Mothers who breastfeed advised not to smoke
07/15/99
Breast-fed infants whose mothers smoke have a 5 times higher level of cotinine, a nicotine by-product, in their urine than infants of smokers who do not breastfeed, Canadian researchers report.
But since breastfeeding has been shown to protect against a number of ailments, including respiratory illnesses, the findings should encourage nursing moms to quit smoking, not to stop breastfeeding, according to the report in the July issue of the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.
The findings come from a study of 507 infants at risk for asthma and allergy based on their family history. The researchers also assessed the infants' exposure to smoking.
Cigarettes
