Smoking and breastfeeding: what you need to know

Smoking may have several effects during breastfeeding: it could reduce breast milk production, affect the let-down reflex, and alter the taste of the milk.

Nicotine may reduce the production of prolactin, the hormone that triggers milk production, and could disrupt the let-down reflex during adrenaline surges. Babies of mothers who smoke often have more difficulty latching and feeding. Research also shows that women who smoke tend to wean their baby earlier on average. If needed, you can turn to a breastfeeding-compatible food supplement to support your milk supply. 

The taste of breast milk may also be altered in women who continue to smoke, which could be unsettling for some babies.

A breastfed baby receives the effects of tobacco through breast milk and smoke.

During the months of breastfeeding, nicotine passes into your milk and your baby consumes it — in the same way you do. The effects on their health depend on the level of nicotine, which itself depends on how many cigarettes you smoke and the time elapsed between your last cigarette and the feed. Beyond ten cigarettes a day, the risks for your baby are numerous: vomiting, diarrhoea, drowsiness, agitation, abdominal pain… In addition, the risk of colic is higher in babies of mothers who smoke.

It is also very important to be mindful of passive smoking — fumes are equally toxic, if not more so, and can lead to ENT or respiratory conditions.

Of course, the best approach is to avoid smoking for the entire duration of breastfeeding! You can use nicotine replacement products (such as gum or patches), which are not incompatible with breastfeeding and help at least to protect your baby from the toxic substances in cigarette smoke.

If you are unable to stop smoking completely during breastfeeding, try to limit yourself to a few cigarettes a day (fewer than five) and follow these tips so that your baby can benefit from the benefits of breastfeeding :

•  Do not smoke before or during a feed, but instead have a cigarette just after,
•  Leave a gap of two hours between a cigarette and the next feed,
•  Do not smoke in the same room as the baby and make sure to air the room afterwards,
•  Avoid vegetables that contain nicotine (aubergine, cauliflower, green tomato) to keep the level of nicotine present in breast milk as low as possible.

It is best to stop smoking during pregnancy and breastfeeding. For your baby's health, but also your own! Tobacco is also harmful to the mother — think of respiratory problems and more!

If, however, you wish to smoke a cigarette occasionally while continuing to breastfeed, do so right after a feed, in a different room from your baby, and wait at least two hours before the next one.

Don't forget passive smoking — whether during your pregnancy or while breastfeeding, take care of yourself and those around you! Make sure to ask them not to smoke near your baby!

If you have any concerns or questions about smoking and breastfeeding, don't hesitate to speak to a healthcare professional.

On the same topic, find our article on alcohol and breastfeeding.