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Breast Feeding

1 beer & 2 cigarettes

04/03/2007

Question:

Would consuming 1 beer and 2 cigarettes in 24 hours affect my baby since I breastfeed. Baby is not exposed to the smoke while being consumed. Both consumed after feeding.

Answer:

If this is daily, it is not recommended.

However, it is not a reason to stop breastfeeding.

The benefits of breastfeeding still far outweigh the small risk of these very low exposures.

Alcohol leaves your system in 2-4 hours.

Nicotine and cotinine enter milk but these small amounts are not likely to be detrimental to the baby.

Breastfeeding is even more important when a mother smokes, because breast milk protects the baby against the respiratory problems brought on by exposure to smoking adults.

Thanks for asking, and congratulations on your decision to breastfeed your baby.

For more information:

Go to the Breast Feeding health topic, where you can:

Response by:

Jeanne L Ballard, MD, FAAP, FABM Jeanne L Ballard, MD, FAAP, FABM
Professor Emeritus, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology
College of Medicine
University of Cincinnati