Smoker mom to Breastfeed?

[mag_huiling]

Any mommies out there who are smokers and are breastfeeding? care to share your experience? will it harm babies?

[Cream]

I read one previous thread here about this issue. But I do not know how to attach the link, so maybe you can go to the last few pages, it is there.

I am a smoker too... After reading the replies from that thread that I read, I will smoke after I express out the breast milk. And I will not express breast milk within 90mins from my last cigarette.

I also worry that I will affect baby, but I really can't help it cos Im so stressed up from taking care of newborn (first time mummy)... I do feel guilty but I just cannot stop. My intake is about 5 cigarettes a day. You?

[stonston]

Cream, have you tried other activities instead of smoking? I've helped friends who are breastfeeding to stop smoking by engaging them in other activities so that they won't go and think about smoking.

Some of the activities:
baking (some of them r so good at it they set up small home biz to sell baked stuff)
sewing (they sew blankies n stuff for their own babies)
set up online shop
graphics (teach them how to use photoshop then they keep playing with it to make digital scrapbooks for their babies)

pls dont feel guilty, you dont know how to relax n vent out your stress. try some other activities you can do from home n will interest you
maybe you can make your own flashcards for your baby? or read some books to increase your knowledge?

[lis]

yea.. maybe you can chew on sweets wen you start to have the feeling to smoke again.. sweets like mentos.. those in the box..the green color one.. i used to do that.. then i quitted.. the main ting is your mind set.. if you set to quit.. i'm sure you can make it..!

[uddermummy]

babes, the nicotine from smoking can go into breast milk, and baby may be at higher risk of developing asthma.

You can still bf, but do smoke away from the baby and smoke outdoors, and like what cream is doing, smoke after not before bf and make sure there's a time lapse before bf or expressing.

yeah cream, totally understand your stress, being a first time mummy is mega stress! I dont't smoke but sometimes I wish i can drink myself silly to escape from the stress.

dont't know why pple think that just because we're women we're expected to know what to do with bbs. Eh, they dont't teach that in school and bbs dont't come with instruction manuals . :P

and maternal instincts means we love the baby, but doesn't mean we must automatically become fantastic mums!

[mag_huiling]

Originally Posted by Cream I read one previous thread here about this issue. But I do not know how to attach the link, so maybe you can go to the last few pages, it is there. I am a smoker too... After reading the replies from that thread that I read, I will smoke after I express out the breast milk. And I will not express breast milk within 90mins from my last cigarette. I also worry that I will affect baby, but I really can't help it cos Im so stressed up from taking care of newborn (first time mummy)... I do feel guilty but I just cannot stop. My intake is about 5 cigarettes a day. You?

can i know what is the title of the thread?

i heard about time interval after last cigg. but will it affect baby as breast milk might still have nicotine?

my intake of cigg is much higher than your. im a heavy smoker, about 1 pack a day. cant quit as temptations is too unresistable as husband,mother in law, everyone in the family smokes.

[Cream]

Gosh... I knew that I was gonna be bombarded... hahaha...

One thing for sure... I do not smoke near baby... I will smoke outside the house and after I smoke, I will brush my teeth and wash my hands and will not go near baby for as long as it allows me to... Even before I was pregnant, when I smoke outside, I will move away if anyone brings their baby near my seat or cross my path...

As for distractions, I do alot of other things at home now that I am still on maternity leave. I do alot of reading and yes, I use photoshop all the time... lol... but it still doesn't take my mind away from having to take a relaxing moment to smoke a couple of puffs. hehe...

I read in many breastfeeding articles that "if you really cannot quit smoking, dont't quit breastfeeding as well"... So I limit my intake and stick to the advise of the time lapse.

As for the other activities, I cannot bake for nuts and I have no time to do it... As for sewing? Haha... you won't want to see my sewing skills.

[uddermummy]

yup, it's true that it's better to bf even when you can't stop smoking as long as you observe certain precautions.

. i read that in bf books as well.

sayang. won't give you the 3rd deg cos being bfing and 1st time mum stressful enuf

[Cream]

lol.... I can go through the 3rd deg, no prob... because I will try all ways and means to defend myself, and give lots of stupid excuses...

[Cream]

I do not know how to attach the link but it is on page 12 under the thread breastfeeding & smoking

[isabelandrew]

Here is the link to the thread.
http://www.mummysg.com/forums/f72/breastfeeding-smoking-1703/

You can also refer to this website with more information on smoking and BF,
http://www.kellymom.com/health/lifestyle/smoking.html

[jean1986]

hey mummies ,during preg I didn't smoke @ all but now after 1mth of birth,I can't help it but start again. I smoked like 3 sticks ytd and as mention I express out 2hrs after my last. feel so guilty but I just can't help it!argh
any mummies facing the same prob?

[mag_huiling]

Originally Posted by jean1986 hey mummies ,during preg I didn't smoke @ all but now after 1mth of birth,I can't help it but start again. I smoked like 3 sticks ytd and as mention I express out 2hrs after my last. feel so guilty but I just can't help it!argh any mummies facing the same prob?

i smoked throughout... i gave an interval of 3hrs after my last stick. or tolerate all the way until after BF faster chiong go light up one cigg .. hahah...

[shi_san_yee]

i'm a smoker too, and i try to time my last stick before i pump also. i read that baby's sleep will be affected since half the nicotine is present in breastmilk even after 1.5 hours lapse, and it's quite true. My son sleeps for 15 mins and wakes up screaming, then stays awake for most part of the day, and only when i supplement his night feeds with formula then he sleeps for 3-4 hours straight. how to tahan?! i ended up getting engorged coz i tried to wait 3 hours instead (sometimes ending up 5 hours without pumping). Is 90 min truly sufficient? Esp if quitting is so difficult, what do you mummies do?

(I'm so gonna kena slammed) I had like 1 cigg during pregnancy and stopped fully nearing my third trimester.

[shi_san_yee]

one more thing. I read that it's best to still breastfeed even if the mother smokes, rather than giving formula. but if i smoke away from baby, disinfect my hands, change clothes, making sure baby doesn't get any trace of second hand smoke, BUT my breast milk still has half the trace of nicotine, then shouldn't it be better to give formula? yes? no?

[Ashbaby]

Why not try to quit smoking for the sake of baby. It benefit baby and you!

[maine78]

i smoke when i bf, giving 3/4hrs interval. that happen 3yrs back. Being a 1st time mum with nobody offering me any help with my newborn, plus my wound (natural birth) stitches did not dissolve and keeps getting infected with pus, if i did not smoke that time to calm a super depressed me, i'm probably in another world.

If you want to smoke, give a few hours interval before the next express/feed. Just a note, smoking will reduce your supply.

[shi_san_yee]

ya, now i try to tahan 2 - 3 hours before expressing. exactly, i'm on my own to handle my boy who is a very difficult baby... smoking does help me keep sane even tho i eventually would want to stop completely... but at this time, i sure as hell do not need to stress myself further