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breast milk

PositiveTip for

Inhaled Cannabis Transfers to Breast Milk

Smoking marijuana while breast-feeding may pose risk to infants.

A small study of breast-feeding mothers suggests that the breast-fed infants would consume about 2.5% of the inhaled cannabis dose. Well-intentioned parents might choose to smoke marijuana away from their infants to minimize exposure, but thus study indicates the breast-fed infants will still ingest some. While these amounts are small, the impact on the developing brain is unknown.

PositiveTip: The safest practice is for breast-feeding mothers to refrain from using any cannabis.

PositiveTip for

Beware: Internet Breast Milk

Breast milk is best, but only from Mom or regulated milk banks.

Breast milk is the preferred source of nutrition for all infants. Mothers who have difficulty breast-feeding are tempted to turn to the lower-cost, online breast milk market. As a body fluid it has the potential to transmit pathological agents. These unregulated sources pose significant risks to the infant because the milk is not usually pasteurized and the donor and milk are not routinely tested for communicable diseases. 

PositiveTip: When purchasing breast milk choose a regulated milk bank. The added safety is worth the price difference.