Expectation of a child and his birth is a period in the life of every woman preparing to become a mother, when she is ready to do anything for the he alth of the baby. But sometimes there are situations when parents do not have the willpower or desire to give up addictions. And then natural questions arise: "How harmful is smoking during lactation and does nicotine get into breast milk?"
The harm of smoking for a woman after childbirth
Carrying a baby for nine months and giving birth is a real stress for a woman. Smoking during breastfeeding can become an additional burden for a weakened body.
What is the danger of smoking after childbirth for a woman:
- Longer postpartum recovery. The protective forces of the female body after pregnancy and childbirth are noticeably weakened. On the one hand, it slows down the removal of harmful substances, in particular nicotine. On the other hand, due to poisoning, the recovery process will take longer than usual.
- Decreased immunity. Due to the fact that all the useful substances consumed by the mother go not to restore the immune system, but to neutralize the chemicals that enter the body from the cigarette, the woman remains unprotected against various kinds of diseases longer. All viral and bacterial infections that a weakened body is so susceptible to must be treated with drugs that are not allowed during breastfeeding. In such a situation, one has to choose between treating the mother or breastfeeding the baby.
In order to return to the previous form as soon as possible and be able to devote all of oneself to a happy period of motherhood, it is necessary to do everything possible to give up the addiction.
Negative effect of nicotine on the baby
Negative effect on the female body is not the only problem of smoking mothers. In addition to regularly harming herself, a mother risks the he alth of her baby.
What threatens a newborn who is fed milk with nicotine? He may have:
- problems with the cardiovascular system;
- liver disorders;
- breathing problems (increased risk of asthma);
- poor sleep quality;
- frequent crying;
- permanent state of nervous excitement;
- meteorological dependence;
- problems with the gastrointestinal tract (colic, bloating, flatulence, regurgitation);
- lack of appetite resulting in poor weight gain;
- unsatisfactorythe state of the immune system;
- delayed physical and mental development;
- Susceptibility to sudden infant death syndrome increases 3-5 times.
On top of all this, a baby who is a passive smoker and consumes nicotine with milk is more likely to become addicted to this habit in adulthood, since he will be nicotine addicted from birth.
Change in lactation when smoking nursing
There are several myths, thanks to which women are in no hurry to give up bad habits. This is despite the fact that the answer to the question of whether nicotine passes into breast milk is yes.
False claims about smoking while breastfeeding:
- Due to its composition, mother's milk minimizes the harmful effects of nicotine. It is not true. Only after completely leaving the body of a woman, toxic substances will not harm the baby.
- The taste of milk does not change with smoking. Every young mother sooner or later wonders what breast milk tastes like. After watching it, it can be noted that its taste and texture are affected by everything eaten and drunk the day before. It is not surprising that the substances that are part of the cigarette will leave their mark on the taste of milk - it becomes bitter, with a taste and smell of nicotine. In this regard, women who smoke often complain that the child does not take the breast, freaks out and cries.
- Smoking does not affect the duration of lactation. It has been scientifically and experimentally proven that a smoking woman is able to breastfeed her baby for no more than 5-6 months. This happens due to a decrease in the level of the hormone prolactin, which is responsible for successful lactation. As a result, the baby refuses to breastfeed itself, or feeding stops for physiological reasons.
- Cigarettes cannot reduce the amount of milk produced. This statement is also false, since cigarettes constrict blood vessels, and this, in turn, negatively affects the milk ducts. As a result, the baby does not have enough milk, the mother is forced to supplement him with mixtures, which in most cases ends with a complete transition to artificial feeding.
Smoking women often face the problem of bitter milk, their breastfeeding is short, so if breastfeeding is a priority for a young mother, be sure to completely give up cigarettes.
How fast does nicotine get into milk?
Some women who smoke while breastfeeding take comfort in the fact that it will take a long time before nicotine and other toxic substances from a smoked cigarette get into the milk. In fact, this process is not so long. So how quickly does nicotine pass into breast milk?
Mechanism of nicotine poisoning:
- Cigarette smoke, getting into the mouth, is freely absorbed by the mucous membrane of the oral cavity, larynx, esophagus, stomach and eventually reaches the lungs.
- Lungs containing largethe number of blood vessels to provide the body with oxygen, instead of oxygen they absorb a poisonous mixture of air and cigarette smoke, which is carried to all human organs.
- The mammary glands are no exception - like all internal organs, they receive blood "enriched" with nicotine and other cigarette poisons.
- Checking the taste of breast milk, mom feels bitter. This is due to the fact that milk absorbs all the toxic substances that the baby is forced to eat.
Nicotine passes into breast milk within an hour after smoking, so with regular smoking before feeding the baby, sooner or later, the mother may face a situation where the baby does not take the breast, freaks out and cries.
Speed of removing poison from the body
How and what to feed her child, each woman decides for herself, and only she will have to make a choice whether to smoke or not. If a young mother nevertheless decides to breastfeed, but does not plan to give up cigarettes, she needs to know after what period of time after smoking a cigarette it will be safest to breastfeed her baby.
An hour and a half is enough to remove half of the toxic substances from the mother's body, and, therefore, from her milk. Completely breast milk will be cleared of nicotine no earlier than after 3 hours. Half-life products remain in a woman's body for up to two days.
How to speed up the purification of milk from nicotine?
To make mother's milk safe for the newborn as soon as possible, to the smoking motherthe following guidelines must be followed:
- spend as much time outdoors as possible;
- keep drinking regimen (drink as much liquid as possible);
- be physically active;
- drink fresh juices;
- express nicotine-poisoned milk.
When choosing the latter method, it is worth considering that pumping often causes lactation disorders, so you should resort to it only in extreme cases.
Methods to reduce the harm of smoking during breastfeeding
When lighting a baby before breastfeeding, it should be understood that at the same time he becomes a passive smoker, inhaling cigarette smoke that settles on his mother's clothes, hands and hair, and receiving toxic substances with mother's milk. If, despite all the arguments, the mother cannot give up the bad habit, there is a list of tips on how to reduce the negative impact of toxic substances on the child.
How to reduce the harm of smoking while breastfeeding:
- gradually reduce the number of cigarettes per day (it is worth starting to reduce the amount smoked with no more than 5 cigarettes);
- smoke only outdoors, not in the presence of a child;
- before a smoke break, put on a change of clothes, after - wash your hands thoroughly, if possible, wash your face;
- smoke only during the day, as the hormone prolactin is actively produced at night, which promotes lactation;
- give awaypreference for smoking after feeding, so that at least 2-3 hours pass before the next meal of the baby;
- observe drinking regimen;
- add as many he althy foods as possible to the diet;
- spend as much time outdoors as possible.
Breast milk cannot be replaced by any artificially created formula for baby food. Therefore, it is worth considering whether nicotine passes into breast milk and whether it is worth giving up breastfeeding a baby for the sake of your addictions.
Ways to quit smoking
Completely neutralize the negative impact of cigarettes on a child can only be a complete cessation of smoking.
What will help you quit smoking?
- Gradual reduction in cigarettes smoked per day.
- No smoking breaks after eating and waking up.
- Replacing cigarettes with seeds, lollipops, etc.
- Smoking half a cigarette instead of a whole one.
- Buying cigarettes you don't like.
- Quitting smoking in habitual situations (during a telephone conversation, during a period of stress).
All these tips can only help if the person who smokes has the desire to get rid of the addiction.
Replacing classic cigarettes
Modern medicine is ready to help people suffering from nicotine addiction. Drugs that help to cope with a bad habit are widely represented on the pharmaceutical market.
What can replace a cigarette? It could be:
- nicotine patch;
- electronic cigarette;
- herbal-based cigarettes.
All these inventions will help a young mother to quit smoking and thereby prevent the situation when the child refuses to breastfeed.
Future consequences for the child
In addition to the harm that a smoking mother has on a nursing baby, making him, in fact, a passive smoker, this addiction will not remain without consequences even in the older age of the child.
What threatens mother's smoking for a grown child?
- Lagging behind in mental and physical development.
- Mental disorders (nervousness, irritability, sometimes even an inferiority complex).
- A teenager who is addicted to nicotine in the literal sense of mother's milk is more likely to start smoking during puberty.
It cannot be argued that a baby raised by a smoking mother will be an inferior member of society or seriously ill. But the question of whether nicotine passes into breast milk can only be answered positively, which means that its negative impact on the child cannot be denied.
