Nowadays, you’ll see all types of people using marijuana for a range of reasons. From college students looking for something to relieve anxiety to senior citizens looking to treat chronic pain, marijuana can help people of all backgrounds. However, there are some cases where you should avoid it. For instance, moms might wonder, is it bad to smoke marijuana while you breastfeed?
Although marijuana is safe and healthy when used in moderation, you’ll need to think twice about using it when you have a baby. This doesn’t just apply when you’re pregnant, but also when you’re still breastfeeding your newborn child. Here’s what you need to know about marijuana and breastfeeding.
Is It Bad To Smoke Marijuana While Breastfeeding?
New mothers may want to use weed to help them cope with the stress of raising a newborn child. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the things you ingest can still affect your child if you’re breastfeeding. Many substances can be passed onto your child via your breast milk, and that includes THC.
THC is the main psychoactive component found in marijuana. When you smoke marijuana, THC stays in your system for a while. A study analyzing breast milk samples of mothers who used marijuana found that 63% had detectable levels of THC in their breast milk up to 6 days after using.
Currently, there isn’t enough research to say how using marijuana while you breastfeed will affect your child. The THC content in breast milk decreases rapidly, and children are only exposed to a trace amount. However, since THC can affect brain development in younger users, it’s best to avoid exposing your child to THC at all costs. As such, you shouldn’t use marijuana while you’re still breastfeeding your child.
Is It Bad To Smoke Marijuana While Pregnant?
Although learning that you’re pregnant can be exciting news, it also means that you’ll have to make some significant sacrifices. When you’re carrying a child, you’ll need to be careful about what you’re doing to your body and how it might affect your child. While it’s common knowledge that you shouldn’t smoke cigarettes while pregnant- what about marijuana?
Currently, more research is needed on whether using marijuana during pregnancy will harm your child. However, some studies suggest that it may cause developmental delays, increased risk of low birth weight, and other potential issues. Since you can’t be 100% sure it won’t cause problems, it’s best to err on the side of caution and avoid marijuana altogether during your pregnancy.
Using marijuana during pregnancy may be tempting. After all, it can help with issues such as nausea and stress that often come alongside being pregnant. However, it’s best to avoid taking the risk and find alternative ways to deal with your symptoms. Keep in mind that you should also avoid consuming other marijuana products such as Edibles, Tinctures, and Capsules.
Can You Smoke Marijuana If You’re Not Breastfeeding?
Since THC can bind to fats in your breast milk and your child may be exposed to it, it’s best to avoid using marijuana while you’re breastfeeding. You should also avoid using marijuana while you’re pregnant. However, what about if you’re not breastfeeding?
If you don’t breastfeed your child, then you won’t need to worry about THC in your system. However, keep in mind that if you extract your breast milk using a pump, it can still contain THC if you’ve used marijuana recently.
If you’ve passed the breastfeeding stage and your child won’t be drinking your breast milk, using marijuana becomes much less of a concern. You can start to use marijuana again, but make sure that you use it responsibly and avoid exposing your child to marijuana smoke.
Can You Use CBD While Breastfeeding?
Marijuana should be avoided during breastfeeding as it can result in your child being exposed to CBD. You should also avoid other THC-infused products such as Marijuana Edibles and Tinctures as these can also result in THC in your breast milk. But what about CBD products?
CBD products are products such as Tinctures, Edibles, and Capsules that contain little to no THC and high levels of cannabidiol. Cannabidiol is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid that’s often consumed as a safer alternative to THC. It doesn’t get you high and it’s free from harmful side effects.
CBD is a much safer alternative to THC for breastfeeding mothers. A study found that CBD was detected less commonly in the breast milk of mothers compared to THC. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean you should use it.
Current research suggests that CBD is very safe to use with no public health risks. However, there isn’t enough evidence to show whether it can affect the development of newborn children, and the FDA suggests it should be avoided while breastfeeding.
Other Precautions To Take
If you’re not pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or breastfeeding, there’s no problem with using marijuana. But there are still a few precautions you should take if you’re using marijuana while you have children in the house.
You should avoid your children being exposed to marijuana smoke as even inhaling a small amount might affect them. You should smoke outdoors or consider using smokeless products such as Edibles, Tinctures, or Vapes.
If you have children in the house, you should also store all your marijuana products safely. Keep your marijuana products and accessories in a secure container and keep it out of reach of children.
Conclusion
If you plan to breastfeed your child, you should avoid using marijuana. THC binds to fats in your breast milk and, although the effects on children are unclear, it’s best to be cautious. You should also avoid using marijuana while you’re pregnant and even while you’re planning to conceive.
However, that doesn’t mean that parents can’t use marijuana. When you’re not pregnant or breastfeeding, using marijuana is a great way to reduce stress and help you relax. Just make sure you use it responsibly and keep it away from your child. You can find a range of safe, high-quality marijuana products at BudExpressNow.
