E-cigs and my BABY!!!??

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MuddyBears

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May 24, 2010
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Hi, I recently purchased an e-cig and am trying to quit smoking, but what i'm wondering is, my wife is still breastfeeding our 3 month old baby girl, would it be safe for her to use e-cigs? Also, is it safe to use e-cigs around my baby or should I keep going outside? Thanks!!
I'm assuming that it would not be a good idea for your wife to use because of the nicotine.. I'm not sure if the PG/VG and flavoring would affect the baby or not. If i were you to be on the safe side, I would keep going outside or vape in a room that the baby isn't.. It's just that these e-cigs are relatively new and nothing about the health effects have technically proven.
 

Caddyman

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i wouldn't be giving the baby shotguns, i would try to refrain from vaping in her bedroom, or while playing with or holding her but i think if you are more then 10' away from her go for it.

in reality it probably doesn't matter at all, but i would feel weird holding my baby and crushing some atomic cinnacide at the same time....lol

you are doing the right thing in quitting, my kids are 7 and 3 and i just quit. of course smoking analogs though i was outside at all times.
 

Caddyman

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totally agree, my mom smoked in the house and car when i was little and never batted an eye. i didnt really care either and also never had ill effects from it.

imo it is more of a courtesy thing then anything else. there is also some evidence i believe that second hand smoke can help bring on asthma and the like around young kids.

http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/Second-Hand-Smoke-and-Children.cfm
 

msroulette

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I would say to be totally safe, no vaping nicotine for a nursing mom. A bit hypocritical of me, as I smoked during pregnancy and after birth...having a 9lb 4oz baby, I can attest that smoking did not contribute to low birth-weight (I know sick humor, please don't blast me for it).

Knowing now what I do, I wish I had never started smoking, but I can't take back the past, I can only move toward a better, brighter future. I have apologized to my teenagers for making them smell that nasty ashtray smell all their lives! I wish e-cigs had come along BEFORE my oldest started smoking, but my 17 year old is still smoke free (YAY)

Even though vaping is safer than cigarettes, I still do not use my PV around children...I am of the mindset that it still LOOKS like smoking, and I don't want to set that example for little ones anymore.
 

Safira

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Is the mom smoking real cig's while breastfeeding? (not trying to flame here) If she is then the baby is already getting nicotine and switching to e-cigs would be better for baby. If she isn't smoking at all right now then if she can stay way from it while breastfeeding all the better. (I know 1st hand X3 how hard that really is) If she really needs that hand mouth thing no-nic juice would be better, and it might help mom feel more like she part of the adults again.
 

jj2

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Even though vaping is safer than cigarettes, I still do not use my PV around children...I am of the mindset that it still LOOKS like smoking, and I don't want to set that example for little ones anymore.


We think a like.:)

Mom can vape, but, since what mom intakes, baby intakes, only if it's nicotine free.
 

Richie G

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Is the mom smoking real cig's while breastfeeding? (not trying to flame here) If she is then the baby is already getting nicotine and switching to e-cigs would be better for baby. If she isn't smoking at all right now then if she can stay way from it while breastfeeding all the better. (I know 1st hand X3 how hard that really is) If she really needs that hand mouth thing no-nic juice would be better, and it might help mom feel more like she part of the adults again.

This is the best answer.

Btw, there's no crime in consulting with the pediatrician. The more doctors are alerted to this, the more research they will be forced to do and potentially more of them on OUR side.

That aside, Safira's advice is spot on.

I would be a little concerned about even using no-nic. PG and/or VG are both humectants. I would think that might be an issue with the quantity of mother's milk produced. Bottom line -- ask the docs.
 

Zenfrogs

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This is the best answer.


That aside, Safira's advice is spot on.

I would be a little concerned about even using no-nic. PG and/or VG are both humectants. I would think that might be an issue with the quantity of mother's milk produced. Bottom line -- ask the docs.

+1
If she does opt to use a little no nic or low nic I would have her keep an eye on her milk production. That would be at the top of my concerns. If she has nursed exclusively for several months she should have a good handle on how often she is nursing etc and how often her body needs to nurse the baby to avoid discomfort. if she notices a sudden change then it would need to be addressed and of course the longer she can nurse successfully the better for the baby and the mother. I would be very curious to hear the outcome of this and good luck to you!
 

nesf

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Jul 5, 2010
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Hi, I recently purchased an e-cig and am trying to quit smoking, but what i'm wondering is, my wife is still breastfeeding our 3 month old baby girl, would it be safe for her to use e-cigs? Also, is it safe to use e-cigs around my baby or should I keep going outside? Thanks!!

I vape around my 6 month old daughter with a clear conscience. I smoked outdoors for the past 5 years, but after reading up on the toxicology reports about second hand vapour I was reassured that there was nothing in it that should prove dangerous in small concentrations to my child. Just make sure you keep all the vials of nicotine and cartridges are well out of her reach, they're by far the biggest threat and seem to prove irresistible to my kid, she's constantly trying to grab them to give a good gumming..
 

glowgirl

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My doctor told me that after I have a cigarette it takes a hour to clear out of my blood stream so I should not have a cigarette a hour before nursing. I would think the same would apply to vaping but ask your doctor. Nicotine, unlike some other things, can get into the breast mild directly after inhalation. Ask you doctor. And wash your hands before handling the baby too in case you have any juice on them.
 

JME

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May 30, 2010
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As long as you're not very close to or holding your baby and vaping or blowing it at
baby.. I think you'll be fine..

I've been nursing for 15 months and am very involved in a breastfeeding advice board..

If your wife can avoid vaping, probably best, but if she thinks she's going to start
smoking or already has.. I'd say try vaping no-nic VG only (or low PG) liquid. And if that doesn't work, I actually WOULD vape and nurse. It's better than smoking cigarettes, and it's usually healthier to nurse a child than to give formula.. even if mom is smoking real cigarettes - if that gives you a clue as to how important/protective nursing is.

I would say, though, based on research into nicotine use and lactation, it's safe to say you should wait about 2 hours after smoking/using nicotine to nurse. NRT is much safer than smoking and decreases amount of nicotine in milk to negligible if she waits 1.5 - a couple hours to nurse. If done very sparingly, and waiting a time before nursing, this would very, very likely have nill effect.

I would say, in general for a nursing mom, if she is going to, I would wait to start vaping
or smoking cigs until the child is at least a year old.. when danger of SIDS is gone (smoking), nursing frequency is a lot lower, child reliably naps, and you can very safely bet the child will sleep/not nurse for at least a few hours in a row at night. Also know that nicotine can inhibit let-down and lower milk supply because it lowers serum prolactin (this is directly related to how much nicotine is used). So, starting/keeping smoking cigs or vaping nicotine, especially higher amounts in the months where baby is
very dependent on breast milk for nutrition (ie: the first 6 months especially on into the
first year of life before solids take a more leading role in nutrition) could prove
problematic. I started smoking (very sparingly) again at about a year and I didn't have any issues with let-downs or supply, or my son's weight gain etc or growth etc.. of course I always waited/wait a couple hours after smoking/vaping to nurse and have a very well established nursing relationship and very efficient nurser..

There is no info about PG/VG in nursing and humans, only nicotine. HOWEVER.. I can postulate about them.

Since PG is converted to lactic acid, I would think it could theoretically increase lactic acid levels, which, after a short period doesn't affect anything with nursing, so really shouldn't matter. It could theoretically decrease breast acceptance for a little while or so because high lactic acid content tends to make milk taste slightly different. PG, however, is not recommended for use in other lactating animals in any of the recently performed studies I've read because it changes the composition of breast milk in a much more negative way (taking away macro and micro nutrients as well as fat) than VG does, and doesn't provide any benefits. So I'd obviously avoid PG use in the first year if possible or vape very sparingly or use lower PG content juice.

VG is a common ingredient in OTC herbs used to increase milk supply used by thousands of women each year and normally their babies do not react poorly to it (and probably are reacting to the herbs if they do react poorly, and is very reversible - just stop taking it), it is often in in other vitamins, runners drink it before runs, it's in gripe water that infants themselves directly ingest, expectorants, suppositories, and oil supplements that are used by nursing mothers and taken without ill effect.

VG is also fed purposely to lactating cows and sows to treat hypoglycemia and according to recent studies - incorrectly to prevent ketosis without ill effect ( but it can decrease fat ratio in the milk when fed a good bit of it. So it theoretically could decrease fat ration in the human milk, too)..

I would think - VG is probably in the "safish" range if used in higher amounts, low usage would probably provide it the "safe" category, but I wouldn't use it in the first year when milk fat ratio and milk content is much more important. At least..it is still safer than higher use of PG and a lot safer than smoking cigarettes in lactation. And I'm positive it's all safer than using formula.. as breast milk is -extremely- protective, even when it's not 100% up to par, and there is nothing inherently -toxic- about VG or PG, it may just alter the breast milk a tad and negligible with very sparing use, does not pass directly through other animals breast milk (undetectable) and that's at high ingestion - I would think very low doses, like with vaping sparingly, would have null effect.

I would only use U.S. suppliers who are not likely to use in superior VG or make own liquid. I would only vape past the first year, but I would vape low content PG or just VG liquid before smoking cigarettes while lactating. The amount of nicotine passed would be negligible if she waits a time to nurse. (Ie: nurse baby, vape, wait 1.5 hours to nurse.. Don't vape nicotine containing juice during growth spurts or teething when baby will nurse constantly)

These are just my postulations on the topic. I am not a scientist, IBCLC, or doctor. I would not do / do anything based upon what I'm saying.

(I cannot post links.. I'll have to post a message after this one.. then my links.. lol)

Have a nice day! :)
 
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