Does vaping affect breast milk?

The Impact of Vaping on Breast Milk: What Mothers Need to Know
As vaping becomes increasingly popular, many new mothers are left wondering about its effects on breastfeeding and the quality of breast milk. While the consensus among health experts is that breastfeeding remains the best option for infants, the implications of vaping during this crucial period are complex and warrant careful consideration.
Vaping and Breastfeeding: The Basics
Mothers who use e-cigarettes can continue to breastfeed, but health authorities strongly encourage quitting nicotine altogether. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) emphasizes that while breastfeeding provides numerous health benefits, the presence of nicotine in breast milk can pose risks to infants. E-cigarettes, often perceived as a safer alternative to traditional smoking, still carry potential dangers, particularly due to the nicotine they contain.
Effects on Breast Milk
Research indicates that vaping does affect breast milk. Nicotine is secreted into breast milk, and its concentration can vary based on the timing of the last vape session relative to breastfeeding. For instance, it takes approximately 95 minutes for half of the nicotine to be eliminated from a mother’s system. Therefore, experts recommend that mothers who vape should ideally wait two to three hours after vaping before nursing to minimize nicotine exposure to their infants.
Moreover, while the act of vaping itself does not hinder a mother’s ability to breastfeed, it is likely to alter the composition of breast milk. Studies suggest that nicotine can have adverse effects on newborns, including potential developmental issues. This raises concerns about the long-term implications of nicotine exposure through breast milk.
The Healthier Choice: Continuing to Breastfeed
Despite the risks associated with vaping, experts agree that if a mother is unable to quit, continuing to breastfeed is preferable to stopping altogether. Breast milk offers essential nutrients and antibodies that are crucial for an infant’s development. The benefits of breastfeeding, including its protective effects against infections and diseases, often outweigh the potential risks posed by nicotine exposure, especially if mothers take precautions to limit that exposure.
Conclusion: A Balancing Act
In summary, while vaping does affect breast milk and poses certain risks to infants, the act of breastfeeding itself remains beneficial. Mothers who vape should be encouraged to quit for the health of both themselves and their babies. However, if quitting is not an option, strategic timing—such as waiting after vaping before breastfeeding—can help mitigate some of the risks associated with nicotine in breast milk. Ultimately, the decision should be made with careful consideration and, ideally, in consultation with healthcare professionals.

How long can I breastfeed my baby after vaping?

Limit your baby’s exposure
Nurse your baby before you smoke or vape, not after. This way your body will have more time to reduce the level of nicotine in your breastmilk. It takes about 1.5 hours after smoking for the nicotine level in your breastmilk to drop by 50%. Don’t smoke when you breastfeed or hold your baby.

Can I use a non-nicotine vape while breastfeeding?

E-cigarettes, vaping and breastfeeding
New mums are advised to use licensed NRT products for help with quitting smoking and staying smokefree. However, if you do choose to use an e-cigarette to help you stay smokefree, it’s still better to carry on breastfeeding as the benefits will outweigh any potential harm.

Can vaping affect breasts?

In summary, our results provide the first evidence that the E-cigs promote human breast cancer cell mobility in vitro and lung colonization in vivo. This is a significant contribution to our understanding of the risk of E-cigs to human health and warrants further studies on E-cigarette induced breast cancer metastasis.

What happens to a baby when the mother vapes?

Most electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) contain nicotine, which permanently damages a baby’s developing brain and many other organs.

Can you vape while on birth control?

As a general rule, people who are 35 years or older who smoke tobacco products or vape should not use birth control methods with estrogen.

How does nicotine in breast milk affect a baby?

Nicotine passes rapidly into your breast milk and affects how much milk you have. Nicotine in breast milk and passive smoking can give your baby chest infections, vomiting, diarrhoea and irritability. Avoid smoking for half an hour before you breastfeed.

At what stage of pregnancy does smoking affect the baby?

Maternal cigarette smoking during either the first or the second trimester of pregnancy, even as low as 1–2 cigarettes per day, was associated with increased risks of preterm birth.

How long until nicotine is out of your breast milk?

If you smoke:
Wait until after a breastfeed. Nicotine levels in your breastmilk are halved about 97 minutes after a cigarette. The longer the time between smoking and the next breastfeed, the less nicotine your baby will be exposed to through your breastmilk.

What does nicotine do to a growing baby?

Smoking slows your baby’s growth before birth. Your baby may be born too early (premature birth). Premature babies often have health problems. Smoking can damage your baby’s developing lungs and brain.

Is vaping worse than smoking while breastfeeding?

E-cigarettes, vaping and breastfeeding
While using an e-cigarette (vaping) is a lot safer than smoking, it is not completely risk free. As well as nicotine, e-cigarette liquid and vapour can contain toxic substances, although these are mostly at much lower levels than in cigarette smoke.