How does marijuana affect breast feeding?

Separate from the direct, chemical effects of marijuana on a baby, use of marijuana may affect a mother's ability to be able to properly care for her baby. ... Also, because street drugs are rarely pure, marijuana may be laced with other drugs or substances that can also be harmful to the breastfeeding baby. read more

For ethical reasons, very little research has been done on the effects of weed on breastfed babies. But we do know that babies are much more vulnerable to chemicals and toxins than adults. And babies are exposed through breast milk to the active chemicals in weed, including THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the one that gets you high. read more

No studies have examined the possible long-term effects of marijuana exposure during breast-feeding. The 2009 review said that there is concern that THC could alter brain cell metabolism as the baby's brain grows in the first month of life. read more

Twenty-seven mothers reported smoking marijuana during breastfeeding. Twelve of them smoked once a month or less, 9 smoked weekly, and 6 smoked daily. Six of their infants were compared at 1 year of age to the infants of mothers who did not smoke marijuana during pregnancy or breastfeeding. read more

Sixty-eight infants whose mothers reported smoking marijuana during breastfeeding were compared to 68 matched control infants whose mothers did not smoke marijuana. The duration of breastfeeding varied, but the majority of infants were breastfeed for 3 months and received less than 16 fluid ounces of formula daily. read more