smoking while progo?

Question

How bad is it to smoke a little weed while pregnant?

Answer 1

A little? Not very.

"Dozens of studies have compared the newborn babies of women who used marijuana during pregnancy with the babies of women who did not. Mainly, they have looked for differences in birth weight, birth length, head circumference, chest circumference, gestational age, neurological development, and physical abnormalities. Most of these studies, including the largest study to date with a sample of over twelve thousand women,9 have found no differences between babies exposed to marijuana prenatally and babies not exposed.10 Given the large number of studies and the large number of measures, some differences are likely to occur by chance. Indeed, researchers have found differences in both directions. In some studies, the babies of marijuana users appear healthier and hardier.11 In others, researchers have found more adverse outcomes in the babies of marijuana users.12

When adverse outcomes are found, they are inconsistent from one study to another, always relatively minor, and appear to have no impact on infant health or mortality.13 For example, in one recent study, researchers reported a statistically significant effect of marijuana on birth length. The marijuana-exposed babies, on average, were less than two-tenths of one inch shorter than babies not exposed to marijuana.14 Another study found a negative effect of marijuana on birth weight, but only for White women in the sample.15 In a third study, marijuana exposure had no effect on birth weight, but a small negative effect on gestational age.16 Overall, this research indicates no adverse effect of prenatal marijuana exposure on the physical health of newborns."

http://www.mothering.com/articles/pregnancy_birth/birth_preparation/marijuana-side4.html

"Setting. Rural Jamaica in heavy-marijuana-using population.

Participants. Twenty-four Jamaican neonates exposed to marijuana prenatally and 20 nonexposed neonates.

Measurements and main results. Exposed and nonexposed neonates were compared at 3 days and 1 month old, using the Brazelton Neonatal Assessment Scale, including supplementary items to capture possible subtle effects. There were no significant differences between exposed and nonexposed neonates on day 3. At 1 month, the exposed neonates showed better physiological stability and required less examiner facilitation to reach organized states. The neonates of heavy-marijuana-using mothers had better scores on autonomic stability, quality of alertness, irritability, and self-regulation and were judged to be more rewarding for caregivers."

http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/medical/can-babies.htm

Really, I think the worst outcome of pot during pregnancy is silly baby names.

I had a good laugh at "good mothers don't even take drugs like tylenol while pregnant unless their doctor tells them too, but if you want to be one of those piece of crap mothers..."

Right. All babies want mums who can't think for themselves, and who're sanctimonious nut-jobs. I like the "unless their doctor tells them to" part. Blindly obeying authority is _critical_ in pregnancy! Thalidomide and episotomies were great ideas; yay obstetricians! Kee-rist...

Re. telling Canadian women to smoke it for nausea: I'm Canadian, and haven't been told to find myself a doobie, but, then, my nausea isn't that bad. I have a hard time believing that a midwife here would freak out if I took a toke before brushing my teeth so I could do it without retching, though.

Keep in mind how many of these things are dose-dependent. If "a little" is really a little, don't worry.

The drugs-are-bad-mm'kay brigade is a relatively recent invention. What do you think women did for nausea before everyone was happy to sell you a pill?

Answer 2

It is better for the baby to be breastfed, whether the mother is a smoker or not. Breast milk is such a higher quality that even with trace amounts of nicotine in the milk, it is still more nutritious than formula. You didn't say how heavy she smokes, but if she can keep it under 20 cigarettes a day, the baby will not be affected at all. Contrary to popular opinion, the baby will not get hooked on nicotine from the breast milk unless the mother is an extremely heavy smoker, and even then it is unlikely, although possible. There are only trace amounts found in milk right after a mother smokes, 90 minutes later there will be nothing in the milk. It's just like drinking alcohol while breastfeeding, it's perfectly acceptable as long as you time it right with the baby's feedings. You can go to the AAP website and read all about this, it even states that forcing a mother to give up alcohol and smoking while breastfeeding is placing unnecessary demands on her. Hopefully your sister at least will do a heavy cleaning( clean carpets and curtains etc..) and not smoke in the house after the baby is born. Secondhand smoke is FAR more dangerous than breastfeeding. If she can't quit smoking altogether, at least she could compromise and step outside for the baby's sake and wash up before handling the baby.

Answer 3

The dangers of pot during pregnancy are mostly related to the different pesticides used in the growing process or what other drugs or chemicals can be found w/in it. It would be much safer to smoke weed that you grow than just buying it on the street (not that I am condoning this.......)

Answer 4

Ask your doctor. And if you don't have the guts to do that are you really mature enough to be having a baby?
Do a little research. Drugs, even legal ones, can cause all kinds of problems with babies.

Answer 5

in some countries like in canada they tell women to smoke a little bit of pot in their first tri-mester to help with morning sickness! but on a regular basis i wouldnt do it! i used to be a pot head my self! and ill admit it i smoked pot during my pregnancy! but very rarely! and my baby is fine! but i wouldnt reccomend it...just to be on the safe side!

Answer 6

It can cause some problems with brain development and other things as well.

If you are doing it, stop immediately. You want your baby to be healthy :-)

Answer 7

how about having who's missing arm, or someone who is bad in school and will end up in working at a retail store for the rest of their live..depending on how little really is little, they might even take parental rights away from you...

Answer 8

It's asking for a criminal charge of endangerment. Why would you be so selfish to hurt a baby....

Answer 9

good mothers don't even take drugs like tylenol while pregnant unless their doctor tells them too, but if you want to be one of those piece of crap mothers who don't give a damn about anyone but themselves go ahead and smoke some weed. Just support your own retard because there are better uses for my tax dollars.

Answer 10

It might make the baby really hungry.