Bajanowski et al found nicotine levels in a baby's blood were much greater from passive smoking than from ingesting nicotine in breast milk. read more
Enough nicotine gets through, along with the taste and smell of smoke, to create a preference for it in the baby that apparently will increase the odds that the child will smoke when it grows up. I was 15 years old when I realized that the comforting mama-smell of my pillow was actually mostly cigarette smoke. read more
Passive smoking vs nicotine in breast milk. Bajanowski et al found nicotine levels in a baby’s blood were much greater from passive smoking than from ingesting nicotine in breast milk 2. read more
She comments that additional studies are needed to examine the long-term developmental effects of nicotine delivered through breast milk. An earlier study from Mennella's lab demonstrated that breast milk nicotine levels peak 30 - 60 minutes after smoking one or two cigarettes and clear by three hours after the smoking episode. read more