Breastfeeding?

[judylm]

I wanted to post this in the health forum, but since I'm new I guess I can't...anyways, I was a 10-15 cig a day smoker until I found out I was pregnant, then I quit, had probably half a cig twice when I was pregnant after I knew. My son is 13 months now and I am still breastfeeding him. Over these 13 months I have gradually started smoking occasionally again (I know, awful, please don't flame me I'm here trying to fix it!) sometimes it will be just a hit from my husband (who still smokes almost a pack a day) once or twice a day, often I'll have one cig myself, and occasionally it's worse than that. What I am wondering is if the warnings for all of the e-cigs are just because of the nicotine or for some other reason. We got one of the disposable 510's to try, and I've been a little afraid of it b/c the carts that came with it are 18mg I think. My hope is to use the lowest nicotine possible and then move as quickly as possible to none...I may even try none first, idk. But before doing any of that I just want to be sure that there aren't other risks while breastfeeding that I am unaware of, and that the consensus is that vaping with no nicotine would be safe while breastfeeding.

Thanks!

 

[Blink182peps]

I found this for you...

Smoking does affect breastfeeding. However cigarette smoking is not a contraindication for breastfeeding. So yes, you can smoke and breast feed. Women who smoke cigarettes have a significantly decreased amount of breast milk. Cigarette smoking inhibits the effects of prolactin (a hormone needed for breastfeeding). Research has found that women who smoke cigarettes have a 30-50% lower base level of prolactin during the first 21 days of breastfeeding. Research has also found that women who smoke wean their infants earlier. Also, infants of women who smoke have a higher incidence of colic. Nicotine is present in the breast milk of smoking women as well as the air the infant breaths. The amount of nicotine received by the baby depends on the number of cigarettes smoked, the amount of time between cigarettes and when the cigarette smoking occurs in relationship to a feeding. It is important to note that the infant will consume more nicotine from the air than from the breast milk. If you are smoking, do not smoke in the baby`s presence. If you are going to continue smoking while breast feeding try to smoke following a feeding, rather than right before a feeding. Children of parents who smoke in the home have a greater susceptibility to respiratory problems than children of nonsmokers. Second hand smoke is also related to increased incidence of otitis media (ear infections). If you are planning to breast feed do so. However, try to cut down on the number of cigarette you smoke.

goodluck

 

[jaded]

I would say go with 0nic as from what you describe doesn't sound like you have a nic addiction but more a longing for a previous activity you used to enjoy. With the 0 nic you would go through the motions and get a little break in. Might be good to get your husband to try out the one you got, maybe he will like it and switch hence taking away the temptation.

 

[Elendil]

Moved to health.

 

[Dragonclaws0554]

I just wanted to wish you the best of luck and commend you for trying to do what is best for you and for your baby.

I have 3 kids and quit smoking for each of them, gradually over 1-3 weeks though because cold turkey can actually be harmful to the baby/pregnancy because of withdrawls. I also gradually picked it up again after they were born because my husband still smoked. My only difference is because I don't produce much milk and had to jump through some MAJOR hoops to produce any at all I didn't get the chance to nurse beyond 7 months with one, 5 months with one, and not really at all with my first. I tried so hard. I think its great that you are still nursing your 13 month old, and I envy that you can

I can't give you advice on vaping as I am planning to order my first e-cig tomorrow. But I can say from one mom to another you are doing a great job at being proactive and 13months of breastfeeding is quite an accomplishment.

 

[jjujju]

there are all kinds of studies and info out there about smoking and breastfeeding, and about NRT and breastfeeding... obviously very little about e-cigs and BF.

i smoked about a pack a day from the time my 2nd daughter was 4 mo old until a month ago. About a year. She is almost 18 mo now and still nursing. I'm proud of my accomplishment in quitting smoking which has to be SO MUCH WORSE than just passing along SOME nicotine thru e-cigs. However...

My mom is pressing me to wean my daughter forcibly for reasons I feel have little to do with nicotine, but she is using the nicotine as her major excuse. Interesting to note, my mom still smokes, is trying to transition to e-cigs and having a harder time than I did, and SMOKES AROUND MY KIDS AND IN MY AND HER HOME.

I guess this is a partial vent as well as request for input on e-cigs and breastfeeding.

Not that I am PROUD to be addicted to nicotine while breastfeeding, but... I use very low mg/ml (between 0 and 10 mg/ml usually) and altho I'm a heavy vaper, I really don't feel that this concentration is more harmful than her even occasionally smoking around my kids. Please speak up if you have info about e-cigs and breastfeeding, even if it's just anecdotal evidence or personal experience.

While I would like to get to 0mg juice all the time, I'm not there YET and I really don't think that I should wean my daughter simply because she is getting some nicotine. I even found something saying she is getting less than 2% the concentration I am taking in (this was actually info pertaining to the patch). I have noticed no ill effects in my daughter, she is a happy bright wonderful girl. YES, it would probably be better for her to have NO nicotine at all... but please, telling me that breastfeeding her with a small amount of nicotine is WORSE than weaning her outright?!

I'm so frustrated with the ignorance. I guess I should tell you that we differ (mom and I) a LOT on parenting topics in general... and I'm sick of the ferocious stubbornness with which she inflicts her opinions on me.

 

[Lau517]

I'm so glad this topic has been bought up. I too have been wondering if there are any adverse effects to baby with the use of e-cigs. My baby is also 13 months and still nursing. I used to smoke and quit the day I found out I was pregnant with her. Even though it's been close to 2 yrs since I stopped, the urge lately to pick the habit back up has been intense. After my first-born, I did go back to smoking and wish I hadn't. This time I swore I'd never go back. I actually just got my 510 today and tried it out after reading so much on this site about whether or not e-cigs are dangerous. From what I've read I didn't feel like a horrible person for getting a PV and using it while BFing. I think my baby would be at more of a risk if I started smoking analogs again. IMO this was a much safer alternative. I just wish I had more concrete evidence to back it up. If anyone has any more info, I too would be very interested and grateful.

*** jjujju - don't let your mom tell you when to stop nursing your baby. That's for you to decide. I was having the same problem until I basically told my mom to .... OUT. It's my baby, not hers and WE will stop when we're ready.

 

[jjujju]

I'm so glad this topic has been bought up. I too have been wondering if there are any adverse effects to baby with the use of e-cigs. My baby is also 13 months and still nursing. I used to smoke and quit the day I found out I was pregnant with her. Even though it's been close to 2 yrs since I stopped, the urge lately to pick the habit back up has been intense. After my first-born, I did go back to smoking and wish I hadn't. This time I swore I'd never go back. I actually just got my 510 today and tried it out after reading so much on this site about whether or not e-cigs are dangerous. From what I've read I didn't feel like a horrible person for getting a PV and using it while BFing. I think my baby would be at more of a risk if I started smoking analogs again. IMO this was a much safer alternative. I just wish I had more concrete evidence to back it up. If anyone has any more info, I too would be very interested and grateful.

I'm glad you feel the same way. The way I see it, small amounts of nicotine are probably not much worse (if not the same) as caffeine, prescription meds, or all the other junk we put in our bodies daily with all the processed foods, preservatives, dyes, etc. I mean, there is just no escaping "contamination" in today's world. That doesn't mean, I feel, that as breastfeeding mothers we can just say "shoot it doesn't matter WHAT I do" but I strongly agree that vaping is WAY preferable to smoking and if vaping keeps you off analoges, YAY.

Vaping also helps keep me sane. As does caffeine. Breastfeeding is important. VERY important to me. AND to my children! There is no way I'm going to be convinced to stop because of something that has been shown to be only minorly (potentially) detrimental. I don't believe it's detrimental enough (nicotine I mean) to outweigh the benefits. And yet without my "drugs" (caffeine, nicotine, Prozac LOLZ) I wouldn't be anywhere near the capable parent I USUALLY am. There's just too much stress. (I don't mean that the parenting itself is my main stress, I mean other things in life, LOLZ.)

*** jjujju - don't let your mom tell you when to stop nursing your baby. That's for you to decide. I was having the same problem until I basically told my mom to .... OUT. It's my baby, not hers and WE will stop when we're ready.

Thanks for the support--agreed 100%!!! Most of the people in my life who have had stuff to say about my parenting choices (we are into unconditional parenting, NVC, ecological breastfeeding, and unschooling) have backed off since I have gently but firmly stated this is what WE are doing, I have backed myself up with my reasons/research, and admitted it's just ONE way of doing things, but it IS our way. However, mom is, I think, going through a lot of stress in her own life and I think she's targeting this stuff with me because it does bother her and with everything else that is going on she is just unable to keep quiet about what's bothering her. She is stubborn, bull-headed and persistent--JUST LIKE ME! I respect that, but I want respect for MY stubborn choices re: my kids, too!

Hmmm, getting off topic, eh? Oh well! I'll be keeping up on info/research about BF and nicotine/vaping for sure. Maybe we need a community for that.