California Dental on Smoking While Breastfeeding
Risks of Breastfeeding and Smoking
Heavy smoking can reduce milk supply. A study on breastfeeding and smoking states that cigarette smoking significantly reduces breast milk production. On rare occasions, cigarette smoke has caused symptoms in the breastfeeding baby, such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea. Smoking has been linked to early weaning and can stop or inhibit the milk let-down reflex. Smoking can cause fussiness and colic. Nicotine levels in the breastfeeding mother’s blood and milk can increase and decrease over time. It takes 95 minutes for half of the nicotine to be eliminated from the body, otherwise known as the half-life. Breastfeeding mothers should avoid smoking just before nursing and should never smoke while feeding their babies.