Vaping while breastfeeding
What you need to know Vaping while breastfeeding
Demonstration:
Breastfeeding is considered the best way to feed and care for a newborn, as it provides important nutrients and many health benefits. However, many mothers may have questions about the compatibility of vaping while breastfeeding. The purpose of this article is to provide a detailed overview of vaping while breastfeeding 2023, addressing concerns, potential risks, and available information to help mothers make informed decisions.
- Understanding Vaping: 1.1 What is Vaping? 1.2 Components of E-cigarettes 1.3 Nicotine and Other Harmful Substances
- The Transfer of Substances from Vaping to Breast Milk: 2.1 Nicotine Transfer to Breast Milk 2.2 Impact on Infant Development and Health 2.3 Other Chemicals and Toxins in E-cigarette Vapor
- Potential Risks and Concerns: 3.1 Effect on Milk Supply and Composition 3.2 Impact on Infant Behavior and Sleep 3.3 Respiratory Issues and Allergies in Infants
- Research Studies and Findings: 4.1 Limited Studies on Vaping and Breastfeeding 4.2 Nicotine Exposure and Infant Development 4.3 Secondhand Vapor Exposure for Breastfed Infants
- Guidelines and Recommendations: 5.1 Organizations’ Stances on Vaping and Breastfeeding 5.2 Healthcare Provider Recommendations 5.3 Support for Smoking Cessation and Alternatives
- Tips for Mothers Who Vape and Breastfeed: 6.1 Considering the Health Risks 6.2 Reducing Harmful Exposures 6.3 Seeking Support and Resources
- Communicating with Healthcare Providers: 7.1 Open Dialogue with Healthcare Professionals 7.2 Disclosure of Vaping Habits 7.3 Collaborative Decision-Making Process
- Conclusion: Vaping during breastfeeding raises concerns about the transfer of harmful substances and possible risks to the baby. Although research on this topic is limited, current evidence suggests that vaping can expose children to nicotine and other toxins that can have negative effects on their development and overall health. Therefore, breastfeeding mothers are generally advised to avoid vaping to protect their baby’s health.
A sluggish start to nursing is the most frequent cause of a truly poor milk supply
when your breasts didn’t get rid of enough milk right after giving delivery. With quick action, it could be feasible to turn things around. There may be a limit on the amount of milk you can make due to certain other reasons for poor milk production, such as prior breast surgery and other hormonal disorders. You never know what you’re capable of unless you give it a go, and many breastfeeding moms can produce more milk than they are.
Increasing low milk supply is hard work. It requires dedication, effort, and time. It’s important, to be honest with yourself about your objectives and the amount of time and effort you have to devote to achieving them. In order to focus on your baby and your milk production, it works best when you have a lot of both practical and emotional assistance. Keep in mind that this is a short-term investment with long-term potential returns; it won’t last forever. Set short-term objectives for yourself, such as 48–72 hours, and then assess your progress. You can still have a close, content-feeding connection with your kid even if you are unable to raise your milk production as much as you would want or feel it is not feasible to attempt.
While you are working on your milk supply
- Find qualified feeding assistance. LLL is ready to assist! Information about how we may help you is available here. Additionally, we may put you in touch with other mothers who have dealt with poor milk production.
- Keep track of your progress. Record how much milk you express, how much formula or donated breastmilk your infant consumes (if applicable), and how many wet and soiled diapers they make. It’s helpful to keep track of changes over time to demonstrate how effectively your strategy is performing and to guide your decision-making.
- Track the development and health of your child. While you are trying to increase your milk production, your baby needs to be weighed often. This is often done by your midwifery or health visiting team. You could be advised to see a nearby baby feeding team or clinic if your feeding problems are more complicated. Any infant whose growth is not normal should be monitored by a physician. This is due to the fact that sometimes, rather than inadequate milk supply, sluggish development might be brought on by underlying health difficulties in the infant.
How milk production works
In the middle of pregnancy, milk production begins. Following delivery, milk production in the breasts continues in reaction to milk removal. A sluggish start to nursing, or not enough milk being withdrawn from the breasts in the first few days after delivery, is the most frequent cause of poor milk production.
Most of the rise in milk production occurs in the first two weeks after delivery, with the peak milk production occurring approximately four weeks following birth. Your breasts may end up producing less milk than what your baby needs if not enough milk is withdrawn during this period. By taking more milk out of your breasts, you may be able to enhance milk output. Your chances of producing more milk increase with the time and effort you invest in this. Although there is no assurance that you will be able to produce a complete quantity of milk, it may still be feasible to enhance your milk production to some amount even after additional time has gone.
Your kid will benefit from whatever milk you are able to give him or her. Regardless of how much milk you are producing, breastfeeding is about much more than simply providing food for your kid.
For more detailed information about how milk production works see:
Use of e-cigarettes during pregnancy and lactation
 How Milk Production Works
Risk factors for low milk supply
These consist of:
- radiation or previous breast surgery (particularly reduction)
keep the placenta - unusually thin, unequally proportioned, tiny, and spaced-out breasts
a history of hormonally-driven infertility - abnormalities affecting the hormones, such as PCOS and thyroid issues.
You can be sent to an infant feeding expert if you have any risk factors for insufficient milk supply. Some of these illnesses are curable. Even if you have untreatable underlying conditions, you could still be able to produce more milk than you do now.
Summary
- Take into account the causes of a poor milk supply.
- Make sure your infant is properly positioned and fastened to your breast. This will include looking for any conditions that would prevent the infant from latching on and eating properly (such as a tongue tie).
- Hold your infant as close to your skin as you can.
- As soon as your infant exhibits any indications of hunger, offer the breast at least 8–12 times during the course of a day, awakening the baby if required.
- To enhance milk flow, switch sides and push your breasts firmly together.
resuming milk production after a pause or starting a milk supply when not pregnant.
It is proven and known that smoking during pregnancy is dangerous for the health of the mother and the baby. But did you also know that using e-cigarettes during pregnancy and breastfeeding is risky? E-cigarettes – also called e-hookah, e-pen, vape pens or tanks – are not a safe way to quit smoking during pregnancy.
In this article, the American Academy of Pediatrics answers frequently asked questions about e-cigarette use during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Although the number of people smoking traditional cigarettes has declined in recent years, the growing popularity of e-cigarettes threatens to reverse this progress – and put children at risk of exposure to the harmful chemicals of smoking.
Stop vaping now!
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a health advisory on August 30, 2019, advising people to avoid e-cigarettes and other vaping devices. Outbreaks of severe lung disease related to vaping have caused serious illness and death in several US states.
The American Academy of Pediatrics joins the CDC in reminding parents that vaping is never safe for teenagers, young adults, or pregnant and/or breastfeeding women. Get the latest outbreak information here and report symptoms at www.safetyreporting.hhs.gov or call your local poison control centre at 1-800-222-122.
It is important for single moms to talk openly and honestly with their healthcare providers to get individualized guidance and support regarding vaping while breastfeeding in 2023. Health professionals can provide information on smoking cessation strategies, alternative nicotine replacement therapies, and resources to help mothers quit smoking. By making informed choices and prioritizing the health of both themselves and their babies, mothers can ensure a safe and healthy breastfeeding experience without vaping while breastfeeding in 2023.
Smoking, Vaping, Cannabis and Breastfeeding
One of the most significant adjustments a mother can make to better her health and the health of her child is quitting smoking. She will be helped to sustain that shift by whatever correct information that people providing breastfeeding assistance can provide her. When one feels HALT—hungry, angry, lonely, or tired—it is harder to modify or sustain behaviour. New moms often experience any or all of these emotions.
Quitting smoking
The idea that stopping smoking suddenly may be harmful persists. The body’s natural defences are really recuperating and becoming less repressed by the effects of smoking, even if it may temporarily make symptoms like coughing worse. Furthermore, the statistically most effective method of quitting smoking is a sudden one.
Many individuals think that quitting would protect them and their families, but in reality, most smokers will compensate by taking more drags that are deeper and longer-lasting, maintaining the amounts of nicotine and other chemicals inhaled.[2] As a result, if you wish to stop, pick the strategy that works best for you.
Will a mother’s rapid smoking cessation damage the baby?
No. There is evidence that prenatal nicotine exposure and breastfeeding exposure to nicotine may cause newborns to experience certain withdrawal symptoms after their moms cease smoking. This must be evaluated against the health dangers to the unborn child from the mother’s continued smoking, however. The infant will get a tapering dosage of nicotine (as product strength and/or frequency of usage are decreased) if a woman who is trying to stop smoking chooses to take NRT while nursing, which may assist to lessen withdrawal symptoms.[3]
The substances found in cigarette smoke
Tar, which has been linked to cancer, carbon monoxide, which is the primary cause of birth defects, and nicotine are the three major components of cigarette smoke that are harmful.
Tar enters the circulation via the lungs and is carried throughout the body where it is deposited. I’ve looked for information regarding whether tar enters breastmilk but haven’t been successful in finding anything pertinent. While it could be in milk, it is unavoidably present in secondhand smoke. All evidence indicates that nursing is protective against the baby’s exposure to chemicals if a mother cannot stop smoking.
The fundamental issue with nicotine in the form that it is in cigarettes is that it is incredibly addictive. Nicotine in concentrated form is a poison, but when you are exposed to it often, your body builds a resistance to it.
When one chooses to use nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), they are using nicotine in a cleaner form, in lower concentrations than if they continued to smoke, with a tapering dosage, and a less addictive method of delivery (the faster it enters your brain, the more addictive it is).
All NRT is approved for use while nursing in the United Kingdom, with the advice that women use intermittent products (gum, etc.) rather than patches to reduce nicotine exposure by scheduling doses. Because nicotine has a half-life of around 90 minutes, moms may reduce the amount of nicotine they pass on to their babies by smoking or using NRT right after a feeding.[4] The mother should do whatever would maximize her chances of success since exposure to a modest quantity of nicotine is far less dangerous than exposure to prolonged smoking.
Caretakers who decide to use NRT should be aware that what is a therapeutic dosage of nicotine for them would be a large overdose for someone who is not acclimated to it; in fact, the residue in discarded NRT would be sufficient to injure an infant or kid. A used patch or a piece of gum may reportedly make an adult feel like they’re having a heart attack, so the impact on a newborn would be significant. Patches sometimes fall off of their original owners in bed and stick to other persons sharing the area. Pre- and post-use NRT must be kept safely away from infants and young children, just as smoking materials must be kept out of reach.
Electronic cigarettes (or vaping)
In regards to e-cigarettes, Public Health England has published an evidence summary. Its findings suggest that using an e-cigarette is around 95% safer than smoking a traditional cigarette, according to the available information.[5] A newborn who uses an e-cigarette won’t be exposed to tar or CO. Compared to the air or surfaces of a home that cigarettes are smoked in, ambient nicotine levels are much lower.
This is due to the fact that sidestream smoke, which is produced when a cigarette burns even when it is not being smoked, accounts for 85% of the smoke produced by cigarettes.
The general consumer goods legislation, which is implemented by trade standards, regulates e-cigarettes. This makes it simpler for businesses to bring items to market with far less testing and oversight than if they were classified as medicines.
If you’re going to use an e-cigarette, get one that has a kitemark or CE mark since you can be sure that what’s on the label is in it and that the electrical components are secure if it has one of those marks.[6]
As far as we are aware, the vapour’s typical composition of propylene glycol and glycerine doesn’t result in anything more significant than the occasional discomfort in the throat. Research on the safety of long-term lung exposure is required.
E-cigarettes are available in a variety of flavors, including menthol since peppermint oil has sometimes been linked to decreased milk production. whether you are worried, you might look to verify whether your chosen brand genuinely uses peppermint oil or a synthetic substitute.
However, this is because the mint numbs the throat, allowing smoke to be sucked in deeper and retained longer. Menthol cigarettes are associated with greater risks of lung cancer. The use of e-cigarettes would eliminate that problem.
A piece of nice online information about e-cigarettes is available from ASH (Action on Smoking and Health): http://ash.org.uk/search/?q=e%20cigarette&x=0&y=0
Co-sleeping and smoking or vaping
Smoking by mothers (and to a lesser degree by fathers or other parents sharing a bed) has long been shown to increase the incidence of SIDS. The capacity of newborns to establish healthy, powerful neural systems to safeguard their respiration and react in the event that it is disrupted is harmed by nicotine exposure.
Additionally, it impairs lung function and worsens respiratory issues linked to sleep. According to studies analyzed by the WHO, it is unclear how much of this risk is due to secondhand smoke exposure after delivery and how much is due to smoking during pregnancy harming the development of the fetus.[8]
Even if the mother stopped smoking at (or before) the baby’s birth and does not now smoke, this has ramifications for where newborns sleep when their moms smoked during pregnancy. Additionally, smoking-related sleep disturbances like apnoeas may take some time to go away after quitting, which might make the motherless receptive to her child.
Cannabis and breastfeeding
The majority of the time, tobacco and cannabis are smoked together. As a result, all the health effects of cigarettes are present, with the added consequence that when smoking joints, each inhale is often taken deeper and held for longer. This raises the risk of lung injury. It is often assumed that each joint smoked is equal to 5-7 cigarettes due to the increased oil content in cannabis.[9]
There is debate regarding how cannabis in breastfeeding affects a baby’s development. Some research suggests that there is no effect on infants’ long-term development, while others report that infants who were consistently exposed had somewhat less motor development at age one.[10] Furthermore, the majority of infants who are exposed to THC (see below) via breastfeeding will also have been exposed fetally, making it difficult to pinpoint exactly when alterations have taken place.[11]
Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the principal psychoactive component of cannabis, is fat-soluble, accumulates in body fat stores, and passes into breast milk. Babies may experience drowsiness, weakness, and irregular feeding patterns as early effects.[12] The levels of THC in breast milk among heavy, frequent cannabis users may be eight times higher than those in blood serum because THC is stored and released gradually.
What You Should Know About Breastfeeding and Cannabis
In a recent trial, Wymore and colleagues examined 394 newly delivered mothers and included 25 of them who tested positive for marijuana use during pregnancy but intended to refrain from marijuana use while nursing. The amount of THC in samples of maternal plasma and breast milk was evaluated many times a week, and the researchers also gathered information on self-reported marijuana use.
An alcoholic mother will sleep more deeply, and her infant may experience increased SIDS risk factors linked to cigarette use. Co-sleeping would be obviously harmful as a result.
Can cannabis be found in breast milk?
In a recent trial, Wymore and colleagues examined 394 newly delivered mothers and included 25 of them who tested positive for marijuana use during pregnancy but intended to refrain from marijuana use while nursing. The amount of THC in samples of maternal plasma and breast milk was evaluated many times a week, and the researchers also gathered information on self-reported marijuana use.
Cannabis inhibits prolactin synthesis, which may have an impact on milk production. Animal research has shown some support for this, however, human studies have not discovered any differences in the weaning ages of moms who use cannabis and those who do not.[13] [14]
What impacts does cannabis exposure have on breastfeeding infants?
Few research has focused on kid outcomes, and there is inconsistent information about the results of nursing children exposed to cannabis. These studies are difficult to carry out. First of all, because cannabis usage for recreational purposes is still illegal in many states, many places forbid studying cannabis use.
Furthermore, it might be difficult to distinguish between the direct effects of cannabis on the quality of childcare and parenting and its indirect effects, particularly in heavy, chronic users or when cannabis is mixed with other drugs.
One year later, 136 nursing babies were evaluated in one research (Whymore et al., 2021). When compared to similar babies who were not exposed to cannabis during the first month of life, there was evidence of lessening motor development in the 68 infants at one year. In particular, the Bayley newborn motor development index dropped by 1465 points. The authors of this research were unable to draw that conclusion, however, since several of the women also smoked marijuana when they were pregnant.
THC was found in the breast milk of 66% of the moms in research including 50 women who said they had used cannabis during the preceding 14 days, and it was below the limit of quantification in 32% of the mothers (Bertrand et al, 2020). The difference between the groups with measurable THC levels in breastmilk and those with non-quantifiable THC levels in breastmilk was not associated with any changes in adverse responses in infants, growth, or neurodevelopmental outcomes.
In a different investigation (Tennes et al., 1985), 35 breastfed babies who had not been exposed to cannabis were compared to 27 breastfed infants who had. Using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, no differences in motor or mental development were found at one year. The tiny sample size of this research, however, made statistical analysis difficult.
Therefore, the verdict is yet out on cannabis’ impact on breastfeeding infants.
Prolactin suppression may not have an impact on breast milk supply if breastfeeding has been successfully established.
Researchers disagree about whether breastmilk’s protective qualities exceed the hazards that cannabis exposure to a newborn pose, including yet-unknown long-term developmental problems. Effects are dose-related, thus a newborn exposed just sometimes faces substantially different dangers than those exposed often and persistently.[15]
Shisha
When smoking shisha or waterpipe, flavoring tobacco is put on a disk of charcoal, which is then lighted. After passing through water, the smoke is sucked into the mouth. Waterpipe use is sometimes used to smoke tobacco-free concoctions. A thick smoke with a lot of carbon monoxide is produced when charcoal is burned.
Sessions are often lengthy as well. When these effects are taken together, you may inhale the same quantity of smoke as 100 cigarettes in one shisha session.[16]
Anyone attempting to determine if smoking shisha was having an adverse effect on their infant via breast milk would need to take into account whether the exposure was intermittent or ongoing. Mothers would need to consider if their risk of co-sleeping when they were exposed to carbon monoxide rose momentarily with occasional usage.
Ruth Lewis edited Rebecca Coyle’s writing.
Initially published in LLLGB’s Leader magazine FEEDBACK
2016 Copyright LLLGB
Further reading
Smoking and breastfeeding: https://www.laleche.org.uk/smoking-breastfeeding/
Marijuana and breastfeeding: http://breastfeeding.support/smoking-weed-while-breastfeeding/
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice. We recommend consulting with your healthcare provider for individualized guidance and recommendations based on your individual circumstances also in case of Vaping while breastfeeding in 2023.
Vaping while breastfeeding 2023 FAQs
Q: Can I vape while breastfeeding?
A: It is generally recommended to avoid vaping while breastfeeding due to potential risks to the baby’s health and development.
Q: Does vaping transfer nicotine to breast milk?
Answer: Yes, the nicotine from vaping can pass into breast milk, exposing the baby to this addictive substance.
Q: What are the potential risks of vaping while breastfeeding?
A: Vaping while breastfeeding can expose your baby to nicotine and other harmful substances that can affect their development, sleep patterns and overall health. It can also affect the amount and composition of milk.
Q: Can vaping affect my milk supply?
A: Vaping while breastfeeding can affect milk production, although the extent can vary between individuals. We recommend seeking help from a lactation consultant or healthcare provider if you have milk problems.
Q: Can vaping alter the taste or composition of breast milk?
A: Vaping while breastfeeding can change the taste of breast milk, which can potentially affect a baby’s desire to breastfeed. In addition, steaming can affect the composition of breast milk, but more research is needed in this area.
Q: Is secondhand vapor harmful to breastfed infants?
A: Used vapor from a vaporizer can expose breastfed babies to harmful substances. The long-term effects are not yet fully understood, but it is best to minimize exposure to them.
Q: Should I quit vaping if I am breastfeeding?
A: Evaporation is highly recommended during breastfeeding to protect your baby’s health and well-being. Nicotine replacement therapies and other smoking cessation strategies can be explored under the guidance of healthcare professionals.
Q: Can I use nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) while breastfeeding?
A: Nicotine replacement therapies, such as nicotine gum or patches, can be considered as an alternative to vaping while breastfeeding. However, it is important to ask your healthcare provider for individual advice and guidance.
Is it safe to vape while breastfeeding?
The results of a recent animal research point to the possibility that maternal nicotine exposure during nursing contributes to issues with the development of the skull and face. Although nicotine alone has received little attention, research on the effects of cigarettes has been widely conducted.
James Cray, PhD, associate professor of anatomy at The Ohio State University, who led the research team, said, “Unlike many other studies, we isolated the common constituent of cigarettes, vaping technologies, and many nicotine replacement therapies to specifically understand how nicotine by itself might alter development.
Our research indicates that moms who vape while nursing are probably exposing their children to nicotine, which may impair development in a manner similar to smoking.
Increased craniofacial abnormalities, such as craniosynostosis, a birth disorder when the bones of a baby’s skull fuse too early, have been associated with maternal exposure to nicotine. After mother nicotine exposure during pregnancy or lactation, the researchers measured the skull and facial bones in mouse offspring to better understand the timing of this exposure. This imaging technique is known as microCT.
Researchers discovered that defects in craniofacial development were linked to exposure only during breastfeeding, which is analogous to the period a mother would nurse her child.
Vaping while Breastfeeding 2023 Conclusion
Consequently, vaping during breastfeeding raises concerns about the potential transfer of harmful substances to the infant through breast milk. Nicotine and other toxic chemicals in e-cigarette vapor can have adverse effects on children’s development, sleep patterns, and overall health. Therefore, it is generally recommended for breastfeeding mothers to avoid vaping to protect the health of their babies.
Although research on the specific effects of vaping while breastfeeding is limited, current evidence suggests that the risks associated with exposing infants to nicotine and other toxins outweigh any perceived benefits of continuing to vape.
It is important for mothers to prioritize their baby’s health and make informed decisions in consultation with healthcare professionals regarding vaping while breastfeeding 2023.
For mothers who vape and breastfeed, open and honest communication with healthcare providers is important. Healthcare professionals can provide individualized guidance, support and resources to help mothers quit vaping and explore alternative nicotine replacement therapies if needed.
Exhaling steam during breastfeeding not only reduces potential harm to the baby but also supports the overall health and well-being of both mother and baby.
It is important to note that the information provided in this summary is for educational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice. Consultation with healthcare providers is recommended for individualized guidance and recommendations based on individual circumstances.
2 Comments
I don’t think the title of your article matches the content lol. Just kidding, mainly because I had some doubts after reading the article.
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/670067