Using Marijuana While Breastfeeding

[Chronic Chrissy]

I came across this post and wanted to see what othe parents thought about it. I breastfeed currently 9 months now and see us going on a bit past a year, so maybe this isn't a concern to others but it is to us and will be for a bit. So give it a read and tell me where you stand.

"Around here we have 2 types of marijuana users. The gateway drug users who at the same time are doing meth and crack usually anywhere from teens to early adults, but the range does vary.. Theses are drug abusers. These people ruin their lives. The other type are the seasoned user, who takes part on a regular basis to achieve a certain level of medication to live and function in their day to daily life. But that is off topic.

As for it being illegal that's not a fact everywhere. Even in places where it is illegal it is also a prescription drug, such as in the US, and it can be grown and used with government regulation and monitoring. Here in my area of Canada it is also illegal in the same way, the difference is that the law just doesn't care so long as it is not grown and sold for mass profit, it isn't mass prepackaged baggies, and the obvious not sold to children.
Here I grow my own marijuana. You can apply for permits, we also have the largest government operated grow operation in the country. I have had the police to my house for many different reasons atleast 4 times recently and each time no one asked for my permit. Here we can walk down the street with a joint, we don't hide it at all.
I think that the illegal nature of this drug should be left out, any prescription drug taken without a prescription is illegal. If you have some old ointment for a rash that you choose to use 6 months after your last outbreak and your doctor only precribed it for 2 months, if you don't consult your doctor that is use of a controled substance. But then again most moms here are from the US thus are judging on their countries laws and portrayal of a drug the gov't is having a war with, of course the gov't, wants to taint the information by testing mothers who take part in other illegal uses of drugs, unhealthy life choices, and/or abuse legal drugs like alcohol. Another tactic that they use is to not preform the proper tests, or not release information gathered. Then there are all the tests that are "inconclusive", yet still do not release the results or their definition of "inconclusive".
Also there are many studies that are conducted on subjects who SMOKE marijuana and not use a VAPORIZER. I THIINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT SMOKING IS BAD AND HAS MANY NEGITIVE EFFECTS. So many tests refer to the use of marijuana but don't have a control group regaurding the method of administration, whether it is smoked, injested, or inhaled with a vaporizer, not to metion there are marijuana ointments which relieve pain topically. Many of the ill effect of marijuana that they conclude in these studies are directly related to the SMOKING of marijuana.

Another thing I must point out is that mothers who do use marijuana are often very reluctant to openly share their experiences because in many cases it is illegal. There are so many Closet Users who hide from the world or even create the illusion that they are very against the use. I can't help but compare it to mothers who have miscarages. You think that no body else has experienced it til it happens to you and you find a support group of so many mothers who you wouldn't expect who have been through and experienced what you have. People keep it to themselves. I never knew so many marijuana using moms there were 'til I became one then the protective walls came down and the hidden act is revealed and you relize that appearences and what people want you to see are different then what is going on.

When looking for acurate information I believe you have to look for studies done independently, or from other countries where marijuana is not attacked as such.

Here on MDC we take examples from other parenting tactics from other cultures, regaurding babywearing, breastfeeding, EC, even having a drink of wine or two with dinner, or drinking on occasion. We point to these other cultures where it is accepted and embraced as a effective and moderatly safe, and say "see this is why it works so great for them, we can apply these tactics here", well there are countries where they partake and use marijuana to treat a variety of ailments on a regular basis, and it is accepted culturally, we should be looking at these societies and making the choice for ourselves, not allowing the government to tell us what they want us to believe to be the truth.

When you break down the situation, as with anything you put in your body while pg or bf, we tend to consult our doctors to guild us. Well in a country where you can be sued in the medical profession the doctors tend to cover their asses, and as with any substacne that they don't fully understand or have accurate information for deem it a risk. Not to metion that any doctor willing to come out and lead this "crusade" has so much risk to they're professional life. Better safe than sorry they say.

We as a mothering community choose to try and use natural and tradtional methods for everything, including what we put in our body, turning to non-medication solution to our health issues when possible. Midwives make suggestions to pg moms to use Marijuana to treat various things such as morning sickness, and to increase appetite.
First I have to point out that THC is fat, oil, or alcohol soluble so it needs to enter the fat cells in order for the THC to be realeased into your body. In the same situation the THC MUST begin to be absorbed when in contact with any of these substances, and in the body at this point begin being broken down.
In the making of Canna Oil or Butter for cooking the oil and fat suck all the THC from the shake or bud, and if done over the proper amount of time once the foliage is strained from the solution it then is striped of it's THC.
So when it enters the body the effects aren't experienced 'til the THC makes contact with the fat and is released, you continue to feel the effect as long as the THC is available to be released and used up, much like vitamins, it then has to be replaced.
Now yes there are minute amounts of THC left in your body which can be picked up during drug testing, drug testing identifies the compounds which makes up THC, that means when they are togather and when risidual compounds after being broken down, this is why drug tests can indicate that you've used marijuana weeks ago. Now I mentioned that THC can travel through your body, well these are the THC compounds that have not come in comtact with fat because if it had it would have been broken down. So really you can only have THC found in your system for a few days after using, but the fragments can still be found for weeks.
Now breastfeeding. Doctors state that THC enters your breastmilk because it is fat soluble and milk stores are made from substances from all areas of stores throughout the body. But inorder to enter the breastmilk it has to travel through fat but once it enters your fat cells it starts breaking down already and by the time it enters your breastmilk, then by the time you feed your child the THC is mostly broken down.
There are studies that prove that you can find out if a mother has used marijuana by testing a breastfed infant. What the neglect to inform anyone of is just how much THC actually makes it to the child and whether it is fragments of the compound that were already broken down in the mothers body. I will say that yes minute amounts may travel through your milk much like alcohol but on a smaller scale.

Another argument I've seen is that it isn't right to be intoxicated while caring for children, because it impairs your ability to care for your child. Lots of things impair your ability to properly care for your child, not just alcohol, but also sleep deprivation, migranes, pain, anxiety, hyperactivity, all of these things can also be relieved using marjuana therapy, but that's not the point. The point is that this is a form a medication not intoxication or recreational use to be abused. Different individuals respond differently to different medications over different periods of time, this is why we have a prescription medication system and doctors. If marijuana is having an intoxicating effect on you then I suggest you not care for children as I would also advise for anyone using any other form of medication with the same effect.

What it comes down to is your personal choice, and in many instanse the choice to self medicate if you are unable to recieve a prescription but it betters your day to day life. It isn't right for everyone, but for some it in not an intoxication but a tool to allow them to get and give the most the most of themselves, and no one should be judged for wanting to share the best you, and sometimes you needs help to function better."

Chronic Chrissy Reviewed by Chronic Chrissy on 04-13-2007. Using Marijuana While Breastfeeding I came across this post and wanted to see what othe parents thought about it. I breastfeed currently 9 months now and see us going on a bit past a year, so maybe this isn't a concern to others but it is to us and will be for a bit. So give it a read and tell me where you stand. "Around here we have 2 types of marijuana users. The gateway drug users who at the same time are doing meth and crack usually anywhere from teens to early adults, but the range does vary.. Theses are drug abusers. Rating: 5

[Teazintoo]

I'm 50,daughter born in '78 and I smoked pot during and while nursing,also went back to work w/in a week,I rode racehorses for a living for 20 or so years pro..Daughter dearest is fine and she hasn't any ill effects from it ever.Pot ,the least of ur problems in proego time.ull b fine honey.

[itsbeenawhile]

if a woman smokes whilst breastfeeding, the cannabis can still be found in babies urine for upto 3 weeks after! Not a good thing in my opinion. Im sure people say how fine their kids are after smoking, but then you dont know how much their emotional and mental development has been stunted as a result

[Opie Yutts]

While in the womb, I was hit in the head with a board 3 times daily, and I turned out just fine.

[GreenDestiny]

From what I've read, you should avoid the intake of cannabinoids while breast feeding. They can be transmitted to your baby through the milk.. also avoid it while you're pregnant too.

BUT CHECK THIS OUT...............

Breast milk already contains natural cannabinoids!

Babies need to eat(drink) a large amount. Thanks to nature, the "endogenous cannabinoids" (endocannabinoids) in the breast milk will give your little one the munchies which will encourage it's appetite.

from Cannabinoids - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The endocannabinoid 2-AG has been found in bovine and human maternal milk.

and Breast milk - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mother's milk has been shown to supply a type of endocannabinoid (the natural neurotransmitters which marijuana simulates), 2-Arachidonoyl glycerol.

Press About Marni Jackson - Pain, the fifth vital sign

The same substance in cannabis that can help people with multiple sclerosis deal with musle spasms, or cancer patients cope with nausea, is present in human breast milk too. Endogeneous cannabinoids, as they're known, are part of the body's own painkilling resources -cousins to more familiar ones like endorphins. Receptors for cannabinoids, located in the brain, spine and peripheral nerves, have just been discovered in the past decade.

The endocannabinoid signaling system: a potential target for next-generation therapeutics for alcoholism

Endocannabinoids are present in peripheral tissues as well as in the brain, and recently they were found to be present in breast milk.

[partcleguy]

Cannabinoids have been shown to affect axon growth in a developing brain. This does not prove its important for a working brain, but it provides evidence that it can certainly affect the brain in some way. I'm a huge fan of smoking pot and I think its great and I'd almost be ready to say fuck it, but would you let your one year old eat a brownie or a vape (cause I know you wouldn't let him/her smoke it)? There may be endocannabinoids in breast milk, but there's no need to risk adding more.

Then again, the effects are probably very minor...

[Opie Yutts]

BUT CHECK THIS OUT...............

Breast milk already contains natural cannabinoids!

Sigh... I wish I was a baby again.

[killerweed420]

Yeah me too. Cannabis in breast milk would be good. Quiet the littlemonster right down.

[Chronic Chrissy]

[quote=partcleguy]but would you let your one year old eat a brownie or a vape (cause I know you wouldn't let him/her smoke it)?
There may be endocannabinoids in breast milk, but there's no need to risk adding more.
QUOTE]

If you read my PP you would have learnt that by the time the consumed cannabinoids reach the breast milk they no longer effective, not to metion breast milk can sit around in there for quite a while before it is consumed.

As for your question why add more...
When my daughter was born she was a very efficient breastfeeder and my milk was in fast, but she had no interest. Her weight dropped drastically and and they wanted me to suppliment her with formula. Relutantly they let us go home when I insisted that the only thing that would help her gain weight was nursing. Within 3 days of us being home and me smoking again she wanted to feed more often. We breastfed for a full year, and even then she was a petite girl, but healthy. When we stopped she lost interest in food again. The Dr's didn't understand why she got better for so long, but then relapsed. If she wouldn't been given those "munchies" all predictions would have deemed her failure to thrive. But because she got that boost her first year she was carried through to an age where she out grew it.

She's 2, unbelievably smart, active, and ahead of all her peers, inseady of being a sickly frail baby. Oh and man can she pack in that food now!

[NaughtyDreadz]

tits that get me high??? SIGN ME UP