
with your baby, that smoke is not lingering on your clothing,
making sure you're washing your hands regularly, even washing your
face or any exposed skin or using a wipe to
(10:32):
get that third hand exposure off. And then consider the
half life. So wait as long as possible between smoking
and nursing. We know that half life is about ninety
five minutes, So feeding your baby first, then going out
to smoke, and then hopefully your baby won't cueue for
(10:54):
another two to three hours, and by that time you
can feed again, and then if you need to smoke again,
you can do that.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
Yea.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
So those are the ways that you can continue to
breastfeed your baby and provide all of those amazing antibodies
and that perfect blend of macro and micronutrients that are
specific for your baby, even if you cannot give up
(11:21):
the habit of smoking. Currently now some people do ask
about nicotine replacement therapy and breastfeeding. The first thing to
know is that nicotine replacement therapy products are not licensed
to be used by breastfeeding mothers. However, we do know
that babies will be exposed to less nicotine through things
(11:43):
like the patches or gum, and that number is significantly less.
It also avoids exposure to other chemical compounds found in
tobacco smoke, and you're limiting the amount of toxic chemicals
that that baby you will ingest. You should never use
(12:03):
these products and continue to smoke, so you have to
choose one or the other. We do know that patches
applied over a twenty four hour period may produce really
vivid dreams in the person wearing the patch, and so
you may want to remove the patch overnight so that
the baby is exposed less during those nighttime feeds. If
(12:24):
you are going to use gum, it should be chewed
immediately after feeds in order again to reduce the exposure
to give yourself time to reach that half life. And
also any nasal sprays that you're using, similarly, they produce
rapidly high levels initially, so go ahead and feed the baby,
(12:45):
use the nasal spray, and then try to wait until
you reach that half life of about an hour and
a half to two hours before you feed the baby again.
But we do know that exposure of the baby to
these products is safer than exposure to cigarettes because of
this factor of having that second and third hand smoke.
(13:08):
So I would love to know what your experience with
breastfeeding and nicotinez. So reach out to me on my TikTok,
on my Instagram, on my Facebook page. I would love
to hear not only what your experience was, but what
the advice that was given to you by either pediatricians
or your obgi in or an IBSLC or any other
(13:30):
medical professional. If you have any questions about smoking or
any other question that is on your mind in regards
to feeding your baby, please don't hesitate to reach out
to me so that we can get you booked for
a telehealth consultation. I love getting to meet with you
and answering your questions and helping you feel really good
about where you are in your baby feeding journey.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Cardiac Cowboys
The heart was always off-limits to surgeons. Cutting into it spelled instant death for the patient. That is, until a ragtag group of doctors scattered across the Midwest and Texas decided to throw out the rule book. Working in makeshift laboratories and home garages, using medical devices made from scavenged machine parts and beer tubes, these men and women invented the field of open heart surgery. Odds are, someone you know is alive because of them. So why has history left them behind? Presented by Chris Pine, CARDIAC COWBOYS tells the gripping true story behind the birth of heart surgery, and the young, Greatest Generation doctors who made it happen. For years, they competed and feuded, racing to be the first, the best, and the most prolific. Some appeared on the cover of Time Magazine, operated on kings and advised presidents. Others ended up disgraced, penniless, and convicted of felonies. Together, they ignited a revolution in medicine, and changed the world.