Smoking and breastfeeding: consequences and getting rid of a bad habit. Smoking mom: addiction and breastfeeding

Regarding this topic, the opinion of scientists and doctors is unequivocal: it is undesirable to smoke while breastfeeding. But, unfortunately, many do not give up this addiction either during pregnancy or after the birth of a child, and even when they are breastfeeding. However, women who smoke often ask themselves: what is the danger of smoking while breastfeeding? Can they breastfeed or do they need to quit smoking in order to breastfeed? And how can you minimize the effect of nicotine on your child's body? The answers to these questions can be found in the presented article.

Deadly effects from exposure to cigarettes

It has been proven that for a healthy person - 60 mg (if you eat tobacco), while one cigarette contains approximately 9 mg of nicotine. This is a lethal dose for a one-year-old child, whose average weight is no more than 10 kg, who can accidentally find a cigarette and eat it. Secondhand smoke has been proven to be even more toxic than the smoke inhaled by a smoker. Nicotine is very harmful to a child, not only in the form of passive smoking, but even in the format of a smoking mother touching a child, since nicotine penetrates the body even through the skin. If a child just takes this cigarette and crushes and breaks it with his hands, then this is also very dangerous for his health. Therefore, parents need to be careful where you leave cigarettes and whether your child can get to them.

Why are cigarettes harmful?

Every woman knows how bad smoking is for a person, as well as the consequences of smoking while breastfeeding. But unfortunately, fewer and fewer pregnant women are able to give up this bad habit for the sake of their baby's health. Perhaps they do not know that each cigarette contains more than 3,900 elements dangerous to the human body, and of this number, approximately 60 can affect the occurrence of cancer. This is all due to smoking.

Does nicotine pass into milk during breastfeeding?

Yes, your baby can get nicotine through breast milk. After a woman has smoked a cigarette, nicotine enters the bloodstream through the lungs and reaches its maximum concentration there 25 minutes later. Blood nourishes all organs and tissues, the poison spreads through the bloodstream throughout the body, getting into breast milk. Nicotine affects the blood vessels and milk ducts, narrows them, slows down the access of oxygen to the tissues and makes it difficult to produce milk. At the same time, the content of nicotine in the blood is the same as in breast milk. After a certain time (2.5 hours), the poison is removed from both the blood and breast milk.

Important!

It must always be remembered that smoking enhances the effect of caffeine, which is also undesirable for the child, so if the mother still smokes while breastfeeding, then you should not do this with a cup of coffee, as many smokers like to do. Also, during and after smoking, breast milk is not so saturated with essential vitamins and beneficial enzymes, in addition, it acquires the taste and smell of cigarettes, which persists for an hour after smoking.

Examples of scientific studies on maternal smoking while breastfeeding

1. If a mother smokes more than 21 cigarettes a day during breastfeeding, the harm caused by nicotine to the baby increases several times. Frequent smoking causes a decrease in the amount of milk and in rare cases causes the appearance of certain symptoms in a child, namely: nausea, vomiting, colic, diarrhea, asthma, ear infections.
2. Smoking while breastfeeding is a prerequisite for early weaning. According to statistics, feeding lasts only 3-5 months, and there is also a decrease in milk production and a decrease in the level of prolactin in the blood, which is a protein hormone and is responsible for stimulating milk production, decreases by 50% when smoking.
3. If there are people in the house who smoke, then in these families, children have an increased risk of such diseases: bronchitis, sudden infant death syndrome and pneumonia.
4. Children whose parents smoke are more likely to become smokers themselves in the future. Also, if the father and mother smoke in the house, this can double the risk of developing lung cancer in the baby in the future.
5. It has been shown that 45% of babies fed by smoking mothers had colic (3-4 hours of intense crying) compared to 28% of babies breastfed by non-smoking mothers. However, the relationship between colic and smoking is also observed with artificial feeding of the child. Studies have proven that colic is a kind of migraine in children, and it doesn’t matter if the mother herself or someone else in the house smokes, colic in these children is much more common, since cigarette smoke is an irritant for the child.
6. Toxins from cigarette smoke affect the baby's intestines, causing pain and anxiety. The venom also damages the upper parts of the digestive tract - the child often regurgitates, eats less and therefore does not gain weight well.
7. The researchers also suggested that breast milk promotes brain development and helps counteract the adverse effects of cigarette smoking during pregnancy.

If we turn to Yevgeny Komarovsky's judgment about smoking during breastfeeding, he believes that if a nursing mother understands that smoking is bad, but cannot quit this bad habit, then it is necessary to limit the amount of nicotine entering milk. First, the mother should smoke cigarettes with minimal nicotine content and do so as little as possible. After all, there are no drugs and vitamins that could neutralize the effects of nicotine, otherwise all smokers would use these saving pills. Also, additional and necessary actions are to ensure that the child eats well, breathes a lot of fresh air. Subject to all recommendations, the danger of nicotine will be minimal. Regarding feeding, there is nothing better than mother's milk for a child.

Nicotine substitutes

The level of nicotine in the blood of smokers (more than 21 cigarettes per day) is about 43 nanograms per milliliter, while the same level in most nicotine substitutes averages 16 nanograms per milliliter. Thus, when using nicotine chewing gum, the level of nicotine in breast milk is, on average, 55% less than that of those who smoke cigarettes. However, at the same time, the patch creates a constant and yet lower plasma nicotine level than nicotine gum, as it can lead to greater variation in plasma nicotine levels. That is, when such chewing gum is chewed quickly, nicotine enters the bloodstream in the same amount as when smoking a cigarette. Doctors recommend that mothers who wish to use these nicotine gums while breastfeeding do not feed their baby for 2-3 hours after using this gum.

1. If you have the willpower and, most importantly, the desire to have a healthy child, then stop smoking altogether!
2. If not, then try to minimize the number of cigarettes consumed per day. Research scientists recommend smoking up to a maximum of 5 cigarettes per day.
3. Smoke immediately after breastfeeding, that is, try to make the time from smoking to the next feeding pass as much as possible so that the blood is cleared of nicotine to some extent, thereby so that the harm of smoking during breastfeeding is minimal . For example, for at least half of the nicotine to be eliminated from your body, it will take 1.5 hours.
4. Do not smoke indoors with a baby, as passive smoking of a baby is much worse than breastfeeding by a mother who smokes. Smoke outside, away from your child, and don't let anyone smoke near your child.
5. Do not smoke between 9pm and 9am. Since during this period, the harm from smoking during breastfeeding is more dangerous due to the fact that smoking at night also increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
6. In order for harmful substances to be eliminated from the body faster, it is necessary to consume as much liquid as possible.
7. Change into other clothes after smoking, wash your hands well from the smell of tobacco. Be sure to brush your teeth thoroughly.
8. It is necessary to pay special attention to proper nutrition. Try to eat nutritious and mineral-rich foods and get the vitamins you need.

How to quit smoking?

If you are a mother who smokes and breastfeeds a child, then you need to think about this problem. To independently wean yourself from this bad habit, it is enough to write a list of positive facts that you will receive when you give up cigarettes. It can be anything, such as improving your health and the health of your child, the opportunity to play sports, saving money, and much more. First of all, it is you who should become a good example for your children, since the child, looking at his parents, will also build his personal life.

Conclusion

According to reviews about smoking while breastfeeding, it can be concluded that if you have a choice between two options, namely: stop feeding and smoking, because you cannot stop smoking, or Then you should always remember that, in- First, each month of breastfeeding reduces a woman's risk of ovarian cancer and breast cancer by a percentage. Second, if you choose to smoke and not breastfeed your baby, the formula-fed baby has a significantly higher risk of infections, respiratory problems, allergies, asthma, and attention deficit disorder than babies whose smoking mothers continued to breastfeed.

And remember that breastfeeding is always a better option, in case of smoking, than breastmilk substitutes. Because of the unique value of breast milk, which can more than offset the harmful effects of smoking, at least compared to formula feeding.

Of course, mother's smoking does not go unnoticed for her and for the child. What effect does it have during breastfeeding on the baby's body?

Impact on the body

It is worth starting with the general effect of smoking on the human body. This is necessary for a general idea of ​​the harm of this bad habit of millions of people. One cigarette, despite its small size, contains about 4,000 harmful substances, 70 of which can cause cancer, even if the smoker is passive. The most dangerous nicotine, the lethal dose of which is 1 mg per 1 kg of body weight. These factors are enough to understand that a cigarette is a poison. Smoking and smoke from it bring even more harm to the small, not yet formed body of a child whose parents smoke and do not try to shield their baby from this danger, without thinking about what the consequences might be.

Misconceptions about smoking

Many new mothers, in order to reassure themselves, convincingly believe in some untrue facts about smoking during lactation:

• Myth 1: Nicotine does not pass into milk, as it dissolves in the mother's body. In fact, the nicotine contained in a cigarette does not “pass by” milk. And it affects the body of the baby as negatively as it does on the body of the mother, causing vasospasm. As a result, the cardiovascular system suffers and is under stress. The child becomes nervous, tearful, sleep is disturbed and meteosensitivity increases.
• Myth 2: The milk of a woman who smokes is no different from normal. The taste of milk, into which harmful substances penetrate, differs from cigarettes, in addition, milk begins to smell specifically. A child can give up the breast precisely because the milk simply tastes bad and smells unpleasant to him.
• Myth 3: Smoking while breastfeeding has no effect on milk volume. The hormone that is responsible for the formation of milk in the body is released by 25% less due to the ingestion of nicotine. This is especially felt in the first days of breastfeeding, when the lactation stage is just beginning to improve.
• Myth 4: All poisons and toxins in tobacco smoke are neutralized by milk. During breastfeeding and smoking, a large number of harmful substances enter the child's body. If a woman smokes in the house and does not wash her hands after smoking, the baby gets polluted air and the unpleasant smell of her mother's hands.

Negative effect on the mother's body

During pregnancy, the body of a woman is greatly depleted, because all the nutrients are transferred to the child. Even after childbirth, the mother continues to give the newborn baby the useful resources of her body through breastfeeding. Smoking in the postpartum period depletes the young mother even more, while the recovery processes are greatly slowed down. It is worth mentioning the negative impact of smoking on the psyche, and young mothers are more stressed than anyone else, they do not get enough sleep, they spend a lot of energy caring for a child. If you add smoking to this, you can only sympathize with the psychological state of the woman. All the negativity is transmitted to the baby through milk and the emotional state of the mother, he becomes capricious and restless.

Harm to the child

Unfortunately, smoking is one of those bad habits that can be very difficult to get rid of. But for the sake of your baby, it is worth taking control of yourself and fighting this problem. If you can’t quit smoking while breastfeeding completely, you can significantly reduce the number of cigarettes smoked per day, gradually abandoning them altogether. It all depends on the desire of the woman. She, like a real mother, should strive to protect her child from any harm, worrying about his health and life, excluding negative consequences.

• a high level of predisposition of the child's body to cancer;
• sudden death of a baby due to smoking of parents or only mother;
• acute intestinal colic;
• the risk of heart failure;
• arrhythmia;
• tachycardia;
• disruption of the heart;
• problems with the nervous system;
• developmental delay;
• lagging behind the baby in growth;
• the risk of various allergic diseases;
• respiratory diseases, especially bronchial asthma;
• in most cases, a child who becomes a teenager will also start smoking.

And this list is far from complete. The body of each child is individual and may react differently to the negative effects of toxic substances in cigarettes.

Breast milk and cigarettes

Smoking during feeding negatively affects not only vasospasm, but also the milk ducts, which narrow. Milk begins to flow slowly, and the production of prolactin, the milk hormone, also decreases. Milk becomes much less, gradually it can completely disappear after 3 months, and it will be extremely difficult to restore lactation if you do not start fighting such a harmful and dangerous habit as smoking.

The milk that the baby consumes from a smoking mother contains few useful and nutritious substances, its healing properties are significantly reduced and the child receives little immunity with such milk. In addition, it becomes simply tasteless and nasty in taste and smell. The newborn may stop breastfeeding.

Should a mother who smokes breastfeed?

In any case, every woman should be aware of the harm she does to her baby by continuing to smoke while breastfeeding. No self-respecting doctor will say that you can combine smoking and feeding. And it is right.

It is necessary to start with the fact that all efforts should be directed to harm reduction as much as possible. Gradually, it is important to move to a complete rejection of this habit. By following some rules, a woman will be able to at least partially protect her baby from harm and she will gradually give up smoking:

• you can not smoke in the apartment with a child. This must be done on the street. Smoke from cigarettes should not enter the room;
• such a method as replacing a regular cigarette with an electronic cigarette helps effectively. The harm from such a cigarette is less with the same sensations;
• after smoking, it is necessary to feed the child no earlier than 2 hours later. Toxins penetrate milk in a minute. The same period of time is necessary in order to remove the main share of harmful substances from milk. Therefore, if a mother cannot quit smoking in any way, then it is most optimal to do this immediately after feeding, and not before;
• do not smoke from 9 pm to 9 am. It is during this period of time that the maximum activity of the hormone prolactin occurs in the body of a nursing mother. In addition, abstaining from a cigarette for so many hours will gradually discourage a woman from smoking.
• consumption of large amounts of liquid. A nursing mother should drink 2 liters of water per day. It helps reduce the amount of toxins in the body;
• complete nutrition. Smoking kills a lot of useful substances, and you can compensate for them only with a full and healthy diet.

A woman should work to reduce the number of cigarettes smoked per day by gradually eliminating them completely and getting rid of the habit. Only in this way will she be able to give her baby and herself a healthy and happy life.

Everyone knows that smoking is harmful. One cigarette has collected about 4,000 poisonous components, 70 of which can cause cancer. If a nursing mother smokes, then toxic substances, together with milk, enter the body of a newborn.

Nicotine is absorbed into the blood within half an hour and then enters the baby through milk. Therefore, smoking and breastfeeding are incompatible things!

The harmful effects of nicotine

Smoking during breastfeeding adversely affects the quality of milk, the health of the baby and mother. Harmful enzymes primarily constrict blood vessels, which prevents breast milk from coming in the required volume. In addition, the rate of milk supply to the female breast is also falling.

A smoking mom will have milk endowed bad aftertaste. So, the baby gradually gets used to the cigarette taste. Therefore, many of these children begin to smoke as early as adolescence.

Nicotine quickly spreads in the still fragile body of a newborn, in which destructive processes begin. The heart, respiratory tract and lungs, digestion and other important organs suffer. Simultaneous breastfeeding and smoking leads to irreversible consequences.

Consequences of smoking

1. The volumes of milk are significantly reduced - when smoking, milk is enough for a maximum of six months;
2. Milk loses vitamins, hormones and useful enzymes, protective antibodies. Nutrition is reduced;
3. Tobacco smoke often causes nausea, allergies, spasms, and respiratory disease in babies. After all, instead of oxygen, the child receives carbon monoxide filled with toxic properties;
4. The recovery process will be slow. Nicotine replaces essential substances lost during pregnancy and childbirth. Because of smoking, they are not recoverable;
5. Addiction negatively affects the emotional state and takes away energy. Mom gets tired quickly, and the baby is more irritated and naughty;
6. If the mother smokes the entire feeding period, then the baby may develop heart failure and disturb the heart rhythm;
7. Mom and baby may develop diseases such as arrhythmia and tachycardia;
8. Sleep disturbance and insomnia;
9. The child's appetite decreases and weight is lost, growth and development slows down, immunity deteriorates;
10. Allergy to nicotine in 99% of cases - rash, inflammation and redness, runny nose and cough;
11. Tendency to lung diseases, the occurrence of asthma;
12. predisposition to cancer;
13. Increased risk of sudden infant death.

How to reduce the harm from smoking while breastfeeding

Smoking while breastfeeding causes irreparable harm health and development of the child, which is incomparable with the “pleasure” of addiction.

The only way to reduce the impact of cigarettes is to quit smoking completely. If you are unwilling or unable to quit smoking, there is an option to switch to formula feeding.

Of course, breast milk is always preferable for baby nutrition. According to some experts, smoking up to five cigarettes a day does not greatly affect the quality of milk. However, each baby has an individual reaction. In some cases, newborns themselves refuse milk because of the pungent odor and unpleasant aftertaste.

Smoking and breastfeeding or switching to artificial nutrition? Today there is no clear answer. It is not known whose immunity will be healthier: an “artificial” child or a baby fed with milk with nicotine.

If you do not want to switch to artificial mixtures, then try to reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke. As mentioned earlier, the maximum allowable quantity is 5 pieces. You can smoke only during the day and at least 2 hours before feeding.

Do not smoke in the same room with the child and while walking next to the stroller. Keep the time interval between cigarettes at 2-3 hours. Drink plenty of fluids, as it removes nicotine from the body. It is better if it is drinking water or apple compote.

Can a breastfeeding mother smoke electronic cigarettes?

Many smokers are replacing real cigarettes with electronic cigarettes in an attempt to quit smoking. Electronic cigarettes are compact devices with a replaceable cartridge that contains purified nicotine, glycerin, water and flavors. Such a composition often causes an allergic reaction and other negative consequences. In addition, it should be understood that even nicotine-free electronic cigarettes still contain a small amount of nicotine.

The electronic device does not burn the larynx and does not injure the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, like a hookah or regular cigarettes. It does not contain hazardous substances such as a mixture of oxides, benzene and various combustion products. When using such devices, the teeth do not turn yellow, and the hands do not smell of smoke. In addition, the objects around are not saturated with smoke, and the surrounding people also do not suffer from it.

However, numerous medical studies show that they also cause harm. The amount of toxic substance in an electronic cigarette is greater than in a regular one! In addition, such a device does not give the usual “heaviness” from a puff and does not satisfy the need for nicotine. Therefore, soon a woman will take up a cigarette again and will smoke more often than when using classic tobacco products.

Electronic cigarettes have the following negative impact on mother and baby:

• Long-term smoking causes hypertension, diseases of the heart, blood vessels and lungs;
• The content of flavors and additives provoke severe poisoning and an allergic reaction;
• The baby may experience loss of appetite and refusal of breast milk, growth retardation, mental and mental development;
• Deterioration of lactation and changes in the taste of breast milk;
• Violation of the digestive system and increased colic;
• Deterioration of sleep in a child, nervousness and anxiety;
• Fatigue and lethargy, low activity, loss of concentration;
• Blocking of nutrients, minerals and vitamins in the composition of breast milk, which the child needs for full growth and development;
• The occurrence of allergies;
• Development of asthma and other respiratory diseases;
• The appearance of diseases of the lungs and respiratory tract;
• Loss of appetite and weight;
• Causes dizziness and headache, migraine, decreased concentration, attention and deterioration of performance;
• They do not replace regular cigarettes, do not help to quickly quit smoking and completely get rid of nicotine addiction.

Electronic devices cause serious harm to health and an even stronger “nicotine hit” than regular cigarettes. The consequences of this harm, of course, affect the body of the baby. Therefore, doctors in no case recommend that a nursing mother use these devices or switch to them if a woman wants to quit smoking.

If you still use electronic cigarettes, carefully consider the choice of product and liquid for the vaporizer. It is important that these are high-quality reliable devices with the appropriate WHO certificate. Today on the market you can find many fakes that will only harm the body!

How to quit smoking as a breastfeeding mom

Smoking while breastfeeding is very dangerous. If you do not want to harm the child, so that he lags behind in development, gets sick and also becomes addicted to this addiction, stop smoking.

It's hard, but it's possible to quit smoking. The main thing is to tune in psychologically and not forget about the health of the baby. In today's world, there are many different ways to help stop smoking. Here are a few ways:

• Make a list of the positive things you will get from quitting smoking. Saving money, improving health, etc.;
• Make a list of restrictions for yourself. Choose four main points that you try to fulfill. Once the rules have entered the lifestyle, add two more rules. By the way, according to experts, addiction occurs after 21 days.
• It will take only three weeks to bring useful actions to automatism;
• Do not smoke two hours before meals and do not smoke on an empty stomach. Do not smoke in the morning - delay taking the dose of nicotine as far as possible;
• If you need to smoke, do something else that can fully involve you in the process;
• Don't carry a lighter with you. If you run out of cigarettes, don't ask for a cigarette;
• Smoke half a cigarette and don't inhale the smoke;
• Do not buy more than one pack of cigarettes at a time.
• A well-known method when a cigarette is replaced with a lollipop, seeds or candy. You can also use pharmacy products - an anti-nicotine patch, special chewing gum or tablets. However, such products and preparations should be treated very carefully. Since during breastfeeding they can cause allergies, colic or poisoning in the baby;
• It is better to prefer folk remedies to medicines. For example, herbal tea.

Decoctions are referred to as the most effective method. In addition, as already mentioned, the liquid will remove toxins from the body. A decoction of oats will become a safe remedy for breastfeeding.

To prepare such a decoction, pour one tablespoon of oat grains or cereals into 400 ml of warm water and refrigerate for 12 hours. after that, boil the oats for 15 minutes. Add a spoonful of calendula marigolds to the solution, pour into a thermos and leave for 45 minutes. You can drink such a remedy only for one day, since oats in this form tend to deteriorate quickly.

We hope that at least some of the ways will help you fight a bad habit. Remember that smoking during lactation is killing you and your baby.

How dangerous is smoking while breastfeeding? Does nicotine pass into breast milk? How does it affect the child, what consequences does it cause? Is it possible to reduce the negative impact if it is impossible to give up cigarettes? Pediatricians and breastfeeding experts warn about the dangers of smoking during lactation.

Nicotine is the only substance capable of provoking a "withdrawal" syndrome in an infant. It develops if a woman smoked during pregnancy, and after giving birth she decided to give up the bad habit. The syndrome is manifested by excessive nervousness of the baby, his irritability, frequent crying. This condition can last up to a month. But, according to doctors, this is the least evil that nicotine can bring to a baby. And if the mother found the strength to part with him, the baby's body will quickly recover. And if not?

Why is nicotine dangerous?

While breastfeeding, women almost never start smoking. The bad habit persists from the period of pregnancy, during which it has already borne dangerous fruits. Studies have confirmed that smoking mothers in 20% of cases give birth to babies with insufficient body weight, and in 8% of cases, births occur prematurely.

Other abnormalities in the development of children are also associated with the consequences of smoking.

• Autism. The risk of a disease in which the emotional and psychological connections of the child with the outside world are violated increases by 40% if a woman smoked in the early period of pregnancy.
• congenital clubfoot. The risk of this disease increases for the baby by 34%.
• diabetes and obesity. The likelihood of metabolic diseases and related consequences increases by 30%.
• Asthma. Smoking by a pregnant woman increases the chance of developing this disease in a child by 20%.

To minimize the consequences of a dangerous habit during pregnancy, only a complete rejection of it allows. What if you can't quit? What are the consequences of smoking while breastfeeding? Consider the features of the effect of nicotine on a newborn.

The path to breast milk

After smoking a cigarette, the toxic substance enters the mother's blood very quickly - within 1-2 minutes. Within 15 minutes, it passes into breast milk. The volume of nicotine in it is about 10%, which is the reason for the opinion that such a small amount cannot cause significant harm to the crumbs.

The half-life of the substance is 95 minutes, that is, within an hour and a half, half of the dose received from milk will go away. If the mother smokes another cigarette, the level will rise again, and everything will be repeated from the beginning. The period of complete cleansing of the body from nicotine is two days.

Features of the impact on the children's body

Smoking while breastfeeding causes responses from the baby's body.

• Anxiety . In 1989, American pediatricians Rivrud and Matherson conducted a study on the effects of nicotine on the psycho-emotional state of infants. During it, it turned out that 40% of the children of smoking mothers suffered from colic, while among non-smokers the number did not exceed 20%. This condition was accompanied by excessive crying of children for 2-3 hours. There was also an increase in the number of colic among babies in whose house their parents smoked.
• Nausea, vomiting . The probability of poisoning a child with concomitant symptoms when the mother smokes more than 20 cigarettes per day has been confirmed. This condition requires immediate medical attention.
• Weight loss. Studies have confirmed the association of underweight infants with maternal smoking. There are several reasons for this. First, the child often spit up, receiving a smaller amount of food. Secondly, smoking of a nursing mother reduces the intensity of breast milk production. In 1992, the American pediatrician Hopkins published data that within two weeks after childbirth, lactation is reduced from 514 to 406 milliliters per day. In the future, the level of the hormone prolactin, which stimulates lactation, decreases even more. This leads to early termination of breastfeeding and chronic underweight baby.
• Lack of important substances in a child. The amount of vitamins and minerals in the baby's first food is reduced. This is due to a violation of their absorption by the body of a smoking woman.
• Susceptibility to respiratory diseases. Confirmed by a study by American doctors Colley and Corhill in 1974. It monitored the condition of 2205 children. A direct connection between maternal smoking and the frequency of diseases of the respiratory system has been proven. Kids often suffered from pneumonia, bronchitis. Another sensational discovery has been made - smoking during lactation is the main cause of sudden infant death syndrome. Moreover, at risk are those babies who are fed mixtures, but one or both parents smoke.

You can't quit smoking

Where to put a comma in this phrase, each mother has to decide on her own, assessing the risks and dangers for the child. Often the desire not to leave a harmful, but such a strong attachment, leads to a decision to stop breastfeeding. According to women, this eliminates all risks for the baby. And therein lies the deepest misconception.

Breastfeeding and smoking are less dangerous for the baby than smoking and artificial feeding, American doctor Jack Newman warns. It is known that formula-fed babies are more prone to acute respiratory infections in the first year of life than babies fed naturally. The presence of smokers in the home, and especially the mother's smoking, greatly increases this risk. Dr. Newman advises to continue breastfeeding for as long as possible if quitting cigarettes is not an option.

Possible alternatives

According to breastfeeding experts, the best way to eliminate the harmful effects of nicotine on a child is to completely abandon the bad habit. But when the attachment is strong, women switch to "light" substitutes, in their opinion: electronic cigarettes, chewing gum, patches. Their effect on the body has its own characteristics.

E-Sigs

The miniature device with a replaceable cartridge contains flavors and purified nicotine. Its use creates additional risk factors. While smoking, a woman does not experience the usual “heaviness” from a puff, it seems to her that she smoked little or received less nicotine. The dissatisfaction makes her take the cigarette again.

This situation is extremely dangerous, since the amount of poisonous substance in the electronic "imitator" often exceeds that in a regular cigarette. And the nursing mother receives a powerful “nicotine hit”, the consequences of which will be felt by the child. Does not allow the use of electronic cigarettes during lactation and the World Health Organization. And in the Russian Research Institute of Pulmonology, a study was conducted that confirmed the greater harm to the health of women and children from the use of electronic cigarettes instead of conventional ones.

nicotine gum

Features of their impact on the body of a woman and a child were studied by the American pediatrician Thomas Hale. In 1999, he published his findings in the book Drugs and Mother's Milk. According to Dr. Hale, when using nicotine gum, the level of nicotine in breast milk is reduced from 44 to 17 nanograms of the substance per milliliter of whey. This can be considered a positive fact with one caveat - if a woman uses chewing gum "according to the rules." Frequent or excessively active use of them causes a sharp jump in the substance in the blood and milk. The doctor recommends that women not breastfeed after using this alternative for 2-3 hours.

Transdermal patches

Considered the safest alternative to cigarettes. They provide a reduced level of nicotine in the blood and a decrease in its volume in breast milk up to 60%. Their disadvantage is still the constant access of the poisonous substance, while the use of conventional cigarettes allows you to minimize this level by simply giving up frequent smoking.

Rules for "safe" smoking

Can a breastfeeding mother smoke? This question is answered by experts from the international breastfeeding organization La Leche League in the publication "Book of Questions and Answers on Breastfeeding".

• The more mother smokes, the greater the risk of dangerous consequences for the child. The critical norm - 20 cigarettes a day, can cause severe intoxication of the child's body.
• Limiting the number of cigarettes, the mother reduces the health risk. Experts advise reducing their number to 5 per day.
• Using substitutes can be as dangerous as smoking itself. They should be used very carefully, avoiding a significant increase in the level of nicotine in the blood.

Also according to the experts of La Leche League, the child has the right to enjoy the benefits of breastfeeding, even if his mother smokes. To do this, it is important to follow 5 rules.

• No smoking at night. Firstly, it suppresses the activity of the hormone prolactin, which stimulates the production of milk at night. Secondly, babies sleep restlessly, they are haunted by nightmares.
• Don't smoke a lot. Try to keep the number of cigarettes to a minimum. The maximum rate, according to pediatricians, should not exceed 5 cigarettes per day. But if you reduce this amount too, you will protect the health of the child.
• Do not smoke where the baby is. Passive smoking causes no less dangers than active smoking during feedings. Avoid smoking in the apartment, do it outside.
• Do not smoke before and during feeding. It is optimal that at least 3 hours have passed since the last cigarette was smoked.
• Try to quit. A group of Italian scientists conducted a study on how giving up cigarettes affects a woman's health. It has been proven that within 9 months after parting with a bad habit, a woman's body becomes 13 years younger.

It is important to understand that breastfeeding and smoking are a woman's personal, individual responsibility. There are no punishments for it in modern society, although the first attempts to introduce it are already observed in European countries. For example, in Estonia, a bill was recently adopted that provides for criminal liability for pregnant smokers who knowingly harm the health of an unborn baby.

In our society there is only moral responsibility. But understanding the risks and threats created by the mother for the child, awareness of the likelihood of serious illnesses and developmental disabilities will be a better motivating factor for parting with a bad habit than criminal norms.

print

Smoking and breastfeeding at the same time is definitely unacceptable. But, despite the harmful effects of cigarettes on the body of mother and child, in our society, especially in the metropolis, there are smoking nursing mothers. Many mothers manage to quit smoking only when they find out that they are pregnant. Many girls who lead a carefree lifestyle, as soon as they see 2 stripes on a pregnancy test, immediately or after a few days decide to quit smoking. It is one thing when you poison your body and harm your health, another thing is when the life of an unborn child, his health, is in your hands. And the thought of smoking disappears somewhere - the girls enter into a new consciousness - "I am the expectant mother." It happens that the toxicosis of the first trimester completely discourages the desire to smoke - here the body itself intervenes in the situation, because now it has other needs - to save the fetus, to provide everything necessary. Morning sickness is a sign of hormonal changes - there is no time for a cigarette. It is a great success if the expectant mother manages to quit this bad habit. And if not?

In this article, I will not condemn or "feed" moralizing. I just want to analyze this situation in detail: a nursing mother smokes, how to reduce the harmful effects on the child?

I just want to debunk one myth.

MYTH: If mommy smokes, she should not breastfeed.

Vice versa! If mommy smokes, she really needs to keep breastfeeding. Nicotine in breast milk, of course, appears, as well as in the blood of the mother. But at the same time, breast milk softens the harmful effects of nicotine, protects the baby's body. You can not continue to smoke and switch to artificial mixtures for feeding the baby - the child will be a passive smoker at the same time, but he will not have the saving protection of breast milk. The artificial mixture will not protect it from cigarette smoke. Therefore, if you are breastfeeding, breastfeed as long as possible.

Keeping breastfeeding will protect your baby as much as it can, but not 100%. The nicotine that enters the body of babies makes them more restless. In such children, colic is more common and lasts longer. These babies are more susceptible to respiratory diseases. A child who receives milk from a smoking mother is more likely to develop an allergic disease. And, of course, since nicotine is by its nature a narcotic substance, accordingly, the child will become addicted to nicotine and in the future there is a high probability that he will also become a heavy smoker, like his parent.

I was in the hospital in the same room with a smoking mother. This mother 10 times a day (and even at night) ran to smoke. Her baby was more restless. Mom did not understand why her child wakes up and cries all the time, and the neighbor's child (that is, mine) sleeps peacefully after feeding. The doctors explained to this mother that the child was also addicted to cigarettes. Just a child gets his dose of nicotine with milk.

Nicotine affects the production of milk, in particular, it inhibits the production of prolactin (the hormone responsible for the formation of milk). A smoking mother runs the risk of stopping breastfeeding earlier than she plans, due to a lack of milk. Nicotine speeds up metabolism (metabolism), thus, a smoking mother spends more calories and she and her baby need more food. Babies whose mothers smoke have less weight gain.

Pediatricians claim that Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS in Russian literature) is more common in children of smoking parents.

Recommendations for organizing breastfeeding for a smoking mother

1. Since smoking affects milk production (production of prolactin), it is necessary to strictly not smoke from 22 pm to 8 am.
2. Smoke only after feeding, if exactly before the next feeding there is at least 2 hours left
3. Smoke as little as possible.
4. Consume more liquids and eat fully, taking into account all the necessary proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.
5. And, of course, do not smoke with a child.
6. From myself, I would advise you to quit smoking.

Here are some stories from life:

On one forum, one young mother writes that she smokes and breastfeeds and is very tormented by torments of conscience. Another mom with smoking experience answers her like this:

"I really understand you. I promised myself 100 times that I would get rid of this habit. And so I suffered throughout my pregnancy. My baby is now 6 months old and I still smoke. But we're doing great. I smoked for 10 years and with such experience it is impossible to quit. Further more - if you quit abruptly - you will not end up with problems. Get nervous, the milk will run out. Do you need it? My advice to you is to relax, being nervous will only increase the number of cigarettes you smoke. Try to smoke less, and we don’t need to be nervous with you. ”

Here's another

“My experience is 12 years. But 3 days was enough for me to quit smoking. I just found out I'm in position. When I smoked, I firmly told myself: Honey, when you get pregnant, no cigarettes. In fact, pregnancy was the way for me to quit. Of course, later I wanted to smoke, here Alan Kara's book “The Easy Way to Quit Smoking” also helped me.

Here's another

“I read A. Kara's book “An easy way to quit smoking” and quit smoking. For half a year ... Then everything returned. I got pregnant and “thought” for 3 days, after which I quit. Apparently, 3 days is the deadline for pregnant women to change their minds. When my son was 9 months old, I was terribly bored with cigarettes. Started smoking again. But now I smoke very little and one. And the soul suffers that I am persecuting the baby with this muck ... "

Here's another

“I have been a smoker for 15 years and I smoke non-stop. Even when she was carrying a daughter, then she fed her. My baby was born healthy. I was able to feed her until she was almost 3 years old, there was plenty of milk. My daughter moved to the 7th grade, with her I never held a cigarette in my hands. Recently my second baby was born. And again the same story: pregnancy, breastfeeding with a cigarette in hand. I think about quitting all the time. That I need a healthy mother to my children and my husband. I read books, went to seminars, and used different gums and band-aids. Nothing helped me. Now I think, why did I start smoking??? Why do I condemn myself to suffering, my children? Why am I putting myself at such a health risk? Smoking is a terrible disease, a terrible habit! Girls! avoid smoking! Don't start smoking! Quit who already smokes before it's too late. Quit before things get worse. Don't ruin your life!"

» It happened to me. I smoked before pregnancy and the first 5 weeks. Then she quit. And at 30 weeks my husband said he was leaving me and leaving our baby. Out of grief, I again took up cigarettes and smoked until the birth. I don’t know how, apparently God took care of the child - the son was born with a good weight, healthy. Everything is fine with us now, I still smoke, but only at night. My conscience constantly torments me, I can’t give up this poison in any way. ”

“I managed to smoke only 1-2 cigarettes a day during my pregnancy. At 32 weeks, the waters broke, contractions began ... The baby was born cyanotic, small. They put him in a ditch, poked pipes into him. He breathed through the mask. Thanks to the doctors, he survived. Every day I prayed to God that my son would not leave me. Only God knows what hell I went through. I forgot about cigarettes. My son is a year old and I breastfeed him. He grew up, got stronger and very developed. Since then I have not smoked. (My husband, by the way, also quit)