Is It Okay To Smoke Weed While Breastfeeding?

With the legalization of marijuana slowly spreading across the country, there's no denying the stigma surrounding the drug is slowly dissipating. As such, more and more questions are arising as to the appropriate time and place to bust out a joint. And those looming questions apply to everyone, including moms and moms-to-be. After all, if some experts now say it's acceptable to have the occasional glass of wine while pregnant and breastfeeding, does the same go for marijuana?

Picture: Broadly

In short: no. While there isn’t much data to show how many nursing moms are also smoking weed, there is research to show that pregnant women are smoking weed in growing numbers. In a self-reported research letter newly published in JAMA, the rate of pot-smoking pregnant moms increased from 2.4 to 3.9 percent between 2002 to 2014. (It’s important to note that the data relied on women reporting their own use—so in reality, the numbers may be even higher.) The study notes that this can be problematic as prenatal marijuana may impair fetal growth and neurodevelopment. Plus, these women are likely continuing their habit post-pregnancy, says Lauren Jansson, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of medicine who specializes in drug abuse research.

Another factor: It’s less likely that women are simply picking up a recreational weed habit postpartum, or getting high on a one-off basis with their baby by their side. Rather, there may be a dependency issue at play. “One in five women using marijuana during pregnancy are likely to have cannabis-use disorder,” she adds, which is clinically defined as a problematic pattern of cannabis use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress. That may be associated with higher instances of psychiatric issues, too, which can further compromise a mom’s ability to care for baby. 

From Joint to Breastmilk