Second-hand smoke and nursing

[Anonymous]

I am BFing right now and a non-smoker. I know that the chemicals in cigarettes will go to my nursing baby if I smoke, but what about second-hand smoke? Would I put my nursing baby in harm to be around smokers?

[Anonymous]

Yes, you will be harming your baby. Second-hand smoke is one cause of SIDS.

[Anonymous]

I think the question is whether the mom is around second-hand smoke, not the baby. So if the mom is a waitress, does the second-hand smoke that she breathes in have an impact on the milk that she produces for her baby? I don't have an answer, but I think this may have been the intent of the mom's question.

[Anonymous]

There's a lot out there if you just google second hand smoke and breast milk. Like this:

Breast Milk and Smoke

June 13, 1998

Mothers who go into the next room, or outside to smoke a cigarette may not be doing enough to protect their babies because the smoke also shows up in breast milk. A study published in the American Journal of Public Health found that even secondhand smoke can show up in mother's milk, and later in baby's urine. In fact, babies may get more secondhand smoke from breast milk than by breathing secondhand smoke, said Dr. Maria Mascola at Massachusetts General Hospital.

San Mateo County Times, Page NEWS-2

[Anonymous]

It depends upon how much time you are exposed to second hand smoke. if it is significant (hours), then yes. You can approximate the exposure by looking at studies of second hand smoke. They will talk about choline levels vs. time and compare that to direct smoking.

[Anonymous]

OP here, sorry for the confusion. I am wondering if I am around second-hand smoke (not my baby) does it show up in my milk? So my concern is similar to the waitress that is around smoke for a full work day for several days in a row, then goes home to nurse.