is it bad to smoke and breast feed?

Question

I was walking by like five people smoking and I inhaled alot of smoke and I breast feed is that bad 4 my baby?

Answer 1

It's better to not smoke or be around smoke if possible.....

BUT it *IS* still safe for a mother to smoke and breastfeed. It's actually BETTER if you breastfeed if you're a smoker because BF counters some of the bad effects

http://www.kellymom.com/health/lifestyle/smoking.html

If all you did is walk past some smokers, don't worry.

Answer 2

I would try to stay away from areas where you are exposed to second hand smoke, but I don't think the incident you just experienced will harm your baby in any way. Back in the old days, before people knew how harmful smoking was, my mother smoked two packs a day when she was pregnant. And I am a very healthy person today, at age 49!

Answer 3

It's definitely bad for your baby if you are smoking or if someone in the house is smoking. However, getting one or two breaths of cigarette smoke while walking outside is not going to harm your baby. That being said, I always held my breath when I walked past the "smokers" by the door at work to avoid inhaling it since I was pregnant or breastfeeding at the time.

Answer 4

Smoking and breastfeeding is bad, but not nearly as bad as smoking and formula feeding. If you just walked by some people smoking I wouldn't worry too much, although I would try to keep yourself and your baby away from smoking. Occasionally being around smoking is, unfortunately, probably unavoidable, but avoid it whenever you can.

Breastfeeding is preferable to formula feeding unless you smoke more than 2 packs of cigarettes per day.

Answer 5

If 'you' smoke, its bad for your baby, because you will be transferring nicotine in to the baby's system, through the breast milk, and if you smoked during pregnancy, you may have addicted the poor child!! But, he/she will be weaned off as soon as you "birthed" the child...

Dont bother going around those that smoke... Second hand smoke is just as dangerous as first hand, because most of the carcinogens are not absorbed into the "smokers" body, its simply exhailed out and into your lungs when you breathe it in...

Occasional inhalation wont hurt...much, but, dont make it a habit to inhale a lot of smoke!

I wish you well...

Jesse

Answer 6

It's probably better than what we inhale when we clean the bathroom. Smoking mothers should breastfeed. The milk helps her baby overcome some of the health setbacks involved in living with a smoker. Don't worry, and kudos for breastfeeding!

Answer 7

There's a big difference between you getting a lungful (or 5) and you smoking a pack a day yourself.

They suggest that smoking mothers not breastfeed, though women who only smoke a cigarette or two a day (and promise their doctors that they're working on quitting) can sometimes get their Doctor's OK to breastfeed.

It's wonderful that you're so concerned about things like that, but in this case at least, no worries, you can breastfeed all you want to and your baby won't suffer even one little bit!

Answer 8

There are lots of pollutants in the air. Unless you go sit in a smoke-filled bar for a night, you should be fine. And thats more for your health than baby. If you were the one smoking, then yes, because the nicotene will end up in the milk, then baby will be addicted too. But just walking by someone, dont worry!

Answer 9

No it is not bad for the baby, if it is the first time only.
But if the same process continues for prolonged periods it may have an abnormal effect on your baby.
Breast feeding and smoking together is not advocated for healthy upbringing of the babies.

Answer 10

There's a difference between walking through smoke and smoking... if you walk through it, everything will be fine. If you are sitting in the smoking section, to be surprised if baby doesn't feel good after the next meal, if you smoke, don't be surprised if baby has nicotine withdraw.