Can you smoke while breastfeeding

Smoking, we all know, is a super bad habit that causes multiple health issues for both the smoker and anyone around the smoker. Many women are able to quit smoking during pregnancy, only to pick up the habit again after their baby is born. This in itself can cause problems, especially if you smoke around your baby. However, if you're breastfeeding, smoking can cause a special set of problems. The Mayo Clinic reports that smoking can...

• Reduce your milk supply.
• Change the taste of your breast milk due to the nicotine, which may make your baby a fussy eater.
• Affect your baby's sleep patterns - also due to nicotine.

Most experts agree that smoking is not cool; BUT they also agree that it's better to smoke and breastfeed then to not breastfeed at all, as long as you follow these tips: Never smoke during a feeding or even if you're around your baby - this is highly dangerous and can make your baby more likely to develop breathing problems, asthma, or even put your baby at a higher risk for death from SIDS. Try to smoke a couple of hours before you breastfeed, not right before. Try to quit. Talk to your doctor to get tips about how you can quit. You can quit, even when you're dealing with the stress of raising a newborn. Plenty of women have quit, and so can you. Also see: Smoking marijuana while breastfeeding