Smoking & breastfeeding is it bad?

Question

is smoking cigareets like 1nce or 2wice a day bad to the baby

Answer 1

Smoking cigarettes is bad for your baby. But if you do smoke, it is healthier for your baby to be breastfed than to get formula. If you can possibly stop or cut down even further, then do so. Otherwise, be sure to only smoke outdoors (away from windows) to minimize baby's exposure to the smoke. She/he will get some nicotine through your milk, but it is not as big a risk to her/his health as giving formula.

Answer 2

Well congrats on having a baby! I have about this in a book when I was breast feeding. It said that the nicotine is in the breast milk when you smoke. You can however smoke right after the feeding then wait 2-3 hrs before feeding again. Your baby will still get nicotine, but not alot. Also if you start to smoke while breast feeding, it may cause you to dry up completely, or you may not be able to produce enough to keep up with your baby's feedings. I think that you should Just wait to be on the sage side. If it is bad for babies to be around smoke even outside, then it must be harmful for them to be eating it!! If you are having a hard time with this I would just switch to formula! Good Luck

Answer 3

Everyone knows smoking is harmful, but far more harmful is a stressed out mother whose stress the baby will pick up on. If you need to smoke, do it. I'll probably get called allsorts for giving you this advice, but we're talking a couple of cigarettes here, not a couple of packets. I smoked both whilst pregnant and breastfeeding both my girls and I still smoke now. My kids don't have asthma or any other health problems relating to cigarette smoke. What they do have is a calm relaxed mother who is always on hand for any problem. Crikey, smoking's smoking - it does not in any way affect your ability to care for your child. Just think about the amount of drug users left to "care" for children, suddenly you won't feel so bad. If you're calm and relaxed as a mother, it makes for a happier baby. Good luck.

Answer 4

The IDEAL situation would be for you to stop smoking.

If you simply can't quit, it is better for you to smoke and breastfeed than to smoke and bottlefeed. Some of the benefits of breastfeeding may help to counter the bad effects from smoking.

Avoid smoking around the baby - go outside to smoke and have a "smoking sweater" that you put over your other clothes.

You should know that smoking can lower milk production and interfere with your letdown reflex.

Answer 5

It's not good but if you smoked while you were pregnant your baby has already formed an addiction that breastfeeding will continue to satisfy. If you bottlefeed and don't smoke around the baby he/she will go through withdraw. The best thing for both of you would be to breastfeed and quit smoking, I know easier said than done but you are so close.

Answer 6

can't be good for the baby...
you should try and quit


here's something I've found helpful :

take a small jar (like a baby-food jar!) and dump the contents of an ashtray into it, butts and all - then add a little water, seal and shake!

next time you crave a smoke - open the jar and take a good whiff - you are then reminded just how gross cigarettes are, but you also get a nic-fix..

..worked for me!

PS

there is more going on with cigarettes than just smoke - benzene, formaldyhyde, nicotine and other chemicals are all in your bloodstream - and therefore your breastmilk - and therefore your baby!

Answer 7

Dont smoke anywhere near your baby.
Cut back on smoking. There are additives and all kinds of garbage you dont want your baby to consume in cigarettes.
When you breastfeed, the baby gets what you get. That includes nicotine and other harmful addictive add ins.

Smoking has also been shown to contribute to ear-infections, asthma, and other related problems in young children.

I'm a smoker with young children and a newborn, but they'll never even smell smoke on me.

Answer 8

You shouldn't let you're kid smoke, let alone at the dinner table. And have you considered that your kid probably doesn't have fine motor skills? There's no way you're getting through that meal without a cigarette burn somewhere. Your kid will have plenty of time to smoke later, like when they go to school at age 5. Right now, I'd make it quit. The risks are just too great.

Answer 9

Smoking around a baby is bad.

Answer 10

It's not a great idea..however, it is better for you to smoke and breastfeed than to formula feed...I would suggest that if you HAVE to smoke that you do not do it around the baby (the baby could get second hand smoke) and that you wash your hands thoroughly afterward, before handling the child. and if you could, changing clothes would be great to, as smoke tends to linger in clothes.