Smoking, Vaping, and Breastfeeding

Parents that smoke tobacco products or use e-cigarettes or vapes can unintentionally put their babies and children at risk.

Quitting smoking is an important thing to do for your health and the health of your baby. Even if you find it hard to quit, it is important to keep breastfeeding.

Cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco and e-cigarettes or vapes contain nicotine and other harmful chemicals. These chemicals may pass into breast milk, so the safest choice is to not smoke or vape at all.  However, parents who do use these products can reduce the risks by continuing to breastfeed their baby. Breastfeeding provides numerous health benefits. Breast milk remains the recommended food for infants and young children.

Risks to the baby from nicotine and other chemicals:

• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
• Lung diseases such as bronchitis, pneumonia and impaired lung function.
• Ear infections.

Risks to the breastfeeding parent:

• Nicotine can reduce the hormones that make milk and can lead to poor milk supply and less breastfeeding time.
• Peppermint oil in some vaping products may reduce milk supply.

How caregivers can reduce the risk to the baby:

• Talk with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist for information about ways to cut back or quit smoking/vaping.
• Call the Smokers’ Helpline at 1-800-363-5864 to find out how they can help.
• Only smoke/vape outside, including outside your home and/or car.
• Wash your hands, brush your teeth and change the outer layer of your clothes after smoking/vaping.
• Breastfeed your baby first and smoke/vape immediately after. If possible, wait 2-3 hours before breastfeeding again because it takes 95 minutes (about one and a half hours) for half of the nicotine in your system to leave your body. Breastfeed your baby in that 2 – 3-hour window if they wake to feed or show signs that they are hungry.
• Learn about safe sleep practices for your infant by clicking here.

• Contact your Public Health Nurse:
  • Eastern Urban/Rural Zones
  • Central Zone
  • Western Zone
  • Labrador-Grenfell Zone
• 811 HealthLine (Newfoundland & Labrador) – Call 811 or 1-888-709-2929 / TTY 1-888-709-3555
• Newfoundland and Labrador Smokers’ Helpline – 1-800-363-5864